Great Performances | PBS » The First Emperor

GP at The Met: The First Emperor: Introduction

daniel ross — Sun, 11 May 2008 22:54:22 +0000

Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

Composer: Tan Dun

Librettist: Ha Jin and Tan Dun, based on the HISTORICAL RECORDS by Sima Qian (c. 145-85 BCE) and on Wei Lu’s screenplay for THE EMPEROR’S SHADOW

Production: Zhang Yimou

Conductor: Tan Dun

Performers: Wu Hsing-Kuo (Ying-Yang Master), Michelle DeYoung (Shaman), Plácido Domingo (Emperor Qin), Haijing Fu (Chief Minister), Hao Jiang Tian (General Wang), Elizabeth Futral (Princess Yueyang), Susanne Mentzer (Mother of Yueyang), Paul Groves (Gao Jianli), Timothy Breese Miller (Guard), Dou Dou Huang (Principal Dancer)

Synopsis:
Act I: Shadow
The yin-Yang Master performs sacrificial rites and traditional chants in the presence of the imperial court. The Emperor is displeased: He dislikes intensely the ancient music of his country and seeks an anthem that would aptly glorify his mighty and powerful empire. He wants his childhood friend, composer Gao Jianli, known as the Shadow and the Sage of Music, to compose this anthem. Knowing that Jianli resides in Yan, one of the states that remains to be conquered, he changes his war plans and sends his General to defeat Yan so that Jianli may be brought quickly to him. The Emperor also promises the General he can marry his crippled daughter, Princess Yueyang, if he returns victorious. As the people clamor for battle, the Shaman warns of the destruction of war.

Although China is unified, chaos remains. The Emperor discusses his severe plans for strengthening his rule with the Chief Minister. The General announces that Jianli has been captured, and the Emperor orders him brought in. The Emperor greets him as a brother and his affection for such a broken slave surprises Princess Yueyang. Jianli responds with hatred, blaming the Emperor for the destruction of his village and the violent death of his mother — he would rather cut off his own tongue than call the ruler “brother.” The Emperor explains that sacrifices must be made to unify the country and achieve a lasting peace and reminds Jianli of his promise to compose an anthem for the empire. Jianli declares he would sooner die than compose the anthem. Princess Yueyang’s admiration for Jianli grows.

Princess Yueyang strikes a deal with her father: If she succeeds in convincing Jianli to live and compose the music, she will own him. Emperor Qin agrees. Princess Yueyang tries various methods to persuade Jianli to eat, without success. Finally, she feeds him from her own mouth, and Jianli finds his heart stirred. The couple makes love passionately. When Princess Yueyang miraculously regains the use of her legs and begins to walk, Emperor Qin is at first overjoyed, but soon becomes enraged when he understands the source of her cure. The Emperor wants to kill Jianli for violating his daughter, but holds back because he wants him to write the anthem.

Act II: Anthem
Deeply in love, Jianli gives Princess Yueyang a music lesson. He pauses to listen to the slaves’ chorus as they build the Great Wall and is deeply moved. The singers are interrupted by Emperor Qin, who insists that his daughter honor her marriage to the General. She threatens suicide. The Emperor then appeals to Jianli to give her up — temporarily. He is confident that the General will perish soon in battle, at which point the Princess Yueyang could return to Jianli. The composer agrees to wait and to finish the anthem. The Emperor asks to hear the melody but Jianli refuses.

The court attends the imperial inauguration. Approaching his throne, the Emperor meets the Shaman, who gives him misleading and confusing information. Next he encounters the ghost of Yueyang, who tells him that she committed suicide because she was unable to sacrifice her love for the sake of the country. Wracked with grief, the Emperor continues climbing. He is again interrupted, this time by the ghost of the General, who asserts that Jianli poisoned him; the ghost warns the Emperor of Jianli’s plans for vengeance. The Emperor continues toward the throne. Suddenly, Jianli bursts down from the summit. He doesn’t want to live without Yueyang. Grief-stricken and crazed, he bites off his own tongue and spits it at the Emperor. The Emperor lunges at Jianli with his sword, sparing him a slow and painful death. He finally reaches the throne and for the first time hears the anthem — it is the slaves’ song. The Emperor is shocked and realizes that this is Jianli’s ultimate revenge.

