Concert Hall of the Palace of Arts (Müpa)
On Thursday in Budapest, at the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall of Müpa (Palace of Arts), Hungarian audiences will have their first opportunity to see and hear the opera Tea: A Mirror of Soul by Oscar and Grammy Award-winning Chinese composer and conductor Tan Dun.
The name Tan Dun is by no means unfamiliar to Hungarian music lovers: most recently, the composer enjoyed great success with his work Buddha Passion, which premiered as part of the Bartók Spring arts festival in 2024.
This gathering was not only an incomparable concert experience, but also opened the doors to Tan Dun’s unique musical universe. His return is thus not merely a guest appearance but the continuation of the dialogue he began with all those fascinated by the harmony between Eastern and Western musical concepts, Papageno reported.
Tea: A Mirror of Soul, which premiered in Japan in 2002, was inspired by Lu Yu’s approximately 1,200-year-old work The Classic of Tea ( or Chajing).
At the heart of the story is the tragic love between the Japanese prince Seikyo and Lan, the princess of the Tang Dynasty.
The lovers set out in search of the original, authentic copy of The Classic of Tea, but their mission ends tragically: the princess loses her life, and her beloved Seikyo withdraws from the world, vowing as a monk to spread the spirituality of tea.
The director of the production is Csaba Káel, whose play, following its premieres in Hong Kong last year, is now being presented to a home audience for the first time.
The stage design and music of the performance are inspired by Chinese traditions: projections, traditional instruments, and historical costumes bring the Tang Dynasty era to life, while the sounds of water and wind also become part of the musical fabric.
The leading roles are performed by soprano Deng Ying and Japanese tenor Motoki Ishii. The Hungarian National Male Choir and Concerto Budapest are also participating in the performance.
Csaba Káel. Photo: MTI/Lakatos Péter
Müpa is also organizing tea-related events in connection with the evening.
Before the performance and during the intermission, visitors can participate in a tea tasting and gain insights into the world of tea ceremonies as well as the art of calligraphy.
Chinese composer and conductor Tan Dun won an Oscar and a Grammy in 2002 for his music for Ang Lee’s wuxia drama Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Via MTI, Papageno; Featured image: Hungary Today
