Seeing a Sichuan Cultural Show
Written by Viator, April 2012
RECOMMENDATION Keywords:
Cultural Experience,
Good for Kids,
People Watching,
Tip - What to See & Do,
Theater
If the idea of laughing at an operas doesn’t seem to work together then you might be surprised to find out that Sichuan opera—a specific and ancient form of artistic expression unlike any other in the world—is frequently based upon Sichuan folktales which are far more comedy than tragedy. Entertaining and thoroughly captivating, a Sichuan opera or cultural show will frequently feature a full array of performances which involve singing, drumming, acrobatics and mystifying costume changes.
Central to many Sichuan cultural shows are the infamous “face-changing” characters. Through a series of thinly-painted masks stacked masterfully on their face performers are able to scratch through, rub and discard their masks with a simple flick of the wrist—thereby creating the mystical allure of changing their appearance without ever leaving the stage. The art of face-changing dates back thousands of years and is one of the central highlights of any dramatic Sichuan performance.
Often set to intoxicating rhythms, the operas involve music drawn from five separate and ancient musical styles. An art form unto itself, the music of Sichuan opera features percussive beats and high pitched melodies which collectively contribute to the cultural atmosphere. With numerous entertainment venues located in Chengdu, most cultural shows can involve everything from opera singing to stick puppet and hand shadow shows interspersed into the overall performance.
There are over 2,000 different folktales which have been made into Sichuan, so the good news is should you feel the need to go back for more, there will always be a new program to keep you smiling, laughing and thoroughly satisfied.
Latest Replies
Reply by Viator, December 2012
Doing what: Sichuan Culture Show and Hot Pot Dinner in Chengdu
Very nice, even though I didn't know chinese. Face changing, shadow puppets and puppets were my favorite. Food was great and not as greasy as the hot pot I've had in Shanghai
Reply by Viator, October 2012
Doing what: Sichuan Culture Show and Hot Pot Dinner in Chengdu
Our guide was really lovely, and most informative on Sichuan lifestyle and culture. Dinner was superb - believe it when they say Sichuan food is spicy! The show had some great acts - the puppets were brilliant, the acrobatics were unbelievable and the final act - well you have to see it for yourself! (Some of the other acts were a bit ordinary though.) Over all a most enjoyable evening, however we thought it a bit strange that the guide AND the driver tucked into dinner with us at our table. On our (many) other tours the guide has sometimes joined us, but never the driver as well. We had been told that our meal was very special and too expensive for local people, so we felt our Viator payment had covered an extra meal.
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