Monday was the first meeting of all the cast and all involved for "The First Emperor" by Tan Dun at the Met.
It is really interesting to work on a new opera. I have done a few song cycles but nothing ike this. There is an added dimension to the excitment due to the fact that the director is Zhang Yimou ( of the films: Hero, Raise the Red Lantern, House of Flying Daggers) and Tan Dun for those who do not know, wrote the score for "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon".
The cast is as follows:
Placido Domingo- The Emperor Chin
Elizabeth Futral- his daughter Yue-yang
Paul Groves- Gao Jian-li, a musician
Michelle DeYoung- Shaman
me- mother/queen
Hoo Jin Tian- General Wang
Hai jing Fu- Chief Minister
Yin-Yang master- Peking Opera Singer Wu Hsing kuo.

Tan Dun is conducting.
The costumes are by Emi Wado who has collaborated often with Zhang Yimou.
They are fabulous. So intense in color and just amazing. Paul Groves begins as a slave and is kimono is covered with rocks (not real but for the affect). The Emperor's costume tunrs golder as the night goes on signifying the riches from working on the great wall and unifying China.
The story focuses on a side of this emperor that is rarly seen in Chinese literature or art. It is to show his more human side. In this respect it is innovative for the Chinese involved. This particular story is folklore in a sense. This emperor Chin did exist and is the one buried with the terra cotta army, who not only unified China by bringing tribes together, developing one type of script and measurement system and began building the great wall. However, he also had all books and manuscripts related to literature destroyed and left only the ones of farming and industry. He apparently buried alive hundreds of scholars and writers alive. (in rehearsal as we were being told this, PD got up and apologised and pretended to leave, intimating he did not want to play a bad guy)
For the westerners as myself, we are amazed at the gentleness and passion in our Chinese colleagues.

This rehearsal process is not the norm for new works. We began with orchestra today- day 2. That is unheard of, but Tan Dun wants us to get used to the sounds of the various asian instruments. There is a full orchestra, as well, (and what an orchestra!) which plays absolutely amazing music- not quite Eastern and not quite Western. Each character has a theme and they are woven together and expanded upon. A times it is so beautiful it brings tears to your eyes. I watch Tan Dun and think how amazing it is for him to hear his work with this cast and orchestra.

The Peking Opera Singer has a totally different technique than us, but it is intriguing to watch. I have been observing his breathing which is very low. Apparently he also does all sorts of movement and contortions. His voice is piercing. He is such a nice fellow and he is apparently the level in China of Domingo here.

Yesterday we had our intro meeting, showing photos of the costumes and set which, by the way, has 7 miles of rope in it to signify the rope used to build the great wall; twice the circumference of the earth.

Zhang Yimou and Tan Dun are open to suggestions and want us to be comfortable.I don't think I have had such a supportive environment in ages. PD has already asked for more music....
He goes to Washington to conduct every evening. Unbelievable. He still sounds fresh as a daisy. He will be 66 in January. (We share the same date)
Yesterday afternoon we ran the opera musically with piano. Paul Groves is ill so his cover Mark Heller sang. What a great instrument. He knows the role very well. I believe he may even sing a couple performances. There is a duet for Domingo and this character that he and Paul portray that is stunning and what a thrill to hear two tenors. PD had been marking a bit and when he heard this young guy he started letting it out full force. Pretty funny.

I had a small discussion with Zhang Yimou and Tan Dun about how to address a Chines person by their first name. Their names generally beging with what we would call our sir name. You generally pornounce thge last two names if there are three, and both names if there are only two. Thus Tan Dun is called Tan Dun. He said if someone were to call him only "Dun" he would not know it was meant for him.

PDs wife, Marta, is at rehearsals as is one of his sons who is making a documentary. There is also rumors that the show will got to LA, Valencia (Spain) and Beijing. If true, wow.

This afternoon I did some individual work with Tan Dun and Elizabeth Futral. Tan Dun would like a simpler sound than I was using so I will use my lieder voice timbre. It will blend better with Elizabeth.
I also had my head measured and wrapped for the wig by Tommy Watson the head of wigs/makeup. Tom also did the show "Wicked"on Broadway. He wrapped ny head in saran wrap and taped it to fit my whole head. From that he will buld a wig for me and not use one in stock. Everyithng in this production will be new. It is quite exciting. We will have 3 weeks of staging in the rehearsal room 6 days a week for 6 hours, and the will move to teh stage for two weeks or so.

I had lunch in the cafeteria. Was good to run into people. It still feels like my home theater. Vicky, one of the wardrobe people rushed over to greet me. "The Barber of Seville" was in rehearsal so I got to see Sam Ramey, Wendy White and John del Carlo before they went back onstage. Fun. This Barber is directed by the man who did "A Light in the Piazza" and is apparently "different", whatever that means. I hope to see it.

The Met has a totally different logo and ad campaign. The posters are of one of the singers in the show not in a diva pose but more like a film setting. Apparently, PD has already been photographed. The show is nearly sold out so the posters may not be needed! The perofrmances are braodcast on Sirius satelite radio All Met all the time.Great idea.

Back to Zhang Yimou... my last image of him today was him heading toward the 66th street subway. PD drove off in a Landrover.

I am typed out. to be continued.