Taiwanese Opera, or “Ge Zai Xi” – Where Women Play Men and Men Play Women

– Courtesy Photos

By Jennifer Schlueter

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure to attend the first North America tour performance of the renowned Taiwanese opera group, Ming Hwa Yuan, at the Edison Center for the Performing Arts at East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park.  Ming Hwa Yuan, also called the “Broadway of the East,” presented two pieces, “Lovebird’s Spears” and “General of the Empire.”

The performance was filled with Taiwanese guests as well as American guests, and thus, the ones not too familiar with Taiwanese culture received an explanation of traditions: women often play men’s roles and vice versa. Women and men are distinguished by certain hand gestures and their laughs. When audience members were asked to imitate this, the crowd gleefully cheered.

Steve Hsia, the Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles (TECO-LA), said that the group has been “representing the best of Taiwanese visual and performing arts for generations.” Both shows were performed in the Taiwanese dialect with English subtitles.

For more information, please visit www.twopera.com.

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