ABOUT

The Moss Sutra is a new music-theater piece in English, combining various forms of ceremonial chanting and dance, informed by Chinese opera theater tradition. It has an abstract, sutra - like structure, that contains layers of discoveries, tales, fables, poetries, and inner cycle chantings.

Synopsis

The performance begins in a prehistorical time. A deity appears before a young woman, and reveals her a dance and song, which exist between the human and celestial world. This form will become the first Chinese Opera. 

In a sealed timeless garden, a little green moss, questions the extent of the garden’s encompassing nature and ponders her own sense of lack. Dappled sunlight appears on tree leaves. The shimmering lights come together as voices guiding her, chanting “Let it manifest.”  

Outside the garden, a British army, denied entry by the emperor, grows restless as attempts at trade and diplomacy are failing. The British plenipotentiary Lord Elgin decides to burn the garden to the ground.

Out of the ash, an ungendered youth rises. This person sings the tale of a Zen buddhist disciple who has witnessed his master’s magical power and then consecrates his youth to the master’s silver light.

The pure Buddhist realm keeps expanding, into another dimension and the audience is transported to China’s remote past at the dawn of pictographic writing. A young priest fulfills his obligation to his Oracle master, by carrying out a human sacrifice. In the course of the ritual the mystical truth of pictorial calligraphy is finally revealed to him. With this discovery, all the efforts and searching have come together, form the voices of the ever-lost human spirits and celestial chanting, joining together, celebrating the knowledge of who we are, and of our journey within the everlasting cycles of the Universe.

The following samples are excerpts of work in progress.

 SAMPLES

excerpts of work in progress

PRELUDE

Singing In Between Worlds

 Tenor, Soprano, Mezzo—Soprano

Three Female Chanters

Lingering 

Eternal Game 

Flowing 

Between Worlds 

Rolling thunder drums 

Waves on waves

Leave a few remain 

Sleep as asleep

Sphere forms sphere

Yet flowers not flowers 

Moon in moon 

Where will it go?

Where will I go? 

[In the snow, a semi—deity lands on the mountain top.]

Three Female Chanters 

Forgetting 

Now and when 

Lost in the twilight 

Ten thousand names 

Both mortals and immortals 

Revealed behind the mask

Beaming eyes …

Semi—Deity

Singing in between worlds

Rootless

Flowerless

Three Female Chanters

Scentless

Voiceless  

Semi—Deity 

Lucid Fragrance

Exudes    

Rendering

The transparent tune 

In solemn light   

Three Female Chanters

Unknown 

And 

Unfound

[A snow storm begins] 

Three Female Chanters

Snowy origin

A brook sprawls and tumbles 

Pebble shrines 

Only rainclouds now remain 

When will we see each other again?
 

Semi—Deity 

Here is a pair of true eyes 

Take them please

When you can truly see

I will return. 

[Semi—Deity leaves with his snow vehicle.] 

Three Female Chanters 

Lingering 

Eternal game 

Flowing 

Between worlds 

Earth

Ocean

Mountains 

Winds

Endless Cycles 

Moss Chant In An Encompassing Garden

Soprano, Mezzo—Soprano

Instruments are Midi Files Exported From the Score

Three Female Chanters as the green moss in the garden

Foliage

Gathered

Moon

In Water

Foggy Rocks

Shine In

Misty Night

With evening dew

Wings fold in

Silent

Quatrains

Reaching

Into

A dark chest

An Encompassing Garden

Sunlight

Dapples

As

the Ripples

Dance

They Form

and die

Form

and die

Forgetting

Now and when

Between

One chain of motif

And a dulcis leaf

Rejuvenating

As

Flying petals fall

Cast Their spells

Thunder

Claps

As lightning

Strikes

Did I create this first

Or

Did it create me?

THE AMBIENT SONG

Nonverbal Communication from the Ecosystem of the Encompassing Garden speaking to the Moss

Soprano, Mezzo—Soprano, Tenor, Bass

Except the Guitar part, rest of the Instrumentation is the midi file exported from the score.

Composing a Word

Tenor, Female Chorus



Female Prisoners

Wind cry

Eagles fly

Trees sigh

Muntjacs jump

Fast and high

Ripples shine

The light

And the dust

Mingle mangle

Yu, the Oracle Student

I want to try my calligraphy

As I see nature in front of me,

Like a true master.

Female Prisoners

If you are not afraid.

Yu

First, let me open my chest

Female Prisoners

If you are not in fear.

Yu

Then, let me sharpen my stick

Female Prisoners

If you are not in doubt.

Yu

What should I draw in between heaven and earth?

Female Prisoners

If you are not worried.

Yu

I want to draw a bird, with no more than three strokes.

