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In Thailand, a Not-So-Glamorous Life on Stage Chinese Opera Performers See Fewer Faces in the Audience
(1 day later)
BANGKOK — Sleep like dogs, eat like pigs, dress like angels.BANGKOK — Sleep like dogs, eat like pigs, dress like angels.
This, in their own words, is the life of an itinerant Chinese opera singer. They are the gypsies of Bangkok, hauling their stages, their costumes, their musical instruments, their hammocks and their cooking gear through the back streets of the city from one Chinese temple to the next. This, in their own words, is the life of an itinerant Chinese opera singer. They are the Gypsies of Bangkok, hauling their stages, their costumes, their musical instruments, their hammocks and their cooking gear through the back streets of the city from one Chinese temple to the next.
They appear, in flamboyant costumes from another age, on dark alleys far from the city’s modern development, and once they have set up their stages, the streets echo with the clash of cymbals and gongs, the energetic beat of drums and the extraordinary high-pitched screeches and squeals of Chinese opera. They appear, in flamboyant costumes from another age, on dark alleys far from the city’s modern development, and once they have set up their stages, the streets echo with the clash of cymbals and gongs, the energetic beat of drums, and the extraordinary high-pitched screeches and squeals of Chinese opera.
These are the dwindling artifacts of a bygone life, before malls and multiplexes drew their audiences away, performing for a shrinking following of increasingly elderly ethnic Chinese Thais. But the size of the crowd is not important, the singers say. They perform on a higher plane.These are the dwindling artifacts of a bygone life, before malls and multiplexes drew their audiences away, performing for a shrinking following of increasingly elderly ethnic Chinese Thais. But the size of the crowd is not important, the singers say. They perform on a higher plane.
“Someday there will be no one left to watch,” said Boonchu Chua, 53, the manager of a troupe. “That’s disappointing, but we aren’t playing for the audience. We play for the gods.” At every performance, the troupe pays homage to the spirits of the local temple.“Someday there will be no one left to watch,” said Boonchu Chua, 53, the manager of a troupe. “That’s disappointing, but we aren’t playing for the audience. We play for the gods.” At every performance, the troupe pays homage to the spirits of the local temple.
There are some 20 to 30 troupes of up to 30 members circulating through the city and sometimes the countryside. Local temples raise the funds to pay them 20,000 to 30,000 baht (about $700 to $1,000) a night for up to nine nights. A senior singer can make 18,000 baht a month. There are about 20 to 30 troupes of up to 30 members circulating through the city and sometimes the countryside. Local temples raise the money to pay them $700 to $1,000 a night for up to nine nights. A senior singer can make a little over $600 a month.
The art form came to Southeast Asia as populations migrated, and Thailand became the regional center for Chinese opera. The art form came to Southeast Asia as populations migrated, and Thailand became the regional center for Chinese opera.
About 14 percent of the Thai population is ethnic Chinese. The troupes performed in theaters before their audience shrank with the fading of an older generation of devotees, some of whom now stay home to watch opera on DVD.About 14 percent of the Thai population is ethnic Chinese. The troupes performed in theaters before their audience shrank with the fading of an older generation of devotees, some of whom now stay home to watch opera on DVD.
The players, like their art, are in many cases vestiges of a passing tradition, sold into the troupe as children and raised by it with little education other than their art. Some are ethnic Chinese, but many are rural Thais who do not speak the language and memorize their words phonetically. Those who never learned to read must pick them up by ear.The players, like their art, are in many cases vestiges of a passing tradition, sold into the troupe as children and raised by it with little education other than their art. Some are ethnic Chinese, but many are rural Thais who do not speak the language and memorize their words phonetically. Those who never learned to read must pick them up by ear.
Sunee Obthong was 5 years old when her parents sold her to the opera. Because she was so young, she says, the troupe gave her parents just 3,000 baht, about $100 at today’s exchange rate. As part of the deal, she was to become a child of the troupe; she and her parents were never to see each other again. Sunee Obthong was 5 when her parents sold her to the opera. Because she was so young, she says, the troupe gave her parents the equivalent of just $100 in today’s currency. As part of the deal, she was to become a child of the troupe; she and her parents were never to see one another again.
“They cut me off from my parents, boom, boom,” she said, chopping one hand through the air. “When I was young I missed my parents very much. I wanted to know my parents. It’s stuck in my heart. I still feel it.” She is one of the singers who cannot read or write.“They cut me off from my parents, boom, boom,” she said, chopping one hand through the air. “When I was young I missed my parents very much. I wanted to know my parents. It’s stuck in my heart. I still feel it.” She is one of the singers who cannot read or write.
Ms. Sunee, 37, was sitting at a small portable makeup stand one recent evening in an alleyway behind the stage, and the amplified cacophony of the performance made it almost impossible to talk.Ms. Sunee, 37, was sitting at a small portable makeup stand one recent evening in an alleyway behind the stage, and the amplified cacophony of the performance made it almost impossible to talk.
She became more beautiful by the minute as she spoke, painstakingly applying rouge and white powder to her face, lengthening her lashes, and painting dramatic swooping black lines around her eyes, transforming herself into a creature of ancient Chinese fantasy.She became more beautiful by the minute as she spoke, painstakingly applying rouge and white powder to her face, lengthening her lashes, and painting dramatic swooping black lines around her eyes, transforming herself into a creature of ancient Chinese fantasy.
Separated from her parents, she was determined not to part from her own children, and the youngest of them, 3 months old and nicknamed Diamond, lay in a carrier by her feet.Separated from her parents, she was determined not to part from her own children, and the youngest of them, 3 months old and nicknamed Diamond, lay in a carrier by her feet.
As she bent over him, singing a lullaby through the bangs and crashes and squeals that filled the air, the bangles and beads from her huge, elaborate tiara hung down over him — an image that might terrify some infant stranger who was not born into an opera family. “He can’t sleep unless it’s noisy,” she said. As she bent over him, singing a lullaby through the bangs and crashes and squeals that filled the air, the bangles and beads from her huge, elaborate tiara hung down over him — an image that might terrify an infant who was not born into an opera family. “He can’t sleep unless it’s noisy,” she said.
Ms. Sunee is married to Tatchai Obthong, 45, who is the manager of her troupe although he, too, is illiterate.Ms. Sunee is married to Tatchai Obthong, 45, who is the manager of her troupe although he, too, is illiterate.
Together with two teenage daughters, and now little Diamond, they travel with the troupe, sleeping in hammocks under the stage when they are away from their home in Bangkok.Together with two teenage daughters, and now little Diamond, they travel with the troupe, sleeping in hammocks under the stage when they are away from their home in Bangkok.
Backstage, her daughters had just finished performing. Dramatic in their embroidered finery, their glittering crowns almost touched as they bent together over a video game. Backstage, her daughters had just finished performing. Striking in their embroidered finery, they bent together over a video game with their glittering crowns almost touching.
“This is much more fun,” said the younger sister, Panida, 17, intent on the game. “On stage it’s boring and hot.” But, she added, “It’s better than going to school.” “This is much more fun,” said the younger sister, Panida, 17, intent on the game. “Onstage it’s boring and hot.” But, she added, “It’s better than going to school.”