China National Peking Opera

A while back I was lucky enough to attend the China National Peking Opera Company’s performance of Farewell My Concubine and The Warrior Women of Yang at Sadler’s Wells. It was such an amazing night.

For anyone that has never attended a Chinese Opera, these are the most fabulous spectacles of colour and song. The costumes are intricately woven and each painted face can take up to 3 ½ hours to make up. Each is colour coded with white meaning scheming and red, loyalty and courage.

The tale of Farewell My Concubine is a story of political unrest, love, honour and sacrifice. The Warrior Women of Yang tells of grief, courage and loyalty to family. Uplifting, moving and a riot of colour. The detail on the costumes is breathtaking.