Costumes Cantonese opera

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.