Details

Tan Dun's (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) Ghost Opera is inspired by childhood memories of the shamanistic 'ghost operas' of Chinese peasant culture. In this 4000-year-old tradition, humans and spirits of the future, the past, and nature communicate with each other. The work employs elements from the European classical concert tradition, Chinese shadow puppet theatre, visual art installations, folk music theatre and ritual. Ghost Opera is written for string quartet and pipa with paper, shadow, and water gong basins placed around the performing space. The performers' movements reflect the back-and-forth between spiritual realms that is characteristic of the 'ghostopera' tradition. Plus the world-premiere of a new work by one of China’s leading contemporary composers and experts in electronic music Yuanlin Chen, who also programmed music for Dun’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero films. Yuanlin Chen’s Tribe Among Mountains commissioned by the Barbican

Cast/Performers

Wu Man

Creatives/Company

Music(s): Tan Dun, Yuanlin Chen (Tribe Among Mountains
Company: Kronos Quartet