Meet the women who are reviving the 'disappearing' art of Chinese opera

Gabrielle Chan's transforms her face before performing in a Chinese opera. (ABC News: Adam Wyatt)

It takes Chinese opera singer Gabrielle Chan at least one and a half hours to get ready for a performance.

"I have a lot of layers to put on — base foundation, then powder, a layer of colour and another layer of colour, and then finally a touch-up," she says — and that's just the make-up.