Opera synopsis courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera.

Funding for GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET: “Macbeth” has been provided by Toll Brothers, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Charles E. Culpepper Foundation, the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation, Miami, FL, and PBS.

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GP at The Met: The First Emperor: Production Credits

daniel ross — Sun, 11 May 2008 22:48:32 +0000

Web Credits

Producer: Anu Krishnan
Designer: Lenny Drozner
Graphic Art: Ying Zhou-Hudson
Technical Director: Brian Lee
Production Assistant: Diana Cofresí-Terrero
Copy Editor: Leslie Kriesel
HTML Implementation: Brian Santalone

Thirteen Online is a production of Thirteen/WNET New York’s Kravis Multimedia Education Center in New York City. Anthony Chapman, Director of Interactive & Broadband. Bob Adleman, Business Manager. Tamara E. Robinson, Vice President & Director, Programming.

Television Credits

GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET: “The First Emperor”

Composed and Conducted by
Tan Dun

Libretto by
Ha Jin and Tan Dun

Directed by
Brian Large

Production
Zhang Yimou

Set Design
Fan Yue

Costume Design
Emi Wada

Lighting Design
Duane Schuler

Co-Director
Wang Chaoge

Choreographer
Dou Dou Huang

Host
Zhang Ziyi

Characters in Order of Vocal Appearance
Yin-Yang Master
Wu Hsing-Kuo

Shaman
Michelle DeYoung

Emperor Qin
Plácido Domingo

Chief Minister
Haijing Fu

General Wang
Hao Jiang Tian

Princess Yueyang
Elizabeth Futral

Mother of Yueyang
Susanne Mentzer

Gao Jianli
Paul Groves

Guard
Danrell Williams

Principal Dancer
Dou Dou Huang

Zheng Player
Qi Yao

“The First Emperor” was commissioned and produced by The Metropolitan Opera and co-produced with Los Angeles Opera. It was premiered at The Metropolitan Opera House on December 21, 2006.

Chorus Master
Raymond Hughes

Musical Preparation
Dennis Giauque
Donna Racik
Thomas Bagwell
Howard Watkins
Steven Osgood

Assistant Stage Directors
Eric Einhorn
Leo Iizuka
Peter Mcclintock

Dramaturg
Paul Cremo

Prompter
Donna Racik

Met Titles
Michael Panayos

English Diction Coach
Linda Gates

A Metropolitan Opera High-Definition Production
Supervising Producers
Mia Bongiovanni
Elena Park

Producers
Louisa Briccetti
Victoria Warivonchik

Audio Producer
Jay David Saks

Associate Director
Jay Millard

Engineer-in-Charge
Mark Schubin

Technical Supervisor
Ron Washburn

Technical Director
Emmett Loughran

Audio Supervisor
Bill King

Television Lighting
Wayne Chouinard

Writer
Ellen Keel

Camera
Miguel Armstrong
Win Bernfeld
Manny Gutierrez
Charlie Huntley
John Kosmaczewski
Robert Long
John Meiklejohn
Alain Onesto
David Smith
Ron Washburn
Mark Whitman

