Press Releases The Opera Company of Philadelphia Presents the East Coast Premiere of Tea: A Mirror of Soul 01-26-2010 For Release On:January 26, 2010 Contact: Tracy C. Galligher215-893-3600, ext. 204galligher@operaphila.org The Opera Company of Philadelphia Presents theEast Coast Premiere of Tea: A Mirror of Soul,a Contemporary Opera by Oscar and Grammy-Winning Composer Tan Dun Philadelphia, PA: From February 19 – 28, 2010, the Opera Company presents the much-anticipated East Coast Premiere of Tea: A Mirror of Soul, a contemporary work by composer Tan Dun, at the Academy of Music. Tan Dun has been hailed by the New York Times as “a kind of rock star of the modern music scene,” and is known for his wide range of work, which includes his Oscar and Grammy-winning score from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the acclaimed music for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and a rich symphony of classical music works. Tea premiered in Tokyo in 2002, and has had subsequent performances in France, Sweden and New Zealand among other international locales, and received its American Premiere at the Santa Fe Festival in 2007. This marks the second production of Tea in the United States, and the opera’s East Coast Premiere. Tea, featuring text by Tan Dun and Xu Ying which is sung in English, is the mesmerizing tale of Seikyo, a former prince, who has become a monk following a bitter love loss. He recounts to his fellow monks the story of Lan, the princess he loved, and their noble quest together for a single book – The Book of Tea. Filled with treasured secrets and ancient wisdom, the book spurs a journey with a deadly conclusion. Tea draws on basic elements including water, fire, paper and stone, often weaving non-traditional sounds into the music, which combines Western lyricism with Asian motifs to create a spectacular landscape of sound. “Perhaps since Puccini and Bernstein there has been no one to write such grateful lines for singers,” raved Opera magazine in London. Starring as Seikyo is baritone Haijing Fu, who created the role in Tokyo and performed it subsequently in Amsterdam, Lyon and Santa Fe. He also created the role of the Chief Minister in Tan Dun’s The First Emperor at the Metropolitan Opera, where he has sung Germont in La traviata, Ford in Falstaff and Marcello in La bohème. Princess Lan is sung by luminous soprano Kelly Kaduce, who performed the role in Santa Fe. She was last seen at Opera Company of Philadelphia as Caroline Gaines in the East Coast Premiere of Margaret Garner, and recent performances include the title role of Madama Butterfly at Opera Theatre of St. Louis and the title role of Suor Angelica in Santiago, Chile. Lan’s jealous brother The Prince is sung by tenor Roger Honeywell, who also created the role for the American Premiere. He returns following his appearance as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly earlier this season, and performing a two-month run as Danilo in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s The Merry Widow. As The Emperor, bass Kirk Eichelberger returns following his appearances as Don Fernando in Fidelio and The Bonze in Madama Butterfly. Mezzo-soprano Nancy Maultsby, a frequent performer with Lyric Opera of Chicago, makes her Opera Company debut as Lu, the tea ritualist. The team that created the breathtaking American Premiere for Santa Fe Opera in 2007 which was called “visually opulent” debuts in Philadelphia, featuring director Amon Miyamoto, scenic designer Rumi Matsui and costume designer Masatomo Ota. Tan Dun conducts the opening weekend performances, with Maestro David Hayes returning for the final three performances after a successful run of The Rape of Lucretia last June. In addition to the five performances, on Wednesday, February 17th at the Hyatt at the Bellevue, the Opera Company of Philadelphia hosts The Tiger Ball, a gala fundraiser that celebrates the East Coast Premiere of Tea, paying tribute to honored guest Tan Dun and welcoming Chinese New Year 2010, the Year of the Tiger. Led by Honorary Chair Margaret Kuo and Tiger Ball Chairs Kathleen and Nicholas Chimicles, the evening features authentic Chinese and Japanese entertainment, Asian-themed cuisine, silent and live