Chinese Opera

For centuries opera companies have mesmerized audiences with their elaborately costumed and made-up characters and the pageantry of their productions combining music and voice with dance and gesture. Because of its venerable tradition, many of the operas have historical and military themes, which are still performed today. As in the past, the emphasis in these productions is not on scenery or props but on the elaborate costumes and makeup worn by the leading characters, who display a variety of acting styles, and the best known are the Peking, the Cantonese, and Shanghai's Yue Operas, which are featured in this photographic book. Jessica Tan Gudnason's stunning portraits look more like painted sculptures than photographs. Her images were taken over a ten-year period during which she frequented Peking, Cantonese, and Yue opera productions, capturing many different actors in all stages of preparation for leading and supporting roles or fully dressed for the performance. Some of the remar