Title
A Chinese street opera in performance
Year/Period
Late 19th century
Region
Singapore
Dimension
Image size: 8.5 x 14 cm
Accession No.
1995-03509
Collection of
Commonly known as 'wayang' in Malay, the Chinese street opera was a cheap and popular form of entertainment that was available to immigrants from China during the early days. The wayang is closely associated with religious celebrations and this meant that opera troupes were often hired by the local temple or clan association. This photograph depicts troupes performing on a make-shift stage that had been temporarily erected. Wayang performances usually run only for a few days.