Robotic Camera Technicians
Rick Compeau
Ron Travisano

Video
Billy Steinberg
Matty Randazzo
Paul Ranieri
Anthony di Fonzo

Audio
Mel Becker
Paul Cohen
Blake Norton
Michael Shoskes
Shawn Walsh

Videotape
Alan Buchner
Steven Joyce

Television Stage Managers
Terence Benson
Phyllis Digiglio
Molly McBride

English Subtitles Adapted by
Sonya Friedman

Broadcast Graphics
Deborah Cavanaugh

Score Reader
Howard Watkins

Opening Title Sequence
Editor
Kate Hirson

Post Production
Video Editor
Gary Bradley

Additional Video Editing
Eric Singer
Laura Young

Audio Editor
John Bowen

Post-Production Audio Mix
Ken Hahn

Production Associate
Yolanda S. Williams

Production Assistants
Michael Griebel
Alyse Horn
Enzo E. Martinez
Harriet Snyder

Metropolitan Opera Association
General Manager
Peter Gelb

Music Director
James Levine

Assistant Managers
Artistic
Sarah Billinghurst

Technical
Joseph Clark

Editorial & Creative Content
Elena Park

Operations
Stewart Pearce

Finance
Bill Thomas

Development
Coralie Toevs

Director of Media & Presentations
Mia Bongiovanni

Marketing Director
Julie Borchard-Young

Artistic Administrator
Jonathan Friend

General Counsel
Sharon E. Grubin

Senior Artistic Advisor
Eva Wagner-Pasquier

Director of Human Resources & Labor Relations
Ann Marie Hackett

Director of Music Administration
Craig Rutenberg

House Manager
James Naples

Press Director
Sommer Hixson

Director, New Business Development
Laura Mitgang

Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Orchestra Manager
Robert Sirinek

Concertmaster
Nick Eanet

Librarian
Robert Sutherland

Metropolitan Opera Chorus

Metropolitan Opera Ballet
Ballet Mistress
Diana Levy

Stage Managers
Thomas H.Connell, III
Jonathan Waterfield
Gary Dietrich
Margo Maier

Local 1 1ATSE
Stage Operations

Master Carpenter
Stephen A. Diaz

Master Electrician
Paul Donahue

Properties Master
James R. Blumenfeld

Wig and Hair Stylist
Tom Watson

Makeup Artist
Victor Callegari

Wardrobe Supervisor
William Malloy

Costume Shop Head
Lesley Weston

Resident Costume Designer
Sylvia Nolan

Production Facilities
All Mobile Video Inc.
Dolby Laboratories
Remote Recording
Tandberg Television

Media Counsel
Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vasallo, P.C.

Publisher
G. Schirmer Inc.

The commission of “The First Emperor” was made possible by a generous gift from The Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trust.

This stage production of “The First Emperor” was made possible by generous gifts from The Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trust and The Starr Foundation.

Additional Generous Stage Production Funding was Received from
The New York State Music Fund, established by the New York State Attorney General at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
The Richard Massey Foundation for the Arts and Sciences
The Peter J. Sharp Foundation
and
Barbara Augusta Teichert

For GREAT PERFORMANCES
David Horn
Series Producer

Bill O’Donnell
Director, Program Development

Barry Schulman
Executive Producer

A Metropolitan Opera Production in association with PBS/Thirteen WNET New York

Executive Producers
Peter Gelb
Tan Dun

TAN DUN’S “THE FIRST EMPEROR” IN REHEARSAL AT THE MET
A Film by
Susan Froemke

Editor Kathleen Dougherty
Producers
Douglas Graves
Susan Froemke

Camera
Don Lenzer
Nicholas Doob
Robert Richman

Sound
Paul Cote
Mark Mandler

Assistant Editors
Olivia Lin
Laura Minnear

Translation
Kerry Huang

Colorist
Robert Burgos

Audio Post Mixer
Anthony Erice

Publisher
G. Schirmer Inc.

A Susan Froemke Production

The contents of these GREAT PERFORMANCES Web pages are copyrighted under United States and other copyright laws. You may not download, reproduce, transmit, display, distribute or make derivative works from the contents of the GREAT PERFORMANCES Web pages other than for personal use without the advance written permission of the copyright owner. Any unauthorized use of any of the contents of the GREAT PERFORMANCES Online Web pages may result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.