Orphée et Eurydice: week 4 - week 3 - week 2 - week 1
La Traviata: week 3 - week 2 - week 1
Tea: A Mirror of Soul: week 4 - week 3 - week 2 - week 1
Madama Butterfly: week 4 - week 3 - week 2 - week 1

Tea: A Mirror of Soul - Week Three

As the curtain rises on Tan Dun’s Tea: A Mirror of Soul, three percussionists appear onstage with large basins of water.  Tan Dun’s masterful composition layers the sounds of water, paper, ceramic and stone with the more traditional sounds of the Opera Company of Philadelphia Orchestra.

Academy and Grammy winning composer Tan Dun arrived in Philadelphia to conduct the opening weekend of Tea.  It was recently announced that Tan Dun has been appointed ‘Cultural Ambassador to the World’ for World Expo 2010 Shanghai.

Japanese director Amon Miyamoto, who led the opera’s American Premiere in Santa Fe, works with soprano Kelly Kaduce, who sings the role of the Princess Lan.

Assistant Director Eriko Ogawa goes through some stage movements with members of the OCP Chorus and soprano Kelly Kaduce, as Princess Lan.

Mezzo-soprano Nancy Maultsby (center), sings several roles in Tea, including the First Shadow and the Tea Ritualist. Here she appears in the role of Lu, the daughter of the tea sage Lu Yu., who is now in possession of the Book of Tea.

Seikyo, baritone Haijing Fu, takes part in a ritual tea ceremony and holds an empty bowl to his lips.

The Prince, tenor Roger Honeywell, follows Lan and Seikyo to find Lu Yu and barges in, taking the Book of Tea from them.  He charges at Seikyo with his sword in an attempt to carry out their deadly wager.

A look in to the Academy of Music from center stage on the set of Tea.