It's the 7th month on the Chinese lunar calendar - and that's a time for the wandering spirits to leave the netherworld to travel about to feasts held in their honour by their families. Feasts and celebrations are held to herald their return - along with the prerequisite entertainment. Just imagine Halloween and All Soul's Day - but for a whole month :)
A friend's e-mail - the Dashing Darrel - reminded me of the fact that I haven't been to a Chinese Opera in ages. Well, that's actually an exaggeration since the last time I went to one was about a year or two back. Back when I was a kid, I had a zany babysitter who was obsessed with operas and every Chinese festival would find me perched on a stool watching delightedly as the acrobats/actors dance their way across the stage. Dressed in their glittery, colourful costumes and their thick pan make-up ( far more elaborate than any wannabe drag queen ), they re-enact amazingly intricate storylines and plots, expressing a myriad of emotions with only a flick of their eyebrows or a twirl of their fingers.
These days of course, apart from paying attention to the convoluted script, I usually keep an ogling eye out for the sexy male actors. Trust me on this, they have the most amazing gymnast/acrobat builds ever since all that lifting, jumping and leaping around has to burn some calories... and though, they might hide it in their bulky, elaborate costumes.. there's always a backstage :) Just keep an eye on them when they come out for a cigarette break ( like my friend did ) and you just might be rewarded with some delicious eye candy.
Gotta find the time to go catch a few shows - in between playing around with my new laptop. Still trying to get a hang of the new tool :) Anyone with ideas on an easy to use graphic program? Just want to fiddle with some pics - kinda like what I did with my old Adobe Photoshop.
7 comments:
Does the Ghost Month affect your work in the hospital? I mean things like people’s attitudes to having surgery, or having relatives in the ICU or whatever.
I would love to see a Chinese Opera, but of course they don’t come here. Guess I’ll have to travel to the right part of the world. :o\
Thinking of your laptop (and the computer resting on it ;o) ) has Cute Techno-Hottie been round to fix you up yet? And how did Hui like his thong?
Justin! We can watch together! I might not understand the teochew all that well but I can certainly enjoy thecostumes - and the theatrical drama.
ru, you should come over here now - and we'll take you. Then again, aren't you in OZ? You should have some Chinese people over there :) Giving Hui the thong on Monday - have it all wrapped up with a pretty lil bow. The Technohottie hasn't been by to set up my broadband yet but I did get a call from him - perhaps next week. Will keep ya updated.
Paul
Paul - if I were in Oz, I would have been on a plane and over to see you by now!
As it is, I live on a small island (rock) just off the west coast of France. Yes, we have a couple of Chinese people living here, but probably not enough to form an opera company. :o\
OMG your friend took that piccie? HOT!
Need to find myself a gymnast/acrobat bf.
An island off the west coast of France?!
Paul
Yes, one of the Channel Islands. We're British Crown territory, but have our own government independent of the UK. I was actually born in England (so yes, I have the accent ;o) ).
I think Chinese operas are cool! We've had a few at the university's theatre that were pretty good.. although they did it in English.. and it was just too weird to hear English words in a Chinese operatic pattern... ugh... they should've done it in Chinese.
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