The Orphan of Zhao

Submitted by nonesuch on
genre
Musical Theater
Release Date
DescriptionExcerpt

The original Orphan of Zhao was written by Yuan Dynasty playwright Ji Juanxiang, circa 1330. This production, featuring music and lyrics by Stephin Merritt described by the New York Times as "country and eastern," premiered at the Lincoln Center Festival in July 2003, directed by Chen Shi-Zheng with book by David Greenspan.

Description

The evil Tu An-Gu and the kindly Zhao Shuo were rival courtiers in the kingdom of Jin. Tu tried to have Zhao killed, but the assassin he hired committed suicide rather than choose between disobeying orders and killing an honest man. With the help of the serf Ling Zhe, who he had saved from starvation, Zhao fled into exile. His son Zhao Dun received a letter demanding his suicide, forged by Tu-An Gu in the name of the Emperor; he stabbed himself. His wife, the Emperor’s daughter, gave birth to a son. Ten days later, the play begins…

The princess calls for the family doctor, Cheng Ying, to take the newborn out of the house before Tu An-Gu kills him too. Cheng agrees, convincing her to strangle herself (while singing “In This Rain …”) to avoid revealing the baby’s whereabouts under torture. At the gate, Cheng Ying meets General Han Jue, who has been assigned by Tu An-Gu to guard the baby (“Has the World Gone Insane?”). The general takes one look at the orphan (“Han Jue Sings a Lullaby”) and agrees to stab himself rather than imperil an innocent infant. Cheng Ying celebrates the honorable death (“All of This I Give You”). In the winter garden at Tai Ping, the good doctor finds retired sage Gongsun Chu-Jiu, and shows him the baby (“Gongsun Sings a Lullaby”). Gongsun offers to swap the Orphan with Cheng Ying’s own ten-day-old son, to bring to Tu-An Gu, who will surely kill both Gongsun and the baby. Gongsun recites a poem of nostalgia, “Little Clouds Go By.” Cheng Ying reports to Tu An-Gu that Gongsun is hiding the Orphan, and Tu kills the tiny imposter, Cheng’s son, whereupon Gongsun impales himself on the murderer’s sword, singing “In the Spring, When I Was Young.” In gratitude, Tu An-Gu offers to adopt Cheng Ying’s son (really the Orphan), chortling, “What a Fucking Lovely Day!”

Twenty years later, Cheng Ying reveals to the Orphan all of the above, calling Tu-An Gu “the man in red,” Zhao Shuo “the man in purple,” and Cheng Ying himself “Someone.” He eulogizes the assassin in “The Song of the Assassin,” and Ling Zhe in “The Song of the Humble Serf.” He tells of Zhao Shuo’s flight into exile in “The Man in Purple Dashed Out of the Castle,” and details everything we’ve seen on stage in  “The Story So Far,” finally telling the Orphan of his true identity. The Orphan swears to avenge his clan (“The World Is Not Made of Flowers”). He kills Tu-An Gu, and the play ends.

The original Orphan of Zhao was written by Yuan Dynasty playwright Ji Juanxiang, circa 1330. This production was originally produced by the Lincoln Center Festival and Lincoln Center Theater, New York City. World-premiered at Lincoln Center Festival, July 2003. Directed by Chen Shi-Zheng, book by David Greenspan, music and lyrics by Stephin Merritt.

ProductionCredits

CAST
Jenny Bacon: Princess, Cheng Bo (Orphan)
Rob Campbell: Cheng Ying
David Patrick Kelly: Tu An-Gu
William Yeomans: Han Jue, Gongsun Chu-Jiu

MUSICIANS
Cory McAbee: Autoharp
Wei Guo Yong: Jinghu
Min Xiao-Fen: Pipa

Musical Director: Kimberly Grigsby

Nonesuch Selection Number

79943

Number of Discs in Set
1disc
ns_album_artistid
226
ns_album_id
611
ns_album_releasedate
ns_genre_1
0
ns_genre_2
0
Album Status
Available
Artist Name
Stephin Merritt
Cover Art
UPC/Price
Label
MP3
Price
11.00
UPC
075597994360

  • 79943

News & Reviews

  • Limited-Edition Michael Wilson Photo Box Set of Twenty Nonesuch Artist Prints Out Now

    In celebration of Nonesuch Records' 60th anniversary, the label has partnered with photographer Michael Wilson—who has exquisitely captured dozens of Nonesuch artists over the past quarter-century—to produce Michael Wilson / 25 Years: A Nonesuch Collection, an extremely limited quantity of 100 box sets containing newly created prints from his Nonesuch archive, out now. You can take a quick look inside here. Designed by the Grammy-winning team at SMOG Design, each box comprises twenty 12" x 12" prints, numbered and signed by the photographer. Artists featured are Allen Toussaint, Ambrose Akinmusire, Audra McDonald, Bill Frisell, The Black Keys, Brad Mehldau, David Byrne, Dr. John, Emmylou Harris, Frederic Rzewski, Jeremy Denk, Kronos Quartet, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Manuel Galbán and Ry Cooder, Philip Glass, Randy Newman, Rhiannon Giddens, Stephin Merritt and Lemony Snicket, Steve Reich, and Timo Andres, who wrote a note for the box.

