Opera singers in drag were the norm when women were not allowed to go on stage. It was similar to the theater of Shakespeare’s day, when teenage boys took on female roles.
But male actors and singers who dressed as women did so for reasons other than of necessity. Perhaps they were motivated by homosexual or transvestite desire when they took on female roles.
Arguably, with gender equality, women have a chance to play these roles with more natural grace. But there is a certain beauty about a man being more feminine on stage than a woman.
A beautiful woman playing a beautiful woman is basically like Whitney Houston starring in the movie The Bodyguard. But with a man, it's like a magic show. You know it's not real, but you're fooled into believing in it nonetheless.
Natural artists
The allure of nandan lies in the sexual ambiguity. When these men, dressed and made-up as women, soar into the falsetto range, the clear line between male and female is suspended. We enjoy these singers of the Chinese tradition for the same reason we appreciate Michael Jackson or Vitas.
Art can imitate nature; it can also contradict nature. Many artists combine the natural and the unnatural. Mei Lanfang’s artistry elevated the old practice of men taking female roles to a new height.
Different roles in Peking opera
IN Forever Enthralled, Leon Lai plays Mei Lanfang, who played Dan in operas.
The Dan (旦) refers to any female role in Peking opera. Dan roles were originally divided into five subtypes. Old women were played by laodan, martial women were wudan, young female warriors were daomadan, virtuous and elite women were qingyi, and vivacious and unmarried women were huadan.
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