Apart from the streets where temporary stages were often erected, Chinese opera troupes also performed in permanent theatres. On the stage, where scenery and props are few and far between, Chinese opera actors often rely on stylised gestures to express a certain situation or event. The orchestra, as depicted on the right hand side of this photograph, is also an important part of the performance as it plays the music that is in perfect synchrony with every word, movement and gesture that is enacted. String, wind and percussion instruments usually make up the Chinese opera orchestra. Also known by the Malay term ‘wayang’, which literally means ‘performance’, Chinese opera in Singapore can be traced back to the 19th century with the arrival of Chinese immigrants. Up until the 1930s, wayang was a popular performing art, both as a platform for religious worship and as a cheap form of entertainment.
