Review of the SPIRITS

Details of the Opera
Title: SPIRITS (Chinese Opera)
Performed in five forms of Chinese Opera with English and Chinese subtitles
Venue: Victoria Theatre
Date: June 3, 2005
Time: 8PM
Duration: 100minutes (No intermission)

Introduction
Due to the season of brilliance, Singapore Arts Festival from 26 May – 26 June 2005. SPIRITS (Chinese Opera) is one of the showcases to represent new revolution of local traditional Opera. This excellence play was brought to us by Toy Factory (Singapore’s leading bilingual theatre company), written by Koh Teng Liang and was directed by the Singapore’s award-winning director, Goh Boon Teck.. The play ran in contemporary theatrical styles with the traditions of five Chinese Opera forms. The cast of female roles were performed by NAN DAN and the five famous male opera master, namely, Lin Shaoling, Qing ZhanBao, Ou Yang Bing Wen, Ma Zijun and Lin Jia as Bao Si (Zhou Dynasty), Lu Hou (Han Dynasty), Yu Xuan Ji (Tang Dynasty), Ke Shi (Ming Dynasty), Sai Jin Hua (Qing Dynasty) in the play respectively. This play was divided into five acts which showed the five infamous beauties in Chinese history, whose tragic fates were intertwined with the destinies of fallen empires. These beauties were recognised as evil spirits who were despised and condemned by history. The play was enhanced with new age sound, light and movement effects to revitalise Chinese opera.

Stage Design
The first glance of the stage is based on the simplicity concept with no colourful background or fascinated props. Pure white squarish platform and 2 mechanical equipments by the left side. A lot of lighting and spot light is held on the stages to provide brilliance light effect. The platform was used for the animation graphic to be projected on it. The 2 mechanical elevators were used to perform as higher ground. The background of the stage gave a pitch dark feeling, with total contrast from the white platform to give an eerie effect.

Band
The supporting band was more liked a rock and jazz band for Chinese Opera. Western instruments were introduced. Electric bass guitar with add-on effect device was used in order to produce special effects. Saxophone, clarinet and trumpet were then used to substitute “di zi”. With a jazzy effect of combination of western tunes into Chinese Opera gave the whole play an unique style. Violin was also been used to replace “Er wu” in the Chinese orchestra. The Violin effect gave an eerie feeling like the Japanese movie “the ring”. It produced high pitch with piercing effect and created a scaring feeling to the audiences. Drum set was used to replace the “Gongs” of the traditional Chinese orchestra which was too able to give the same effects. The tempo and melody were more acceptable by the young audiences. The overall music gave a professional and new age concert live band as compare to the Chinese orchestra. The band members are all professional musicians to come together and create a different taste in Chinese Opera.

Costumes Design
The dressing and head gear were redesign to suit the current style and gave a more trendy and fashionable image. The whole costume gave a Korean or Japanese style. But some important props were still retain like pian zi, long sleeves etc.

Personal views on the whole play
With the help of the lighting effect, lights were shine on each role who was been introduced to the audiences. This gave us a clearer view on each and every role played in this play.

Start off with Bao Si (Li Yuan Opera) Act 1. Interesting graphics were displayed on the platform. With the realistic and thunderous tunes produce by the band gave a refreshing feeling. I can feel that technology had been greatly modernise this Chinese Opera. Fire graphic was projected on the platform to indicate the surrounding on fire. In traditional opera, you will never get a chance to see this kind of fantastic effect to simulate the fire scene. Smoke effect was also integrated into the show to make it more realistic. Wu Sheng were elevated to higher ground and a mirror was used to reflect light on Bao Si, indicating to the audiences that she was the cause of the fallen empire. Bao Si was therefore recognised as the culprit of this disaster.

