Yue opera, also known as Shaoxing opera, is a popular Chinese opera genre. Only Peking opera is considered more popular nationwide.
A 2016 performance of Romance of the Western Chamber by Shanghai Theatre Academy students. The actress in red is portraying a male character.
A female contestant playing Han Shizhong during a televised Shaoxing opera talent competition in 2006.
A performance of Yulan Ji by Shanghai Theatre Academy students in 2014.
A performance of Wang Kui Betrays Guiying by Shanghai Theatre Academy students in 2014. Male Shaoxing opera actors are few in number but they do exist.
Chinese Opera is a form of theatre in China that combines singing, acting, and elaborate costumes. Topics are based on Chinese history, mythology, and literature. Over its historical evolution, it has incorporated various art forms such as music, song and dance, martial arts, acrobatics, costume and make-up art, and literature. It has highly formalized roles, performed by professional actors each trained for specific roles. Exaggerated features and colors make the roles easily identifiable.
A Shao opera performance in Shanghai, China, 2014. This photo shows an acrobatic performer's somersault.
12th century painting by Su Hanchen; a girl waves a peacock feather banner like the one used in Song dynasty dramatical theater to signal an acting leader of troops
Theatre play, Prosperous Suzhou by Xu Yang, 1759
Sichuan opera in Chengdu
