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IT’S ALL JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY REPEATING! All the amazing styles, fashion and excitement the Peking Opera has to offer are coming to Darwin.
FOR centuries, fashion icons have learnt their craft in costume design and tailoring, their sewn and stitched magic appearing on the stage before it influences fashion away from the theatre.
Next month, Peking Opera will perform in Darwin – it’s only Australian shows. Beyond the excitement of music, acrobatics and dance, more than 20 costumes will provide an intricately detailed fashion show, inspired by the tradition and inheritance of a on elaborate, but bygone era.
Wu Productions Elena Piñuela told FroNTier that the production reflects what Chinese people and artists have learnt for generations and is part of their history and culture.
There is not one singular person who creates the artistry fashion magic for the show, but rather a team of talented artisans who bring to life a dress code of the past. It takes three months to design each costume.
The costumes – valued at up to USD3000 each – travel in their own cargo containers fitted out to be like a closet. Then there is the wigs and masks, and all performers have at least one pair of shoes per outfit. The wigs “deepen” the role portrayed on stage, said Elena.
The costumes are “not designed for the comfort of the performer or their beauty but for the role each performer plays in the show,” Elena explained.
Bringing the vision to the stage, highly physically challenging elements – such as acrobatics – are well rehearsed, performers having been practising with dress, props and heavy costume since seven years old.
But costume doesn’t just tell part of the story – it has a specific meaning too, brought to life by the colours, materials and complexity of design.
For example, the use of the colour red illustrates nobility, jade belts indicate status and a black muslin hat indicates an influential ruler. Materials range from poms poms, to feathers and luxurious silk, which has been hand embroidered.
And after the show, the costumes cannot be washed, but only sprayed with Chinese wine.
Peking Opera is on at the Darwin Entertainment Centre on November 30 and December 1. More information and tickets via www.yourcentre.com.au