The actor depicted in this photograph is dressed as a ‘sheng’ or male character, one of the four main roles enacted on the Chinese opera stage. With his beardless features, this actor is playing the sub-role of a ‘wen sheng’, typically a prince, scholar or bachelor. The other characters are 'dan' (the female), 'jing' (the painted face) and 'chou' (the clown), each with its own sub-roles. The headdress – as worn by the actor in the photograph – is an important element of the Chinese opera costume. Adorned with sequins, pearls and other ornaments, the headdress helps to distinguish specific roles; the more important the character, the more elaborate the headdress. For a period of time, Chinese opera in Singapore went through a difficult phase with the arrival of silent movies in the 1920s, the Japanese Occupation and a depressed economy in the 1950s. Nonetheless, it made a comeback in the decades thereafter, following the influx of fresh ideas from overseas troupes, while opera-themed movies revived interest in the performing art.
