DESCRIPTION:
In ‘Marco Polo, an opera within an opera’, composer Tan Dun portrays the Venetian explorer’s travels to the Far East as a journey of both inner and physical discovery, a voyage depicting spiritual experiences as well as a geographical expedition. At the same time the work, on a libretto by Paul Griffiths, can be seen as a compositional adventure of the composer himself, unifying the various cultural worlds he occupies: a blend of Western avant garde and Oriental traditions. Pierre Audi’s mythical staging and Jean Kalman’s fabulous set design complement the composer’s own musical direction, forging the dazzlingly versatile soloists, the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra and Capella Amsterdam to a stunning symbiosis of elements across time and space, a true testimony to cultures intertwined in globalisation.

CAST AND:

Polo: Charles Workman
Marco: Sarah Castle
Kublai Khan: Stephen Richardson
Water: Nancy Allen Lundy
Shadow 1/Rustichello/Li Po: Zhang Jun
Shadow 2/Sheherazada/Mahler/Queen: Tania Kross
Shadow3/Dante/Shakespeare: Stephen Bryant
Chinese/Arabian dancer: Mu Na

Netherlands Chamber Orchestra
Cappella Amsterdam Chorus
Libretto: Paul Griffiths
Composer/Musical Director: Tan Dun
Stage Director: Pierre Audi
Video Director: Misjel Vermeiren

Recorded live at Het Muziektheater, Amsterdam, on 13th and 18th November 2008.

Source...........: BD50 Retail
Distributor......: Opus Arte
BD Release Date..: 27 April 2009
Screen Format....: Widescreen 1.78:1
Program used.....: AnyDVD (Region Code Free)


Extras: all in 1080i

1. Synopsis (7:54)
2. Cast Gallery
3. The Music of Tomorrow (24:55)