Would you like to experience the make-up, hairstyles, headpieces, costumes, characters and postures of Peking Opera and have photos to document the experience? The Peking Opera Photo Studio can make your dream come true.
Located in the Kent Center, the studio is very easy to find as the gate is decorated with pictures of colorful made-up faces.
Rebuilt from a warehouse, the studio is so large it seems more like a theatre than a photo studio. In the front, lies a stage, almost the same as in a real theatre. Standing on the stage, you will feel like you are performing before a large audience.
In the dressing room, there are professional makeup men waiting for you. Most of them are retired from professional Peking Opera groups. The make-up process lasts at least an hour and a half and is comprised of 14 distinct steps. The make-up man will keep you from getting bored during this time by entertaining you with stories and facts about the opera. Once you are done and see yourself transformed into a Jue-er, a real Peking Opera actor, you will know it was worth the wait.
Standing on the stage, a professional Peking Opera actor will tell you how to pose before the camera according to your costume. From eye expression to physical position, every move is very strict, just like if you were a true opera actor.
At this time you may decide that the most memorable part of the day is not the commemorative photos but the experience of the opera itself.
The studio owners, Tie Bing and Zhang Yu, are both graduates of the China Art & Design Technology Institute and Peking Opera fans. The couple opened the photo studio in 2000 to promote the ancient art.
Tie Bing said, "Many young people don't like Peking Opera because they don't know enough about it. Through this process, they will come to better understand it." They have found, without fail, that people, whether Chinese or foreign, who have their photos taken at the studio leave with a new appreciation for the art form.
So, no matter where you are from and how long you have been in Beijing, you should not miss the opportunity to experience the genuine Chinese art of Peking Opera. Thus, when you leave China home, you will take back home not only memorable photos but also an unforgettable experience.
(China Daily December 9, 2002)