auctions, a Taiko drumming performance by Kyo-Daiko, and more surprises. For more information, visit operaphila.org/support/tiger-ball or call 215-893-1018, ext. 214. EAST COAST PREMIERETEA: A Mirror of SoulComposed by Tan Dun; Text by Xu YingFebruary 19, 21m, 24, 26 & 28m, 2010Performed in English at the Academy of Music SeikyoLanPrinceEmperor Lu Haijing FuKelly KaduceRoger HoneywellKirk EichelbergerNancy Maultsby* ConductorDirectorSet DesignCostume Design Lighting Design Tan Dun* (Feb. 19 & 21)David Hayes (Feb. 24, 26 & 28)Amon Miyamoto*Rumi Matsui*Masatomo Ota* Drew Billiau Percussionists: Haruka Fujii*, Chihiro Shibayama*, Yuri Yamashita*Sets and Costumes designed and built by Santa Fe Opeara for the American Premiere*Denotes Opera Company Debut ADDITIONAL OPERA COMPANY INFORMATION: Tea: A Mirror of Soul takes place at The Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets. Performances are: Friday, February 19th at 8pm; Sunday, February 21st at 2:30pm; Wednesday, February 24th at 7:30pm; Friday, February 26th at 8pm; Sunday, February 28th at 2:30pm. Individual tickets priced from $7 - $210. Call Ticket Philadelphia at 215-893-1018 or www.operaphila.org. Packages featuring both Tea and La traviata still available at savings over single ticket prices. Please call Opera Company Subscriber Services at 215-732-8400 for details. Tea is underwritten, in part, by a generous grant from the Jacob Burns Foundation, and has also been supported by the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage through the Philadelphia Music Project. Rittenhouse Needlepoint is the opening night performance sponsor. Asian Bank is a community partner for Tea. US Airways is the official airline of the Opera Company. YAMAHA is the official piano of the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Burdumy Motors Incorporated is the official automotive dealership of the Opera Company. The Opera Company of Philadelphia is supported by major grants from The William Penn Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts and The Lenfest Foundation. Additional support is provided by Independence Foundation, Jacob Burns Foundation, Otto Haas Charitable Trust #2, and Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The Opera Company of Philadelphia receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. -##-
Press Releases
For Release On:January 26, 2010
Contact: Tracy C. Galligher215-893-3600, ext. 204galligher@operaphila.org
The Opera Company of Philadelphia Presents theEast Coast Premiere of Tea: A Mirror of Soul,a Contemporary Opera by Oscar and Grammy-Winning Composer Tan Dun
Philadelphia, PA: From February 19 – 28, 2010, the Opera Company presents the much-anticipated East Coast Premiere of Tea: A Mirror of Soul, a contemporary work by composer Tan Dun, at the Academy of Music. Tan Dun has been hailed by the New York Times as “a kind of rock star of the modern music scene,” and is known for his wide range of work, which includes his Oscar and Grammy-winning score from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the acclaimed music for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and a rich symphony of classical music works. Tea premiered in Tokyo in 2002, and has had subsequent performances in France, Sweden and New Zealand among other international locales, and received its American Premiere at the Santa Fe Festival in 2007. This marks the second production of Tea in the United States, and the opera’s East Coast Premiere.
Tea, featuring text by Tan Dun and Xu Ying which is sung in English, is the mesmerizing tale of Seikyo, a former prince, who has become a monk following a bitter love loss. He recounts to his fellow monks the story of Lan, the princess he loved, and their noble quest together for a single book – The Book of Tea. Filled with treasured secrets and ancient wisdom, the book spurs a journey with a deadly conclusion. Tea draws on basic elements including water, fire, paper and stone, often weaving non-traditional sounds into the music, which combines Western lyricism with Asian motifs to create a spectacular landscape of sound. “Perhaps since Puccini and Bernstein there has been no one to write such grateful lines for singers,” raved Opera magazine in London.