Second Part: Lu Hou (Peking Opera) Act 2. Excellent sound effect was used to enhance the acrobatic fighting scene especially by using the drum melody, it provided an impact and exciting scene. Using the western instrument, saxophone gave a jazzy tunes which able to represent sadness, love relationship, the loneliness of a woman. As Lu Hou did mention, “after all she still a woman”. These sentence shows how depress and sorrow she had undergo. Violin, western instrument was used to enhance the chaos scene in this Act 2. It successful elaborated a Confusion and chaotic feeling. Not only visually view of the actors to understand the scene, the sound effect is able to bring audience into deeper thoughts and reality.

Third Part: Yu XuanJi (Cantonese Opera) Act 3. The scene starts off with the flowing water from graphic on the platform and sound effect. The band provide a smooth and soothing tune for the appear of the Yu XuanJi. The actor costume is beautified with an addition bring red long cloth. New concept of this style is not found on tradition opera. The way of singing sound like sentimental song, and I feel this can be more accepted by young audiences. With the nice melody produce by the band to support the romantic song sung by Yu XuanJi. Wu Sheng bring out simple white westernise chairs to act as table of different guest on stages to illustrate the interaction of Yu XuanJi with the men. “priceless treasures are easy to find, True love are external search”, this sentence is mention many times when Yu XuanJi show her thought to the audiences. Yu XuanJi remove her head gear and knee on the ground, spin her long hair to bring across injustices situation. This scene cast traditional Chinese Opera style.

Fourth Part: Keshi (Huangmei Opera) Act 4. The falling flower petals and sky is display on the platform. With more effect, Wu Sheng had been elevated to higher ground and let small pieces of paper to be drop on the stages which give a more realistic view. New age dance is introducing here, Keshi and eunuch interaction with a long piece of cloth. Seem like western dancing style. Wu Sheng as guards appear on stages with real grass cutter machine to demonstrate the term “斩 草 除 根” means must attack your enemy from their root or base in order to eliminate it completely . This is a daring action to integral this to Chinese Opera. I was quite shock to see this on stage.

Fifth Part: Sai Jinhua (Yu Opera) Act 5. During the Qing Dynasty. (1832-1904), German allied Forces had influence China. Wu Sheng appears on stage with western dress code. And the style and performance they did are like foreign soldiers. The band can provide a 360 turn from a Chinese Opera to a western drama. Indirectly, the scene is trying to bring across to the audiences. During Qing Dynasty, the foreign have cause changes in China.

Ending with the Wu Sheng perform their attractive acrobatic skill with rods and flags. The synchronised scene of the start and the end with the five female roles to speak individually. Finally the five female roles stand in a row with neo light shine on their faces with all the lighting off. Which give a magnificent closing with ghostly feel. The performance team is invited on stages to meet the audiences.

Audience Response
It was observed that some scene had won overwhelming claps by the audiences. Due to the loud music and high pitch for certain scene, some audiences have to cover their ears. Most of the audiences concentrate on the play as if they had travel back to the past and experience the historical stories. Age group of the audiences are mainly in their 30-40. Some students, even foreigners had attended this opera show.

Recommendations of Improvement
Is good to be daring over revisiting Chinese Opera to attract new audiences to this showcase. But overdoing will worsen the purpose. This new Style of Chinese Opera might not be acceptable by some audiences. Maybe the director can remove some extreme modernise scene. As for the westernised band should cooperate with Chinese orchestra. I personally feel that some scene cannot be done without traditional tune and melody. With the westernised tune, the feeling on the scene is totally different from the actual one. Maybe the band can introduce new instruments but retain the traditional orchestra.

Conclusion
This showcase had opened up my narrow view on Chinese Opera. I am able to appreciate and accept Chinese Opera as an interesting art form, a meaningful and artistic way to tell tales. The theme of the opera is able to introduce different kind of Chinese Opera to the audiences. I am greatly impressed by the band which able to give powerful melodies which are comparable to Chinese Orchestra. All thanks to the professional musician who had contributed to this play. Famous male opera masters are able to act as female role very well. I hope that more interesting Chinese Opera will be cast in the future.