“Derek Kwan has a lovely, high, firm tenor ideal for the cautious, sincere Bo Yi, drawn to love Da Ji in spite of the danger.” – Christopher Hoile, Stage Door
“With his pleasant tenor, Derek Kwan (Shepherd/Bo Yi) held his own in both operas. More importantly, he brought key acting skills to the part of Bo Yi.” – Paula Citron, Opera Canada (Summer 2013)
“There were some good performances, notably Derek Kwan as Bo Ji and Marion Newman as Da Ji. Both showed skill, artistry and versatility.” – John Gilks, Opera Ramblings
“I loved the score for this project. Alice Ho has a unique ability to explore new sonic worlds: for this opera she combined European Baroque instruments (archlute, harpsichord, viola da gamba) and traditional Chinese instruments (erhu, pipa, guzheng).” — Derek
Toronto Masque Theatre commissioned Alice Ping Yee Ho and Marjorie Chan to create a new masque. The Lesson of Da Ji is inspired by the true story of the Shang dynasty concubine Da Ji and the King who enacted a tasty revenge on her secret lover; a revenge as grisly as anything Shakespeare conceived of in Titus Andronicus. In Ho and Chan’s version Da Ji takes guqin music lessons from a young nobleman named Bo Yi. Chan has provided a rich and inventive script which drives to a surprising and powerful climax while Ho’s gorgeous music blends Eastern and Western instruments.
Toronto Masque Theatre presents:
The Lesson of Da Ji
Libretto by Marjorie Chan; Music by Alice Ping Yee Ho
World Premiere: May 2013
Al Green Theatre, Toronto
Featuring:
Vania Chan, Charlotte Corwin, Benjamin Covey, Alexander Dobson, William Lau, Derek Kwan, Marion Newman
Director: Derek Boyes
Music Director: Larry Beckwith
Choreographer: Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière
Costume Designer: Angela Thomas
Video Designer: Gabriel Cropley
The Lesson of Da Ji received the 2012/2013 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Opera
A recording of this opera for the Canadian Music Centre’s Centrediscs label is available HERE
It is also available on iTunes HERE
Wholenote Magazine Review HERE
