Decoding Chinese Opera Part 1

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Classical Chinese drama, or opera, can be a challenge for the uninitiated. Many Western and Chinese audiences want to like it, but then get lost in the clashing gongs and cymbals.

This talk breaks down the conventions of staging, the visual cues, musical instruments, melodies, and rap (!) that make this vibrant art form a UNESCO-recognized Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage.

Presenter Jon Wai-keung Lowe is a Bay Area theater director and designer whose work ranges from puppetry to short films and interactive narrative. He has studied the chou role-type with Wang Baoshan and holds a certificate from Shanghai Theatre Academy.