Tonight we went to the Beijing Opera. It is the most amazing spectacle and intricate, ancient art form. Ours was only a taster show, with single chapters almost, of different shows.
The operas always portray different traditional stories and contain easily recognisable character types. The costumes and make-up help with the identification and drama, and accentuate the character and movement. Precise hand and eye movements convey emotion and concepts such as distance or darkness, and action is portrayed through elaborate dancing and kung fu moves. The music is traditional and Chinese on 4-6 instruments, and the main characters sing.
It is just magical.