On January 22, Tan Dun conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra in the UK Premiere of his choral epic Buddha Passion at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The performance, which takes place on Chinese New Year, will also feature the massed forces of the London Philharmonic Choir and London Chinese Philharmonic Choir alongside an array of international soloists including indigenous singers and traditional Chinese instruments.
First performed in 2018, Buddha Passion is an evening-length oratorio in six acts that tells stories from the life of the Buddha as depicted in cave paintings in the ancient city of Dunhuang. The libretto (in English, Chinese and Sanskrit) was compiled by the composer using texts from the Tsang dynasty and deals with themes of compassion, dreams and peace.
