Shanghai Day 5 - Blog 2
Ni Hao!
Along with the traditional multicultural wakeup call at 7 this morning, we were treated to a glimpse of the blue sky we thought existed only in New Zealand. Free from the typical clouds of smog and with a lovely gust of wind to help us on our way, we once again made use of our lovely, well-furnished rehearsal room, the car park. With a much cooler climate than the previous days and a lovely area of shade, we set about perfecting our dances which are now looking sharp and ready to go despite a few minor glitches in the sound system.
At the completion of our four hour practice session we dragged our sun burnt and lethargic bodies up to our rooms to prepare for a whirlwind trip to the mall. The girls proved that they all had missed Forever 21 and reveled in the four story store we found today! After running around (literally) with arms laden with bags we headed back to the subway just in time for peak hour traffic. Many of us had thought our previous tube rides were cramped but boy were we proved wrong… It was practically impossible to move as we packed in like sardines; the rules were if you can breathe you can fit one more person and it was every man for himself. After nearly suffocating on the ride home many of the company collapsed straight into bed while some of the more musical members attended the Opera.
The Opera was such an experience! The seven of us (Kendall, Kate, Sara, Robyn, Sarah, Lucy and I) all dressed up and scrambled through the rush hour traffic to be ready in time. Dressed and ready to go, we entered the theatre early enough to get good seats near the front of our section. Half an hour and an ice cream later, we began our first experiences of a Chinese Opera. The most noticeable thing about the opera is the costumes. Bright colours, Gold sparkles and huge, extravagant head gear filled the stage. The second thing that is noticeable is the music. With different instruments leading the fray, it was a bit daunting but we soon got used to the music and crashing percussion. With a few interesting translations, we were able to get the gist of the four storylines presented to us, and we were wowed by the pitches the men-who-played-women could reach, the leaps and jumps of the two martial arts ‘fighters’ and the length at which the actor who played the final emperor could hold a note. A one in a lifetime experience that I’m sure we’ll remember for years to come.
Zai Jian, Good night
Danielle and Niamh
