ABOVE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHOTOS I TOOK AT THE SICHUAN OPERA IN CHENGDU
What a treat this was when Mickal took us out on the town for an evening of tea and local entertainment at the Sichuan Opera!!! The sights and sounds are dazzling we sat in some of the best seats in the house to watch the drama, music, face changing performers , master puppetry and shadow puppets and comedians…….and all the tea you could drink! It was like a “living room” or coffee house size performance
MICKALS LITTLE GIRL “MINNIE” DOING HER FACE CHANGING IMITATION
The cup you drink from is like a small bowl with a lid…with your Jasmine loose tea in the bottom. The lid usually stays on while the tea steeps.. as the nights were very cold and the teahouses and restaurants not heated whatsoever. Once steeped to our taste we used the lid to hold back the leaves as we sipped.
THIS PUPPET COULD BLINK HER EYES AND THE DEXTERITY IN HER FINGERS WAS INCREDIBLE
Once the lid is left off the cup, a server comes along with a pot of boiling water that is remniscent of watering can with a 3 foot long skinny spout! That baby shoots a stream of boiling water across an entire table (or two) and many of the patrons laps with precision accuracy. I only wish I had taken a photo of it and am so grateful for that “precision accuracy”!
This way they can fit more in the space without leaving an aisle for the server to walk through. Just watching them wield the wicked water pot was entertainment in itself!!
“AHHHHHHHHHH PANDAAAAAAAAA” AND APPLAUSE CAME WHEN THIS SHADOW PUPPET APPEARED
THIS COMEDY ROUTINE WAS WONDERFUL. NOT A WORD OF ENGLISH SPOKEN AND MOSTLY LOCALS ATTENDING THE OPERA. IN FACT IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS WE WERE PROBABLY THE ONLY TOURISTS IN CHENGDU THAT WEEK!
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO MUCH LARGER AND IN HIGH DEFINITION
or click arrow below to stay here and watch. There is audio with all my videos I post. The music you hear on this one is actually a real Sichuan Opera sound track I found on Itunes
THANK YOU MICKAL FOR YET ANOTHER INCREDIBLE MEMORY IN CHENGDU. WHAT A WONDERFUL FRIEND AND HOST TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME WITH US THAT WEEK.
It is such a comforting feeling to be so far from home but still with friends who looked out for us!!!
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BE SURE TO CHECK THE NEW AUDIO UPDATE TODAY…MORE COMING TOMORROW!!!
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Hi Rachel, Lois, and Nan!!!! Soooooooo glad you all are enjoying looking at the photos That one of the girl in red is one of my all time faves I’ve ever taken. I can’t believe I caught her so crisply in a dark room with only a spotlight on her….and she was moving too!! I guess it was just meant to happen!!!
Poetry in motion, and a stunning piece of art, as you captured the young girl in the vibrant red costume!! NM
OMG Sandra…that first photo is sooooo captivating I could barely scroll down to see the rest of your blog entry!!! Of course, I’m so glad I did…that panda shadow puppet is wonderful!
While we were in NY, I went to a Chinese tea ceremony with my daughter and learned about a “gaiwan” used to brew the teas…very cool!
Thank you for all of your fabulous pictures (I love that gorgeous kitty!) and videos…the next best thing to being there!
Lots of Love, Lois 🙂
Sandra – Thanks for sharing all of the wonderful updates. I almost feel like I was there.
Rachel
WONDERFUL ! i would like to go to China.
Cordially
geneviève