Category: Opera / Music Theatre
TO SEE A VIDEO TRAILER please start the Video with click on the first Photo below!
MARCO POLO is a 3 hours-opera commissioned by the chinese government for the opera house in Guangzhou.... one of the most beautiful houses worldwide, built by architect Zaha Hadid. The opera with more than thousand handwritten pages of score was originally composed in chinese language, only in a few months in 2017. Then starting in march 2018 two months of rehearsals with stage director Kasper Holten and conductor Muhai Tang and a wonderful team... great time with high professionell friends. And amazing performances in Guangzhou since 4th of may and - starting with 15th of may - in Beijing.
In 2019 there were performances of the original staging Quanzhou/ China, followed by a European tour in Milano and Genova / Italy.
In May 2024 the opera was performed again in Opera House Guangzhou for the 700th death anniversary of Marco Polo, who died 1324 in Venice/Italy.
Movements: ORIGINALLY COMPOSED IN MANDARIN LANGUAGE. Music: Enjott Schneider /Libretto: WeiJin / conductor: Muhai Tang / director: Kasper Holten (co-directed Amy Lane)
No. 1 PRELUDE - No. 2 PROLOGUE - No. 3 JOURNEY TO CHINA - No. 4 SAMARKAND - No. 5 HUXUAN DANCE - Nr. 6 ARGHUN - No. 7 MARCO & LIU NIANG - No. 8 CHUAN YUN - Nr. 9 SHADOWS OF LOVE - No. 10 EAST & WEST - No. 11 CONFLICTS NORTH & SOUTH - No. 12 WORDS, SWORDS & A POEM - No. 13 GREAT WAR ON THE HORIZON - No. 14 LIU NIANG’S NIGHTMARE - No. 15 CONSPIRACIES - No. 16 JINGIM - No. 17 JIA SIADO’S STRATEGIES - No. 18 SOUTH OF YANGTZEE - No. 19 FAREWELL - No. 20 KUBLAI KHAN - No. 21 FALLEN FROM GRACE - No. 22 ANGER BLINDS - No. 23 FALL OF THE SONG - No. 24 MARCO’S MONOLOGUE - No. 25 WEN TIANXIANG - No. 26 CAPITULATION OR EXECUTION - No. 27 LET ME DEPART IN PEACE - No. 28 ENCOUNTER IN THE TEAHOUSE - No. 29 THE LAST DANCE - No. 30 DEATH OF CHUAN YUN - No. 31 MARCO IS READY TO DIE - No. 32 WE SHALL BE ALIVE - No. 33 FINALE: YOU ARE MY ORIENT-----
Duration: 180 Minutes
Publisher of notes/sheet music: Opera house Guangzhou. copyright/property of chinese government , 2018
Instrumentation: Soloists, Choir, Ballett, Symphony-Orchestra
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Singers & Orchestration MARCO POLO: ---------------------------
Marco Polo - Tenor....... /
Chuan Yun - Soprano...../
Wen Tianxiang - high baritone...../
Jingim / Arghun (double role) - Baritone......./
Kublai Khan - Bass-Baritone........../
Liu Niang - Mezzosoprano....../
Jia Sidao - high tenor (Heldentenor)....../
Niccolo /Warden (double role) - Bass-Baritone......../
Maffeo / Rustichello (double role) - Baritone............/
MIXED CHOIR (about50-60 singers)---------------------------------------
Orchestration MARCO POLO:--------------------
Flutes 1+2 (2nd also Piccoloflute).../
Oboes 1+2 (2nd also Cor Anglais).../
Clarinets (in Bb) 1+2 (2nd also Bass Clarinet).../
Bassoon 1+2 (second also Contrabassoon).../
French Horns (F) 1-3.../
Trumpets (in Bb) 1+2.../
Trombones (T+T+B).../
Bass tuba.../
1 Harp.../
1 electronic keyboard / sampling keyboard (with small amplifying) for: Celesta, Piano, harpsichord, different sounds....../
Timpani
5 Percussion Players (western and chinese percussion, including a marimbaphone and a xylophone)
Large String Orchestra (14-12-10-8-8).........../
Ensemble with 4 traditional chinese instruments: Erhu - Pipa - Dizi Flute - Yangqin
Text/Lyrics by: Libretto by Weijin
Additional remarks: The opera MARCO POLO was originally composed in chinese/mandarin language and is also sung in chinese/mandarin (not in english)....................................................................................
Opera House Guangzhou
The opera was commissioned by Government of China and China Arts & Entertainment Group/ President: Li Jinsheng, Executive Producer Stephanie Chang
World premiere: 04.05.2018, Opera House Guangzhou (Canton) Southchina, second Performance in BeijingTianqiao Performing Arts Center
Performers at world premiere: Macao Symphony Orchestra (in Beijing: Tianjin Symphony Orchestra) /
Conductor: Muhai Tang /
Stage Director: Kasper Holten & Amy Lane /
Set- and Video design: Luke Halls /
Costume Design: Emma Ryott /
Light Design: Bruno Poet /
Movement Director: Michael Barry /
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with singers:
Peter Lohdal (Marco Polo) /
Elise Caluwaerts (Chuan Yun) /
Hao Jiang Tian/in Beijing: Zhao Ming (Kublai Khan) /
Yunpeng Wang/ in Beijing: Yuan Chenye (Wen Tianxiang) /
Ning Lian (Liu Niang)
Keija Xiong (Jia Sidao, Sully)
Guodong Feng (Jingim/Arghun)
Jonathan Gunthorpe (Niccolo, Warden)
Damien Thantrey (Maffeo, Rustichello)
XingSheng Choir of Xinghai Conservatory of Music
