Visual elements Cantonese opera

1 visual elements

1.1 makeup
1.2 costumes
1.3 hairstyle, hats, , helmets

visual elements
makeup

a female general

applying makeup cantonese opera long , specialized process. 1 of common styles white , red face : application of white foundation , red color around eyes fades down bottom of cheeks. eyebrows black , elongated. usually, female characters have thinner eyebrows males. there black makeup around eyes shape similar eyes of chinese phoenix (鳳眼; fung ngaan). lipstick bright red (口唇膏; hau seon gou).

actors given temporary facelifts holding skin ribbon on of head. lifts corners of eyes, producing authoritative look.

each role has own style of make-up: clown has large white spot in middle of face, example. sick character has thin red line pointing upwards in between eyebrows. aggressive , frustrated character roles have arrow shape fading forehead in between eyebrows (英雄脂; jing hung zi).

strong male characters wear open face (開面; hoi min) makeup. each character s makeup has own distinct characteristics, symbolic patterns , coloration.

costumes

an exhibition displaying opera costumes

costumes correspond theme of play , indicate character of each role.

as mentioned above, each type of play associated particular costumes. water sleeves of man (文) plays can attached waist or sides of breast areas. costumes can single or double breasted.

costumes indicate status of character. lower-status characters, such females, wear less elaborate dresses, while of higher rank have more decorative costumes.

major career artists (大老倌) listed above, playing 6 main characters (generic combination of 2 sang, 2 daan, zing, , cau), supposed pay own costumes.

overtime, build fortune ($millions) spending of income on quality, such sequin (珠片), costumes each , every performance.

their collections, measured in number of chest (furniture) , of such costumes, quantity, reflect status professional performers (大老倌).

those chests sold when retire or passed free onto appointed successors. career artists, sequin (珠片) costumes essential for, main source of income, commercial, festive performances @ various bamboo theatres (神功戲) decades in hong kong. these costumes passed generation generation of, famous , successful, career performers (大老倌) priceless, according art collectors.

in 1973, yam kim fai gave loong kim sang, protégée, complete set of sequin (珠片) costumes needed career debut leading own commercial performance @ chinese new year bamboo theatre.

for not used anymore, antiques of famous artists, lam kar sing , ng kwun-lai, on loan or donation hong kong heritage museum regularly.

hairstyle, hats, , helmets

a cantonese opera exhibit @ hong kong museum of history, 2008.

hats , helmets signify social status, age , capability: scholars , officials wear black hats wings on either side; generals wear helmets pheasants tail feathers; soldiers wear ordinary hats, , kings wear crowns. queens or princesses have jeweled helmets. if hat or helmet removed, indicates character exhausted, frustrated, or ready surrender.

hairstyles can express character s emotions: warriors express sadness @ losing battle swinging ponytails. female roles, buns indicated maiden, while married woman has dai tau (低頭).

in 3 kingdoms legends, zhao yun , lü bu depicted wearing helmets pheasants tail feathers; originates cantonese opera, not military costumes of era, although s convention in place qing dynasty or earlier.