Overview
Sichuan Opera, or Chuanju in Chinese, is one of the five most historically significant opera forms in China. It originated in the Sichuan province and was designated as National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2006. This experience brings you backstage with the actors in a grassroots-style opera house. Here, you’ll see how they prepare for their performances, do their make-ups, and get ready for their roles. The atmosphere is both relaxed and tense, with the actors chatting as they earnestly prepare for their upcoming performances. You can even try on costumes, learn some movements, and experience the intricate makeup firsthand. Through this hands-on experience, we hope you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for this traditional art form. The local opera houses are not just places where people go to see a story unfold on stage; they are also places where people meet friends, enjoy the show, and gather as a community - a social space for their loyal fans. We’ll be joining the locals, watching the performances over tea. As with many traditional art forms, Sichuan Opera faces its challenges in a rapidly evolving world. This activity provides a valuable secondary income source and teaching platform for local Sichuan Opera artists, enabling them to earn a sustainable livelihood through their skills and directly contributing to the economic resilience of the local artistic community. Through immersive interaction, you can help bring new vitality and awareness to this endangered art form.
This itinerary is customisable. Let us know at checkout if and how you'd like to personalise the itinerary.
Community support
What you will be doing
We’ll take you on a backstage tour of a folk theatre, meet the performers and crew, learn about the variety of costumes, stage props, different roles of stage characters, the orchestra's role, and traditional Chinese musical instruments.
Before the performance begins, we’ll move to the front-row audience seats. Watch the Sichuan Opera performance over a cup of local Sichuan tea.
Where we'll meet
🧭 Meeting/pick-up point: To be confirmed at time of booking
🗺️ Instructions: To be comfirmed at time of booking
Things to know
Accessibility:
Children friendly
Fitness requirement
Any fitness level
Tour Language
English
License requirement
None
Additional information:
The experience is often offered as part of a package, such as by comibning with a cooking class or a foodie tour
The performance doesn’t have the face-changing part sometimes seen in Sichuan Opera
You can opt to experience face painting and take photos in traditional costumes for an additional fee.
Inclusion ✅
Tour guide
Entrance ticket
Exclusion ❌
Gratuities
About your host
U2PandaFor every trip booked, Kodama Travel donates £1 to Just One Tree to restore our forests and the ocean.