VSO Announces Iconic Conductor Tan Dun to Lead Martial Arts Symphony Show Crouching Tiger & Beyond on Saturday, Nov. 9

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) is pleased to present iconic Chinese conductor Tan Dun in Crouching Tiger & Beyond — a groundbreaking show that combines the brilliance of a live orchestra with iconic footage from the legendary martial arts films Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, and The Banquet on Friday, November 9 at the Orpheum.

• Scenes from iconic martial arts films Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero and Banquet play on the big screen with live symphony orchestra accompaniment
• Led by legendary and iconic composer-conductor Tan Dun
• Praised by the Washington Post as “an epic, multimedia production, full of big-screen emotions and unabashed melodrama.”

World-renowned composer/conductor Tan Dun has had the honor of composing film music for three films by critically acclaimed directors: Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Zhang Yimou (Hero), and Feng Xiaogang (The Banquet). Combining the ancient tradition of Chinese martial arts philosophy and visual arts, the films were all received with high praise worldwide.

In Crouching Tiger & Beyond, three concertos derived from the scores to these films emphasize themes of sacrifice, desire, and love through martial arts and desire for transcendence, revenge, and power.

The cello in Crouching Tiger Concerto plays the voice of Lio who dreamed of spiritual transcendence through martial arts. Her dramatic journey of power, sacrifice and determination is heard through the concerto until her final Farewell brings her back to water and stone.

The violin of Hero Concerto tells the ancient story of Lin who sacrificed love to defend her country. She seeks, above all else, revenge and redemption for the people.

In The Banquet Concerto, the voice of Ano is represented by the piano. Ano, not a martial artist, or an assassin, but an Empress, sacrifices love in pursuit of power. The piano is heard along with the voices of her people in the chorus on her journey.

ABOUT TAN DUN

World-renowned composer-conductor Tan Dun has made an indelible mark on the world’s music scene with a creative repertoire that spans the boundaries of art. Widely known for his scores for the movies Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero, he also composed the music for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. His works often incorporate audiovisual elements; use instruments constructed from organic materials, such as paper, water, and stone and are often inspired by traditional Chinese theatrical and ritual performance.

A winner of today’s most prestigious honors including an Academy Award for Best Original Score and a Grammy Award for Best Soundtrack for Crouching Tiger, a Grawemeyer Award for classical composition, Musical America’s Composer of The Year, Bach Prize and Shostakovich Award, Tan Dun’s music has been played throughout the world by leading orchestras, opera houses, international festivals, and on the radio and television.

As a conductor, Tan Dun has led the world’s most esteemed orchestras, including The Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Metropolitan Opera, London Symphony Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra of Japan, and more. He has was also recently named Honorary Chair of the Carnegie Hall China Advisory Council.

As a global cultural leader, Tan Dun is dedicated to the purpose of rediscovering, preserving, and disseminating the world’s vanishing cultures and protecting water and natural resources worldwide. He served as “Cultural Ambassador to the World” for World EXPO Shanghai and was most recently appointed by UNESCO as its global Goodwill Ambassador. Tan Dun has also recently been appointed as the Honorary Artistic Director of the China National Symphony Orchestra.

Crouching Tiger & Beyond is part of the VSO Digital Concert Hall presented by TELUS.

Orchestra Sponsor Landa Global Properties; Community Partner Poly Culture