Kunqu actress Shi Hongmei

The world of opera can mean tears, sweat, years of practice and enduring hardship before the applause on centre stage. Shi Hongmei started as a regional opera singer, then made the difficult transition to Peking Opera before her ultimate career move, when she joined the Kunqu Opera. Her career odyssey speaks to her position today as the leading actress in the Beifang Kunqu Opera Troupe.

It's a standardized procedure, putting on the makeup. It's accomplished with the most fastidious attention. Each powder puff or brush highlights a curve or illuminates a silhouette. Collectively the meticulous application creates an illusion that is often exquisite and dreamlike.

The best-loved and most-portrayed character in Kunqu Opera, Duliniang comes alive in Shi Hongmei. Each brush of her sleeve, every lithe movement, the lifting of an eyebrow and the magnetism of her gaze, speak volumes about her character, a woman conceived in Literature 400 years ago.

On stage, the glaring spotlights splash down on the actors, their flamboyant costumes and glistening paraphernalia. It's all like a dream.