Chinese opera is not one thing. Beijing opera is the best known outside the country, but Shanghai's own theatrical tradition is Yue Opera, a form that emerged in the villages of Zhejiang in the early twentieth century and grew up in the city between the wars. It is sung in a Wu dialect rather than Mandarin, performed with an emphasis on melody over declamation, and - distinctively - cast all-female, with women playing the male roles as well. For a first encounter with Chinese opera it is far gentler than Beijing opera.
What to expect on stage
The stories are usually romances, legends and historical episodes, delivered through sung dialogue, stylised movement and very little scenery; the stage is close to bare, with a table and two chairs doing most of the work. Singing is melodic and high, orchestra and percussion sit at one side, and costumes are silk and heavily embroidered. Subtitles are projected above the stage in Chinese and often in English, which makes a production genuinely followable even without preparation. Look for the sleeve movements, the walking steps, and the way a character establishes a place by circling the stage.
Where it plays
The city's main theatre for the form is in the former French Concession near the old French Park, and there are other venues staging Yue and Kun Opera, acrobatics and modern dance. Tickets are inexpensive by international standards and sold online or at the box office; the cheap seats in the upper circle are usually fine for a first visit. Evening performances start around half past seven and run roughly two hours with an interval.
Practical notes
Turn your phone off rather than silencing it, do not eat or drink in the auditorium, and be prepared for the audience to applaud at points you do not expect and to talk quietly during the performance - the etiquette is looser than a Western concert hall. Photograph nothing during the show. A short read about the plot beforehand, even one paragraph, transforms the experience. Combine the evening with dinner nearby, since the theatre districts are ringed with good restaurants.
