otago arts festival 2014 - give some support so get in a few shows
so far - dunedin jazz orchestra in st paul's cathedral - as expected
next day same venue - balkan sounds - surprisingly well attended
that same night - kaha - maori modern dance troupe - good to see
and tonight - high mountain flowing water - or - gao shan liu shui
interesting read-up in the festival program - mostly about the guqin
a traditional chinese zither instrument - similar to the japanese koto
wu na is woman master of the instrument - and has western influences
has worked with various jazz, rock and avant-garde oriented musicians
tonight is the world premiere of this new work so another enticement
also - glenroy auditorium - never been there so a chance to investigate
a multi-purpose flat-floored room tonight with rows of chairs in place
we are stage left 5 rows back with a good view to the raised stage
that hosting a grand piano, guqin and a hanging narrow backdrop
pianist gao ping glides on, lights a candle, washes his hands, sits
what seems like random and obtuse bars of music then played
good - this is going to be musically challenging - bring it on
before long he is joined by dong fei - he a peking opera artist
very androgynous in look and attire - gentle and slow motions
his voice adding to the impression of traditional chinese opera
and then smoothly leading wu na to her seat behind the guqin
as she settles in a very subtle projection begins on the backdrop
shadowy shapes moving very slightly and some english words
introducing each part of this interpretation of a chinese fable
explained very simply in a handout program as we entered
yu boya is on a boat travelling up a river playing his guqin
2 tunes - high mountain and flowing water - a string breaks
from this he knows he is being observed from the riverbank
he goes ashore to meet zhong ziqi and there is an instant bond
and from there every year they meet to share their love of music
until one year zhong ziqi fails to show - he has fallen ill and died
yu boya then smashes his guqin as without his listener it is of no use
perfection - the program informed us and the projection assisted
the music and movements coming from the stage - just exquisite
a single hour spent fully entranced by the totality of the show
a pianist seen pushing the boundaries of a familiar instrument
augmented by the plethora of sounds coming from the guqin
at times gently plucked or strummed other times hammered
the projectons - surreal - the movement artist - mesmerising
me sitting there and thinking it just does not get any better
us lucky to be part of the world premiere - lookout world
next stop wellington (te papa) then - well - anywhere
but surely it is bound for big things in e.g. new york
that's it for me then - don't need to see anything else
very positive conversations in the foyer afterwards
snagged it - the festival highlight for me for sure
no more needed - we shall follow with interest
