The actor depicted here is dressed as a ‘sheng’, or male character, one of the four main roles enacted on the Chinese opera stage. Wearing a beard, this actor is playing the sub-role of a ‘lao sheng’, or old male. The colour of the beard, which in this case is grey, indicates that the character is older than 50 years of age. The other characters portrayed are 'dan' (the female), 'jing' (the painted face) and 'chou' (the clown), each with its own sub-roles as well. Adorned with sequins, pearls and other ornaments, the headdress is an important element in the Chinese opera costume that 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.
