American premiere
Composed by Guo Wenjing
Directed by Atom Egoyan
An empire at stake; two powerful men in love with the same exquisite, inscrutable woman; and a plot that will change the course of history. Feng Yi Ting is not only a profoundly operatic story, it is the historically true account of Diao Chan, a woman of legendary beauty and the central figure in a dangerous rivalry between aristocrat Dong Zhuo and his godson, General Lu Bu. Guo Wenjing, one of China’s most important contemporary composers, defines the fateful moment when Diao and Lu meet in the Feng Yi Ting—or Phoenix Pavilion—where she encourages Lu to eliminate Dong and thus save the emperor of the Han Dynasty. Performed by two greatly revered Chinese opera performers, the enchanting score combines Chinese and Western musical instruments and traditions to create music that is unmistakably contemporary but also evocative of something ancient. Directed by internationally acclaimed film director Atom Egoyan, designed by Derek McLane with costumes by Han Feng and video by Tsang Kin-wah, this new production brings a fresh perspective to a classic story of love, corruption, and political intrigue.
Sung in Chinese with English supertitles
Feng Yi Ting is a co-production between Spoleto Festival USA, Currents – Art & Music, and Lincoln Center Festival