One of China’s most renowned directors, known for her experimentation with the theatre aesthetic, combines spoken text, poetry, a Peking Opera-style performance, and live classical music to create a theatre production that tells the life of Cai Lun, the inventor of paper.
Performed in traditional Chinese costume and makeup, the epic performance is accompanied live by the Fidelio Orchestra playing Richard Strauss’s symphonic poem Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life). The music structures the narrative of Cai Lun’s life in all its emotional and moral complexities. The Symphony Poetry Drama reflects the ancient Chinese concept of “比兴” (analogy and metaphor) to explore his triumphs and struggles, guiding the audience through the historical grandeur and personal turmoil of one of China’s most iconic figures.
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