Wow… so many people have been saying that Vancouver Opera’s current production of Tea: Mirror of Soul, composed by Tan Dun, is a must see.
The visuals are stunning. The music is compelling. The topics of love, family, guilt, loss, death are standard in many operas. But combined with a unique blend of Chinese music and story that includes references to the Monkey King, and the art of tea ceremony, this opera pushes and challenges boundaries on many levels. The most striking is its use of water, paper and rock as musical and visual themes. There are large water bowls on each side of the stage, and musicians hit, slap or drip the water to create a fascinating aural soundscape. Paper is used as visual forest for scenery, or it is hit with drum sticks to create thunder, or rolled to create thunder. As well the opera chorus holds sheets of paper and uses it like percussion, complimenting the orchestra.
Nancy Allen Lundy has played the character of Lan in every production of Tea: a Mirror of Soul.
This is the setting for the exquisite singing, that is a blend of traditional classical opera and Chinese opera. American soprano Nancy Allen Lundy, performs Lan. She is the only artist to have ever played this role in productions around the world. She sings like a bel canto bird on some songs, while on others she bends her notes like in Chinese opera style. It is different for ears accustomed to Western opera – but it is exciting that Vancouver Opera would mount this production. Find out more about Nancy Allen Lundy from the Opera Blog
It’s also a perfect blend for the cultural diversity of Vancouver. Much is made of Vancouver’s large Chinese population, as well as the local music scene which features lots of cultural fusion artists such as Silk Road Music, Orchid Ensemble, and even Mozaico Flamenco – which performed a full scale of Cafe de Chinitas this past weekend.
Tan Dun is more well known in North America as the composer of the soundtrack for the movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. I loved both the movie and the music which featured cello superstar Yo Yo Ma. Ten years ago, I witnessed Vancouver Opera concertmaster Mark Ferris perform Tan Dun’s “Crouching Tiger Concerto for Cello and Chamber Orchestra” with the CBC Radio Orchestra- with featured Chinese erhu virtuoso George Gao http://www.tandunonline.com/compositions/Crouching-Tiger-Concerto. It was amazing.
The opera opens with the main character Seikyu, a former prince now a monk in Kyoto Japan, performing a ritualistic tea ceremony. He sings of bitterness, and the monks ask him why. Then then begins to tell a story of ten years past when he was in China, and in love in the Princess Lan. The action then shifts to China, as the sets seem to magically transform.
But this opera is more than just the music. There are so many levels of story,
The opera runs again on Thursday May 9th and Saturday May 11th, start time is 7:30pm. Don’t be late or you will miss opening preamble and musicians walking up the aisles.
This review – is still in process – check back for more!
Watch these videos about Tea: A Mirror of Soul – posted by Vancouver Opera on youtube.
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