PAID ticket registration on URBTIX (search for: Atmospheric Music Theatre by Law Wing-fai – “Sands and Beyond”): https://ticket.urbtix.hk/internet/
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Italian famous harpist Raoul Moretti will perform together with Wuji Ensemble on Sunday 9th July (8-10 pm) at Hong Kong City Hall.
The Italian-Swiss harpist Raoul Moretti is a versatile and many-sided harpist with a very personal approach to the instrument. This has led him, over the years, to develop an artistic career-path in search of a personal style. Nowadays he’s one of the most innovating harpist with an international trajectory, bringing his harp in different musical worlds (avant-garde, pop-rock, world music, electronics, nu-dance, classic, free improvising) and other forms of art (dance, painting, movie, video-installation) and many different ambients (theatre, clubs, disco, houses, streets, stations, medical centers).
The performance is included into the 13th World Harp Congress, the largest world-wide harp festival. The first of its kind in Asia, the Congress – themed A Harp Journey from West to East -, will make its debut in Hong Kong from 7th to 13th July in different venues.
13th World Harp Congress official website: http://www.whc2017.org
PROGRAMME
The performance Atmospheric Music Theatre by Law Wing-fai – Sands and Beyond revolves around the theme of the Silk Road which heads to the West, through the yellow sands of the Desert, flying past the red sunset, finally arriving to the murals in the grottoes. Harpists Ann Huang, Liya Huang and Amy Tam will also take part in the program.
Prologue: Improvisation – Harp/Dance
Flying Up (Clarence Mak) – Ruan Ensemble
In Oneness (Law Wing-fai) – Guzheng Solo
Where the Water Ends (Law Wing-fai) – Soprano/Flute/Harp
The Dancer (Improvisation) – Pipa/Xiao/Recitation/Dance
Three Variations on Yangguan Pass (Ancient Melody/ Arr. Raoul Moretti) – Harp Duo
The Awakening on Mount Mingsha (Yau May-kay) – Xiao/Guzheng/Flute/Harp
Song of a Long Way Away (Law Wing-fai) – Soprano/Xiao/Guzheng
Sands and Beyond (Law Wing-fai) – Pipa Solo
Heavenly Dance (Law Wing-fai) – Pipa Ensemble/Harp Duo/Dance
ARTISTS
Artistic Director/Composer: Law Wing-fai
Lighting Designer: Leo Cheung
Video Designer: Shing Pok-man
Sound Engineer: Chan Pui-ching
Music Director/Pipa: Wong Chi-ching
Xiao: Zhang Fan
Soprano: Margaret Yim
Harp: Raoul Moretti/ Ann Huang/ Amy Tam/ Liya Huang
Ruan & Pipa: Lam Tsan-tong
Guzheng: Michelle Wan
Dancer: Ye Ran
Flute: Carmen Ma
Guzheng, Ruan & Pipa Ensemble: Wuji Ensemble
Sands and Beyond is inspired by the immortal lines on the Dunhuang murals which vividly depict the apsaras dancing in their full splendor. These flying deities exemplify a sense of Oriental aesthetic beauty that seems to traverse the desolate desert into the vastness of the universe, and provides a perfect palette for the composer to paint his music.
Besides the commonly known pipa, the konghou is also among the array of musical instruments frequently seen on the murals. Known as the Chinese harp, the konghou can be traced back to the harps in ancient Babylon, Egypt and Greece.
The concert highlights the harp and begins with a solo piece by renowned Italian harpist Raoul Moretti. Interspersed with dances and complemented by lighting and video images, the stylized pieces, in various combinations of Chinese and Western musical instruments, will be performed in a reserved and unaffected style with the musicians in a state of quiescence. The concert will end with the vigorous pipa ensemble piece “Heavenly Dance”, depicting music from Heaven.