Lady Davies, founder and chair of the KT Wong Foundation, hosted a special reception ahead the US premiere of Semele, which premieres at BAM, New York on March 4. This production of Semele, co-produced by the KT Wong Foundation and Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie | de Munt, sets a new standard in the fusion of contemporary art and classical music, whilst at the same time representing a unique cross-fertilisation between Chinese and European culture.
Directed by Chinese visual and performance artist Zhang Huan, Semele weaves together the dynamism of contemporary art with the grandeur and passion of 18th century baroque opera, while exploring universal themes of love, ambition, greed, jealousy, betrayal and redemption. This groundbreaking production is set within the walls of a stunning 450-year-old Ming Dynasty temple, which weighs 17 tons and is transformed into an altar, a palace, a crematory, and heaven. The temple is a powerful symbol of ritual, which plays an important role in Semele as envisioned by Zhang Huan, who conceived the set design and props especially for the production.
‘Semele’ is presented by the Canadian Opera Company and stars Jane Archibald, Hilary Summers, Katherine Whyte, Kyle Ketelsen and Lawrence Zazzo, with Christopher Moulds leading the critically acclaimed COC Orchestra and COC Chorus.
Semele is scheduled at the Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, NY) for four performances only – March 4, 6, 8 and 10, 2015. For tickets, visit BAM.org/semele.