Female Prisoners

Look that!

Hmm…

The first stroke looks weak

Yu

Ah!

I am not ready!

I shouldn’t have left him so soon…

Female Prisoners

Your Master knows the Law

You are part of his mighty intention.

Yu

How about you show me a stroke?

[The Female Chorus dance and sing in Chinese.]

Female Prisoners

“Bei Mo Bei Xi,

Sheng Li Bie.

Yue Mo Yue Xi,

Xin Xiang Zhi.” *

[Yu tries to quickly copy the dance movements and the music rhythm for his calligraphy. At the end of the song, he realizes that he has failed. He is in despair. ]

Yu

I don’t know what is missing…

Female Prisoners

Wait,

For the seasons change

Wait,

For the new moon to anchor herself down

Wait,

For the stars whispering virtue and eternity

Wait,

For the vast currents

Translating

The languages

of the

Sea

Yu Sighs

We are about to reach the capital city.

It is time for me to hunt the muntjacs.

* One line from the poem Nine Songs, by the Chinese poet Qu Yuan (c. 340 BC – 278 BC)

The Finale

HUMILITY AS THE HISTORY GOES ON

Tenors, Baritone, Bass, Soprano, Mezzo—Soprano, And Chorus

Male Chanters

“The great Emathian conqueror 

Bid spare the garden of Pindarus 

When temple and tower 

Went to the ground” * 

Narrator

In the long long history, 

There are only few revolutionaries, 

Among us, 

Pushing us forward. 

As for the rest, 

They are but moss, 

Upon the ground.

Male Chanters join Narrator

These two

The few 

And the Moss 

Coexist 

Meandering 

Beneath

The Eternal Firmament

Semi—Deity in the background

Singing

In between worlds

Rootless

Flowerless

Nameless

Female Chanters

Seasons change

Rocks turn to sand  

Rainbow bridges 

Vanish in clouds 

All

But  

The stillness is here 

This mossy land

It extends  

[Female Chanters unfold the fans in their hands to convey a joyful emotion] 

(Fan) This is how to open it

(Moss) It turn colors  

[Female Chanters fold back the fans in their hands to convey a sad emotion] 

(Fan) This is how to close it

(Moss) It turn colors  

* The passage in quotes is by John Milton. The word “home” in the original passage has been changed to “garden.”

Epilogue

A Traveler After All

Soprano, Mezzo—Soprano, Female, Male Chorus

Female, Male Chorus

She started her Journey

with a beam of light

and one little voice

Once there was a will

A boundary

A past,

—

All an encompassing garden

Is traveling hard?

It is hard

Is reminiscing hard?

It is hard

Is waving hard?

It is hard

Is smiling hard?

It is hard

Is tearing hard?

It is hard

Is swallowing hard?

It is hard

Is remembering hard?

It is hard

Is forgetting hard?

It is hard

Is leaving hard?

It is hard

Is remaining hard?

It is hard

Is learning hard?

It is hard

Is discovering hard?

It is hard

Is missing hard?

It is hard

Is searching hard?

It is hard

Is hiding hard?

It is hard

Is seeing hard?

It is hard

Xun

I have learned and

understood

Travel is an ascent

Travel is a ritual

Travel is a gift

Travel is love

and Memory

Female, Male Chorus

Without definition

Go on

Go beyond

With One Heart One Mind

ARTISTS

Bill Yumans       Baritone

Chad Kranak       Tenor 

Brian Mummert       Baritone 

Micah Epps       Bass

Joe Chapel Bass

Paul Whelan Bass

Qian Yi       Soprano, Mezzosoprano

Hong Da Qing   Piccolo, Flute and Xun 

Yuma Uesaka Flute

Audrey Chen       Cello

Neil Beckmann       Guitar

Satoshi Takeishi       Percussion

Julian Wright       Recording Engineer

Tyler Neidermayer       Recording Engineer

Gabriel Zucker Recording/Co Producer / Kid of Fire and Ice / Compose A Word/ A Traveler

Elizabeth Gartman       Transcribing and Copying

Lucas Hunter       Special Assistant

Ani Chong       Special Assistant

Emile Berlinerblau       Special Assistant

Amy Mereson       Story Editor 

English proofreader, mentor, editor:

Nancy Reale

Susan Jain

Julian Crouch

Evan Eisenberg

Amy Mereson

Leonard Porter

Elinor Porter

Bill Yumans (Synopsis and About)

Liam Forest (Synopsis and About)

Special thanks

Wesley Chinn

Julian Crouch

Julian Bennett Holmes

Anne Harley

Amy Mereson

Rachel Cooper

Ralph Samuelson

Mr. Dennis Malone