Me, Myself & Opera

Yesterday I went to see Naiba's performance at Boon Keng. Suddenly I got the idea that I must blog about the different type of performances that his troupe or all the other street opera troupes do in Singapore. This is to benefit my overseas friends who didn't know about the Singapore opera culture. Naiba provided many types of performances depending on the temple requirements. Yesterday, his troupe put up this small scale performance which we call the 七艺班. From the name we can see the magical number 7. It simply means that this is a small scale show with only 7 actors. However, nowdays the 七艺班 will sometimes have more than 7 actors if th show requires more people. The 七艺班 will put up a small and simple stage as per below: There will not be any changing of backdrops or any neat props. The performance will be kept simple and the show lasted for 2.5 hours. Some temples have limited budget or they didn't have enough space to put up for a big stage so they will got for this 七艺...

Hello everyone, I am here to introduce you to Ang's blog which is now officially functioning. She plans to input information about our performances and some details of previous performances in this blog. Currently, we have Miss YH attending and helping her with the entries. There are quite a number of photos in that blog already. You may visit it at: www.hongxiuyu-gezaixi.blogspot.com Hee Hee... I think the entries there are still quite messy but we should be cleaning it up and improving it very soon~

I can't believe that this sunday is my performance!! I have been busying myself doing many things and I didn't realise that time really flies! Oh my god, it's so fast. I felt like I have just started rehearsal yesterday only. Die. Stressful because this show has been cut in many parts to shorten it. In fact, it's so short that I think it missed out some of the important points. It's quite hard for me because I have to change my mood fairly quickly from happy to sad, from nervous to disappointment etc. I think this show is in a way more difficult for me than Long Feng Xiang. Oh no... I think we didn't rehearse enough again. I can only pray that this sunday will go well..... :P

Last 3 days, naiba's troupe was acting at Jalan Kayu which is pretty near to where I live. So I decided to go act for him for 2 days... on the 3rd I have rehearsal so I can't go. Acting for him can gain me some experience as well as making some pocket money. Hee hee... It is unfortunate that I am unable to act on the last day as the show is a funny show about th Pig from Journey to the West... Naiba acted as the pig! He transformed from this..... to this....!!!! Wahahaha.... look at that mega big and hairy and dirty tummy! LOL, he acted funny too and made stupid pig's oinking noises. I laughed so much watching this show... Hahahaa because naiba is simply... too funny liao. This photo is taken when the piggy transformed himself into a man.. but he still carry that big stomach... So he look very weird. And then this is Ah peng who acted as the monkey king. At the end of the show, tripitaka took piggy in as disciple... and they traveled together. Besids naiba making a fool of ...

I have asked many people this question but apparently, few people really gave it a thought. For example, YH never told me she never think about what kind of role she wants to do most. I gave her some time to think about it. DLQ told me that she wants to try out acting an official in court during a trial. Interesting. Seems like we never had a scene like this before so she got to wait awhile liao. Maybe in future we will have a court scene. May's dream role is emperor and Fan Li Hua. Emperor... erm.. abit difficult lah. I don't think she will get the chance lor because she is too short. Actually now that she keep talking about it, I also start to dream about doing emperor. Haha.. kana influenced. The roles I would like to try: 1) Ghost - I want to do a ghost role but not like in Qian Nv. I want to do a ghost that died tragically and the came back to take revenge. It will be fun! I can make my face pale... then sway around. 2) Fan Li Hua - Yah same as May Teng but different reaso...

These 2 days I went to Naiba troupe to help him act because he came pleading me that he didn't have enough people. Well, I am a very nice person so I agreed though I really dunno how to do street style opera. On the first day, I arrived in the afternoon to do the noon show. The weather was damn damn hot sia! I almost melted in this merciless sun. The heat just keep striking me like it never struck anyone before. I can feel my flesh and nerves and organs all flaming. I am not kua zhang. I am serious. I was kping the weather so hot... and asked around if there is any coffee shops in the area. All of them told me they not sure. What I need is an icy cold coke. Uncle Peter very nice. He heard that I am kping and went to coffeeshop to get me icy cold drinks! Awwww.... Peter is so nice to me! :) After settling down, I declare that I am not going sing. I just want to act some maid role will do. But Naiba is very 'nice'. He told me that he won't let me do those ikan bilis role....

Never never in my life will I expect such a thing to happen to my chinese opera sub career. It came really all too suddenly and I wasn't prepared. I was only told that I will be carried up by Ang one month before the show. How am I supposed to lose enough weight by that time for Ang to carry me? Carry me is not an easy feat cuz I know my own weight very well! Fortunately, on that day, my very strong teacher managed to carry me up swiftly. I was so freaked out everytime she does that. Here are 2 precious photos that someone took of that very moment. Many people commented that I should let go of my right arm since I am supposed to be dead. How can I still cling so tightly onto teacher leh? I told them many times that it is simply not possible. NOT possible! I will fall to the ground if I did that. Then people argue that I will look more dead if I can drop one arm and let it dangle. I looked quite unnatural with both arms around the neck. Haiz, not that I don't want to but I real...