Beijing shenanigans

Today I gave Beijing some credit. Partial credit mind you, my heart will always be in Shanghai but today I doff my hat to Beijing. Why?! Because I think I heart Beijing opera.
I've been in Beijing for two weeks already and don't feel the big city buzz that was present 24/7 in Shanghai. Maybe because Beijing is more of China's cultural and political center and Shanghai's more cosmopolitan and is better known as the financial center of 中国 (Zhong guo - China).

I'm taking summer classes with Mount Holyoke here at Beijing Language and Culture University and I'm amazed at how many international students there are here. We actually outnumber regular Chinese students! As part of the scheduled activities planned by our Chinese department, we went to see Beijing opera today. I must confess that I have always been cynical about Beijing opera. A bunch of people with exaggerated make-up singing in annoying, NASAL voices in a language I didn't understand.
Well that all changed tonight. Ok the voices were still annoying and nasal plus even though my Chinese is much better I still didn't catch a lot of words they were singing. It was totally worth the experience though, being exposed to the history of Beijing opera and understanding the stories being performed in a cultural and historical context.

I do have some pictures for you!

My 3rd Year Chinese classmates. From left to right : Me (Ghanaian, Red, Gold, Green, Black star, for shizzle my nizzle), Glori (American), 

Tashi (Tibetan), Yu (Chinese), Natalia (Russian) and Li Laoshi (our teacher- Chinese).

Pretty diverse huh? :)

What a cool way to serve tea!

An actor getting ready by painting his Beijing mask on

And putting on his costume

Finally, proudly shows off his handiwork

Scene from the first opera 'A Dance and a Sword'

Scene from the second opera 'Midnight at the Crossroad'

Scene from the third opera 'The Stolen Token'

Instrumentalists on traditional Chinese instruments

Scenes from the fourth and final opera 'The Drunk Concubine'

I'm hoping to go back soon! If you're in Beijing this summer let's hook up ;)