Would not a similar system in the European capitals help to reduce the high prices opera-goers are at present obliged to pay? The current system cannot possibly last.
That's err, probably why all the shows at the Royal Opera House sell-out on a consistent basis, then?
It doesn't do to confuse the "Chinese Opera" with its western counterpart. I spent a very pleasant afternoon in Suzhou last year at their opera. The perfomers walk on and off stage through the auditorium, and sit with their chums in the audience drinking tea when they are not on stage. They earn extra cash when patrons in the audience bestow especial thanks. This is done not by applause, but by paying a tea-attendant (who is, to this day, an off-duty singer usually) to throw some towels (numbering from 1-5) to the performer in question - during the action. If neatly thrown, they should land at his/her feet whilst he/she is performing. On the advice of the tea-lady, I paid for a whole five towels to be thrown to the actor playing the Nutty Emperor, in a comedy about a workshy farmer (a formulaic "clown" character, played with the typical white-face make-up) who plans to become rich by marrying his daughter to the Emperor. His splendidly histrionic annoyance at discovering the real motives for the girl's emotions towards him were well worth £0.50 per towel. Apparently for £25 they were willing to stop whatever they were performing, and do something of my choosing instead.
The idea I liked enormously in these plays is their flexible nature, which is in the same kind of nature as the old
Commedia troupes. If there's a good turn-out and an enthusiastic audience, the plot can be broadened to include the Emperor's mother, a wise lady who gives him good advice that the girl is honest, even if her father is not. But the part can be left-out if the audience aren't bothered or don't ask for it. There are other optional roles for the girl's mother, the Emperor's Grand Vizier (who wants the girl for himself), and several other open-ended plot versions, all semi-improvised as the show went on.