Starring as Seikyo is baritone Haijing Fu, who created the role in Tokyo and performed it subsequently in Amsterdam, Lyon and Santa Fe. He also created the role of the Chief Minister in Tan Dun’s The First Emperor at the Metropolitan Opera, where he has sung Germont in La traviata, Ford in Falstaff and Marcello in La bohème.
Princess Lan is sung by luminous soprano Kelly Kaduce, who performed the role in Santa Fe. She was last seen at Opera Company of Philadelphia as Caroline Gaines in the East Coast Premiere of Margaret Garner, and recent performances include the title role of Madama Butterfly at Opera Theatre of St. Louis and the title role of Suor Angelica in Santiago, Chile.
Lan’s jealous brother The Prince is sung by tenor Roger Honeywell, who also created the role for the American Premiere. He returns following his appearance as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly earlier this season, and performing a two-month run as Danilo in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s The Merry Widow. As The Emperor, bass Kirk Eichelberger returns following his appearances as Don Fernando in Fidelio and The Bonze in Madama Butterfly. Mezzo-soprano Nancy Maultsby, a frequent performer with Lyric Opera of Chicago, makes her Opera Company debut as Lu, the tea ritualist.
The team that created the breathtaking American Premiere for Santa Fe Opera in 2007 which was called “visually opulent” debuts in Philadelphia, featuring director Amon Miyamoto, scenic designer Rumi Matsui and costume designer Masatomo Ota. Tan Dun conducts the opening weekend performances, with Maestro David Hayes returning for the final three performances after a successful run of The Rape of Lucretia last June.
In addition to the five performances, on Wednesday, February 17th at the Hyatt at the Bellevue, the Opera Company of Philadelphia hosts The Tiger Ball, a gala fundraiser that celebrates the East Coast Premiere of Tea, paying tribute to honored guest Tan Dun and welcoming Chinese New Year 2010, the Year of the Tiger. Led by Honorary Chair Margaret Kuo and Tiger Ball Chairs Kathleen and Nicholas Chimicles, the evening features authentic Chinese and Japanese entertainment, Asian-themed cuisine, silent and live auctions, a Taiko drumming performance by Kyo-Daiko, and more surprises. For more information, visit operaphila.org/support/tiger-ball or call 215-893-1018, ext. 214.
EAST COAST PREMIERETEA: A Mirror of SoulComposed by Tan Dun; Text by Xu YingFebruary 19, 21m, 24, 26 & 28m, 2010Performed in English at the Academy of Music
Haijing FuKelly KaduceRoger HoneywellKirk EichelbergerNancy Maultsby*
Percussionists: Haruka Fujii*, Chihiro Shibayama*, Yuri Yamashita*Sets and Costumes designed and built by Santa Fe Opeara for the American Premiere*Denotes Opera Company Debut
ADDITIONAL OPERA COMPANY INFORMATION:
Tea: A Mirror of Soul takes place at The Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets.
Performances are: Friday, February 19th at 8pm; Sunday, February 21st at 2:30pm; Wednesday, February 24th at 7:30pm; Friday, February 26th at 8pm; Sunday, February 28th at 2:30pm. Individual tickets priced from $7 - $210. Call Ticket Philadelphia at 215-893-1018 or www.operaphila.org. Packages featuring both Tea and La traviata still available at savings over single ticket prices. Please call Opera Company Subscriber Services at 215-732-8400 for details.
Tea is underwritten, in part, by a generous grant from the Jacob Burns Foundation, and has also been supported by the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage through the Philadelphia Music Project. Rittenhouse Needlepoint is the opening night performance sponsor. Asian Bank is a community partner for Tea. US Airways is the official airline of the Opera Company. YAMAHA is the official piano of the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Burdumy Motors Incorporated is the official automotive dealership of the Opera Company. The Opera Company of Philadelphia is supported by major grants from The William Penn Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts and The Lenfest Foundation. Additional support is provided by Independence Foundation, Jacob Burns Foundation, Otto Haas Charitable Trust #2, and Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The Opera Company of Philadelphia receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
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