Задание

Read the text and choose the right answer.

Chinese Opera

If you want to watch a music performance that combines song, dance and striking design, just forget about the latest pop video. Take a look at a truly original style of musical performance: Chinese opera. Last month I was on a trip in Shanghai. I was staying with my Chinese friend Mai-Li. She insisted that we should go to the Chinese opera and I have to admit the experience was amazing from beginning to end.

We arrived at the theatre just before the lights went down. As the curtain rose, the actors came on stage in their beautiful costumes, the fiery reds and ribbons of gold and silver were like a kaleidoscope of colour! The costumes go all the way back to the street show days, when the actors used to wear bright colours to stand out in the dark.

The singing was quite strange – very sharp and high-pitched. Just like the costumes, the singing style was really ancient. The street performers used to sing that way so that their voices could carry over the crowds who gathered to watch.

The opera we saw was ‘Lady White snake’; a classic Chinese folk tale. A white snake changes into a beautiful girl, and then falls in love with a human. But the actors didn’t only tell the story through song; the dancing and acrobatics were fantastic, too. The actors used not only their faces but also their whole bodies to act out the story and show their emotions. There weren’t a lot of stage props or scenery because the actors used a lot of symbols to help to tell the story.

The actors’ make-up was incredible. Each colour has a special meaning; red means loyalty and bravery, black shows a warrior, blue means cruelty, gold and silver means mystery.

At the finale, it was breathtaking to see them all on stage together in their bright costumes and make-up. I can’t believe how much I enjoyed the opera. You must all see a Chinese opera one day!

True

False

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The performers sang in a sharp and high-pitched voice.

‘Lady White Snake’ tells about a girl who changes into a snake and falls in love with a human.

Chinese Opera is one of the most expensive performances in China.

The scenery helped the actors a lot to tell the story.

If you want to watch a performance, which combines song, dance and striking design, watch the latest pop video.

Iris advises everyone to see this opera.

The white colour means death in China.

The actors used to wear bright costumes because they were easy to see in the dark.