Nancy Allen (photo: Tim Matheson)
Good Intentions...
by Jay Catterson
An operatic barrage of references to a certain hot beverage amidst the sounds of water, paper and stone made its Canadian debut at Vancouver Opera's production of "Tea: A Mirror of Soul". Composed by Tan Dun, the Oscar award-winning composer of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", the story centres around Seikyo, a Japanese prince-turned monk who laments the loss of love due to his quest for the mythical Book of Tea. As exotic as this tale of East meets West may sound, this production was too tepid and languid a cup for most operagoers' tastes, including mine.
The production has to be commended for trying to push the boundaries of contemporary opera in a visually and aurally stimulating way. Overall, the score is intricately complex and effective; Dun's use of natural sounds -involving an impressive trio of onstage percussionists utilizing large clear water basins, big sheets of paper and stone bowls- and overtone singing and chanting from the chorus and orchestra (enunciating hard consonant sounds like 'k' and 't' in a perfectly calculated manner) create a haunting, ethereal soundscape. The dynamically gorgeous set design by Rumi Matsui and ravishing costumes by Masatomo Ota truly make this production a sumptuous sight. And even the principals dazzle, with Roger Honeywell's bright, intense tenor stealing the spotlight as the Prince.
