Moss Sutra

A Proposal

for

a Reading

Moss Sutra is an abstract, impressionistic music drama by Chinese opera performer, composer and poet, Qian Yi. The lush, harmonic score draws from Chinese opera, oratorio, cantata, as well as Western contemporary opera and minimalism. The libretto, written in English, presents a succession of thematically related scenes, akin to a fine art polyptych, or series of painted panels, some historical, some mythical. Each scene invokes a portrait - a young woman visited by a deity, a colonialist British Lord with his army, a woman whose hand fan transforms into a lover, an ancient Oracle Master and his Disciple, even a grove of lowly moss which comes to life in an all-encompassing garden. 

— William Youmans

Qian Yi seeks support for a 6-day read-through to develop the piece. This would involve about ten singers, eight instrumentalists, a music director and stage manager, no amplification or sound equipment would be necessary, except, possibly, essential recording equipment. An estimated two extra full days would be required to rehearse the instrumentalists separately, though only keyboard and one or two special instruments would be needed for all but the final two days. Thanks to a number of supporters, Qian Yi is able to enhance the workshop to the amount of $ 25,000

The following samples are excerpts of work in progress.

Moss_Sutra The Moss Chant In An Encompassing Garden

Three Female Vocalists

Soprano Mezzo—Soprano

The Instrumentation part of the song was exported as a midi file from the score

Moss_Sutra The Ambient Song Variation #2

New Cells

A total Midi File exported from the score

Moss_Sutra Epilogue

A Traveler After All

A Chorus of both female and male chanters

Soprano Mezzo—Soprano Bass

Partial Instrumentation of the song, was exported as a midi file from the score

Moss_Sutra The Ambient Song Variation #5

Happy Moss

This is the very last song

for audience to stretch, and get up, then start to walk

toward the exit (or inside the theater) however

I have written and putted down the foot steps into the score

A total Midi File exported from the score