Tan Dun and Concertgebouw Orchestra to perform world premiere of Requiem for Nature
Holland Festival 2023 concludes with performances in collaboration with Pierre Audi featuring Laurens Symfonisch and soloists from several regions in East-Asia
On 30 June 30 and 1 July, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra will close the Holland Festival 2023 with the world premiere of Tan Dun’s Requiem for Nature under the direction of the composer at the Gashouder (Westergas Amsterdam). Inspired by ancient mural paintings in the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, China, the six-movement work for orchestra, chorus and soloists contains arrangements of parts from Tan Dun's Buddha Passion (2018) as well as newly composed movements.
Tan Dun’s Requiem for Nature was developed in close collaboration with the Concertgebouw Orchestra’s creative partner, Pierre Audi, who has already worked very successfully with Tan Dun on several occasions.
The performances feature the Rotterdam choir Laurens Symfonisch and four soloists who bring together a variety of East Asian cultures: Mongolian khoomei bass (throat singer) Hasibagen, who also plays the morin khuur or horse-head fiddle, Cantonese soprano Candice Chung, Tibetan indigenous soprano Jianfang Yong and Chinese pipa player Han Yan. Together, they bring across a number of stories illustrating the cruel way people have been treating nature for centuries. In this new requiem, people ask nature for forgiveness.
The libretto by Tan Dun is sung in English, Mongolian, Tibetan, Cantonese and Sanskrit. The production is surtitled in English.
Both concerts start at 8.15 pm and last approximately 75 minutes (there is no interval).
The concert of Friday, 30 June will be recorded by NTR for radio broadcast via Dutch national radio channel NPO Klassiek on a date to be announced.
This programme is made possible by financial support from Ammodo.