Amazing Storyline
Like many operas, the
storyline is a bit complicated involving as it does alternate universes,
competing lovers, scheming adults, greed, chicanery, and a sad ending. Many Chinese scholars compare the
importance of Dream of the Red Chamber in
Chinese culture to Romeo and Juliet in
western culture. The story opens
with a particular stone left behind from the construction of Heaven by 女媧 and a flower 絳珠草 existing in another
world. The stone nurtured the flower with its dew for 3,000 years. Together
they decided to be incarnated as mortals to experience love on earth. Against sound advice from a monk, they
pass through a magic mirror and
assume human identities, one man and the other a woman. Their fates are intertwined and their
hopes dashed by those around them. Sitting in my seat, I could not help but
wonder “why couldn’t they be left alone and enjoy their pure love?” But,
that’s not the story. The
idea of life being an illusion and filled with predestined suffering is deeply
rooted in Buddhist and Daoist theology, both of which are prominent features of
Chinese culture.
For a complete
description of the plot visit the SFO website and download the Synopsis for Dream of the Red Camber.
The
Creative Team
Shanghai-born
and MacArthur Award Winner Bright Sheng was first challenged in 2011 by the Chinese Heritage
Foundation of Minnesota to bring something great in Chinese culture to the
American audience. His thorough
understanding of the classic, Dream of the Red Chamber, which he has read many
times, enabled him to synthesize the 2500-page novel and bring it to the stage
while keeping faith with the original.
Tony-winning American-born playwright David Henry Wang, who readily accepted Bright Sheng’s challenge to do the libretto, was unfamiliar with the novel but has a deep understanding of American culture so he could ensure that the material would touch an American audience. This duo dared in their cuts and focused the opera on the love triangle of Bao Yu, Dai Yu, and Bao Chai and made the story relevant to the modern 21st century audience.
Tony-winning American-born playwright David Henry Wang, who readily accepted Bright Sheng’s challenge to do the libretto, was unfamiliar with the novel but has a deep understanding of American culture so he could ensure that the material would touch an American audience. This duo dared in their cuts and focused the opera on the love triangle of Bao Yu, Dai Yu, and Bao Chai and made the story relevant to the modern 21st century audience.
Then American-born Taiwanese director Stan La joined forces with the others to bring his vast stage experience to the project.
Oscar-winning Hong Kong-born designer Tim Yip’s contributions can be seen in every set design and costume.
I was in awe as I watched what these four had created.
Oscar-winning Hong Kong-born designer Tim Yip’s contributions can be seen in every set design and costume.
I was in awe as I watched what these four had created.
Beautiful and powerful set designs
I was very impressed
by the stage set designs which so effectively support and enhance the
storyline. My favorite parts are
when Dai Yu (the flower in the other universe) is in her living quarters
surrounded by a bamboo grove. Another
one is when Dai Yu was burning the poetry that Bao Yu (the stone in the other
universe) and she wrote together.
The set has two levels. On
one, you see Dai Yu in her flowing green outfit crying and singing. At the same time, on a lower level Bao
Yu is lamenting that he and Dai Yu cannot marry. The staging makes it work. Simple but powerful! I like these
two even better than the magnificent Daguan Yuan 大觀園 where Family Jia
lived and where the setting is for the story.
The creative costume designs
Tim Yip, the
production designer of Dream of the Red
Chamber, purposely made his costumes somewhat abstract leaving one’s
imagination to come to the fore. Take
Dai Yu’s costume for an example. She wears this flowing green elegant piece all
through two acts. Yip explained that he did it so we could “sense the
body within—or perhaps the aura of character’s spirit”. The green in this
case reflects Dai Yu’s living quarters in the garden, surrounded by bamboo.
Music and Singing
Obviously, a major
part of an opera is its music, both the orchestral and the vocal. Bright Sheng as composer and
co-librettist and librettist David Henry Hwang have worked wonders. When the orchestra starts playing and
the actors start singing, one’s body and soul vibrates with joy. It is even possible at times to forget
all your worldly worries. The
production uses singers from all over the world, Yijie Shi (from Shanghai,
China, tenor) plays Bao Yu, Pureum Jo (Seoul, South Korea, soprano plays Dai
Yu, and Irene Roberts (Sacramento, CA, Messo-soprano) and so on. The
fantastic SFO orchestra is at its usual finest.
Sponsorship
This world-class
production won the support of many people from the American-Chinese community
who donated significant time and money to make it a reality. I recognized
some of the famous names like Amy Tan and Yuan Yuan Tan on the committee of
Ambassadors. The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco helped introduce the
community to the novel Dream of the Red
Chamber and features it on museum displays. We can be very proud of
the way that Chinese from different parts of the world brought their talents
together to create this masterpiece.
If you are interested
in exploring in detail the origins and meanings of the novel itself, click on
this site for a full-blown course of study.
http://redchamber.dash.umn.edu/Omeka/exhibits?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=M1617AAMDRCEvent1080816&utm_content=version_A&cluid=7337309&sourceNumber=27045
On a personal note, I feel very blessed that we were there
to see the world premier!
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