    Read more
  • Photographer Michael Wilson Shares Stories From Photo Sessions Behind New Box Set of Nonesuch Artist Prints

    For Nonesuch Records' 60th anniversary, the label has partnered with photographer Michael Wilson—who has exquisitely captured dozens of Nonesuch artists over the past quarter-century—to produce Michael Wilson / 25 Years: A Nonesuch Collection, 100 box sets of 20 newly created prints from his Nonesuch archive, due September 13. Here, Wilson shares stories from the photo sessions behind the images in the box, with Allen Toussaint, Ambrose Akinmusire, Audra McDonald, Bill Frisell, The Black Keys, Brad Mehldau, David Byrne, Dr. John, Emmylou Harris, Frederic Rzewski, Jeremy Denk, Kronos Quartet, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Manuel Galbán and Ry Cooder, Philip Glass, Randy Newman, Rhiannon Giddens, Stephin Merritt and Lemony Snicket, Steve Reich, and Timo Andres.

    Read more
View All

Buy Now

  • About This Album

    The evil Tu An-Gu and the kindly Zhao Shuo were rival courtiers in the kingdom of Jin. Tu tried to have Zhao killed, but the assassin he hired committed suicide rather than choose between disobeying orders and killing an honest man. With the help of the serf Ling Zhe, who he had saved from starvation, Zhao fled into exile. His son Zhao Dun received a letter demanding his suicide, forged by Tu-An Gu in the name of the Emperor; he stabbed himself. His wife, the Emperor’s daughter, gave birth to a son. Ten days later, the play begins…

    The princess calls for the family doctor, Cheng Ying, to take the newborn out of the house before Tu An-Gu kills him too. Cheng agrees, convincing her to strangle herself (while singing “In This Rain …”) to avoid revealing the baby’s whereabouts under torture. At the gate, Cheng Ying meets General Han Jue, who has been assigned by Tu An-Gu to guard the baby (“Has the World Gone Insane?”). The general takes one look at the orphan (“Han Jue Sings a Lullaby”) and agrees to stab himself rather than imperil an innocent infant. Cheng Ying celebrates the honorable death (“All of This I Give You”). In the winter garden at Tai Ping, the good doctor finds retired sage Gongsun Chu-Jiu, and shows him the baby (“Gongsun Sings a Lullaby”). Gongsun offers to swap the Orphan with Cheng Ying’s own ten-day-old son, to bring to Tu-An Gu, who will surely kill both Gongsun and the baby. Gongsun recites a poem of nostalgia, “Little Clouds Go By.” Cheng Ying reports to Tu An-Gu that Gongsun is hiding the Orphan, and Tu kills the tiny imposter, Cheng’s son, whereupon Gongsun impales himself on the murderer’s sword, singing “In the Spring, When I Was Young.” In gratitude, Tu An-Gu offers to adopt Cheng Ying’s son (really the Orphan), chortling, “What a Fucking Lovely Day!”

    Twenty years later, Cheng Ying reveals to the Orphan all of the above, calling Tu-An Gu “the man in red,” Zhao Shuo “the man in purple,” and Cheng Ying himself “Someone.” He eulogizes the assassin in “The Song of the Assassin,” and Ling Zhe in “The Song of the Humble Serf.” He tells of Zhao Shuo’s flight into exile in “The Man in Purple Dashed Out of the Castle,” and details everything we’ve seen on stage in  “The Story So Far,” finally telling the Orphan of his true identity. The Orphan swears to avenge his clan (“The World Is Not Made of Flowers”). He kills Tu-An Gu, and the play ends.

    The original Orphan of Zhao was written by Yuan Dynasty playwright Ji Juanxiang, circa 1330. This production was originally produced by the Lincoln Center Festival and Lincoln Center Theater, New York City. World-premiered at Lincoln Center Festival, July 2003. Directed by Chen Shi-Zheng, book by David Greenspan, music and lyrics by Stephin Merritt.