Chinese Opera: Songs and Music

by Various Artists

Listeners are given a rare glimpse into the rich tradition of Cantonese Opera in this album, performed by blind street musicians in Macao. The talented performers demonstrate technical skill as they sing complicated vocal melodies while accompanying one another with a myriad of Chinese traditional wind and string instruments. As is customary with Cantonese Opera, several of the female roles are performed by men, singing in a distinct, nasal falsetto. The musician's voices soar over the strong tones of the instruments, recalling tales of love, war, and national pride, translated from Cantonese to English in the liner notes.