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FULL THE MONK AND THE LOTUS (Niccolo D Athens) London 2017 Robbie Haylett, April Fredrick, Duncan Hodgkinson, Margherita Deri
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: THE MONK & THE LOTUS
- Composer: Athens Niccolo D
- Libretto: Adapted from ancient Chinese sources by Shiru Wang, English adaption by Niccolo D Athens Libretto Text, Libretto Index
- Venue & Opera Company: RADA Studios Theatre, London, UK, Shanghai Spatial Vocal Physical Studio
- Recorded: August 10, 2017
- Type: Staged Opera Live
- Singers: Robbie Haylett, April Fredrick, Duncan Hodgkinson, Margherita Deri, Max Percy
- Conductor:
- Orchestra: Yongqiu Yuan, PIANO
- Stage Director: Shiru Wang
- Stage Designer: Tong Zhao
- Costume Designer: Tong Zhao
Information about the Recording
- Published by: Tête à Tête
- Date Published: 2017
- Format: Streaming
- Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
- Subtitles: nosubs
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
A new opera, adapted from the Ming Dynasty classic by Xu Wei.
A modern western opera incorporating elements of classical Chinese aesthetics, The Monk and the Lotus aims to transform the performance style of opera singers through innovative stage direction that takes inspiration from the close integration of singing and physical movement, a feature inherent in traditional Chinese Opera.
The story and original text:
Southern Song Dynasty, Lin’An, the capital of the empire: The monk Yutong (“Jade Vessel”) resides in the Shuiyue (“Water-Moon”) Monastery, where he has been practicing ascetic Buddhism for 20 years. When Yutong refuses to pay obeisance to the newly promoted magistrate Liu, Liu plots his revenge. Liu orders his courtesan Honglian (“Red Lotus”) to seduce Yutong, thereby ruining his religious achievements. Liu promises Honglian that upon her completion of this blasphemous mission, she will be granted her freedom. Honglian arrives at the monastery at night, feigning illness. Yutong, full of mercy and compassion, must face a test like none he has encountered before…
Zen Master Yu is a classic Chinese story known for its sarcastic comments on political bureaucracy and religious practice. This operatic adaptation, trimming most references to its specific socio-political context, aims to retain the philosophical essence, exploring the collision between spiritual pursuit and human desire, and asking questions about the nature of reality itself: flower in the mirror, moon in the water, what is real, what is illusory?