![]() Meigui Zhang as Dai Yu accompanies herself on the qin (Chinese zither) during her Act I aria in the SF Opera production of Bright Sheng’s “Dream of the Red Chamber.” (Photo courtesy Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera)īut the international cast was stronger this time out, especially in the central roles: The hearty, energetic Korean tenor Konu Kim as Stone/Bao Yu the pristine, otherworldly Chinese soprano Meigui Zhang as Flower/Dai Yu and the glamour of Chinese mezzo-soprano Hongni Wu, in her company debut as Bao Chai, added up to a compelling trio. The opera moves from poised episodes - a lovely Act I aria for Dai Yu, accompanying herself on the qin (Chinese zither) - to larger ensemble scenes such as the roiling Act I finale: the shocking announcement of the marriage plot.Īt Tuesday’s opening, some of the issues that troubled the 2016 world premiere still lingered - bland orchestrations vocal episodes that plodded rather than soared excess verbiage that seemed woven in to the labyrinthine plot. In scene after scene of the nearly three-hour production, the gilded halls, bamboo groves and opulent interiors roll by in glittering tableaux. ![]() She wants to marry him to Bao Chai, from the rich and powerful Xue clan.Īs the power struggle plays out, the elements that made the opera a hit in 2016 - stage direction by Stan Lai, lavish sets and flowing costumes by Academy Award-winning production designer Tim Yip, and lighting by Gary Marder - are still intact. Bao Yu (Konu Kim) longs to be with his true love, but his family has other ideas in the SF Opera production of Bright Sheng’s “Dream of the Red Chamber.” (Photo courtesy Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera) In the opera’s early scenes, Bao Yu is still a rambunctious boy, but he’s certain about one thing: He wants to spend eternity with the delicate, graceful Dai Yu. The woman in the boat was Dai Yu in her newly acquired human form. ![]() Now Crimson Pearl Flower is Dai Yu, the Divine Stone has assumed human shape as Bao Yu - and the two want to live together as mortals. An old monk explains why: She’s just undergone a transformation. For the previous 3,000 years, she was the Crimson Pearl Flower, nurtured by dew from her ethereal soulmate, the Divine Stone. We first see Dai Yu standing on a small boat, floating down a river of blue silk. ![]() Bao Yu, the son of the powerful Jia family, loves the beautiful Dai Yu, and there’s a supernatural aspect to what is quickly revealed as their mutual attraction. ![]()
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