Kronos Quartet with Wu Man at Zellerbach Hall Auditorium, April 1, 2023

Cal Performances presents Kronos Quartet with Wu Man
Zellerbach Hall Auditorium
U.C. Berkeley, Bancroft Way at Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94305 USA
8:00 PM, Saturday, April 1, 2023

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2023 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2023 event list! ☸ On to the next event!

[8:04 PM] {lights down, announcements, performers out}

1. [8:06 PM] [Terry Riley](http://terryriley.net/) (b.1935): The Cusp of Magic (first movement) (2004)
   [8:16 PM] {work ends}
   [8:17 PM] {DH lauds Wu Man; Wu Man introduces the next four works}
   
   TRADITIONAL (arr. Wu Man, real. Danny Clay): Glimpses of Muqam Chebiyat (2015)
2. [8:21 PM] Chebiyat Muqam – Muqaddima
3. [8:27 PM] Chebiyat Muqam – Third Dastan
   [8:31 PM] {work ends}
   
   Wu Man (b. 1963) (real. Danny Clay): Two Chinese Paintings (2015)
4. [8:31 PM] Ancient Echo (Wu Man)
5. [8:35 PM] Silk and Bamboo (Traditional, inspired by Huanlege)
   [8:39 PM] {work ends}
   [8:40 PM] {Wu Man departs}
   
   Steve Reich (b. 1936): Different Trains (1988)
6. [8:41 PM] America-Before the War »
   “1940 On My Birthday”
7. [8:50 PM] Europe-During the War »
   “Then the war was over”
8. [8:57 PM] After the War
   [9:08 PM] {set ends}

[9:31 PM] {lights down, Kronos out with Wu Man, performers at five separate performance stations: four spread out across the stage and one within the audience seating area near me}

Tan Dun (b. 1957): Ghost Opera (1994) for String Quartet and Pipa with water, stone, paper, and metal, ca. 41 min
Music, text and installation by Tan Dun
Detailed notes from the composer

1. [9:31 PM] I Bach, Monks, and Shakespeare Meet in Water
2. [9:37 PM] II Earth Dance
3. [9:n PM] III Dialogue with 'Little Cabbage'
4. [9:n PM] IV Metal and Stone
5. [10:n PM] V Song of Paper
   [10:10 PM] {set ends; applause; off & back; PW uses hand signs to ask “one more?”}

[10:13 PM] {DH introduces the encore}

1. [10:14 PM] R.D. Burman: Mehbooba Mehbooba (Beloved, O Beloved)
   [10:18 PM] {show ends}

Kronos Quartet

• Hank Dutt: viola, toy percussion, percussion, watergong, vox;
• David Harrington: violin, peyote rattle, bass drum, watergong, ektar, percussion, vox;
• John Sherba: violin, watergong, ektar, percussion, vox;
• Paul Wiancko: cello, watergong, vox.

• Wu Man: pipa, percussion, gong, vox, composer. ## Notes

I was kinda surprised, the first half of the show just didn't really pick me up that much. Normally I love Terry Riley works, but I was put off a bit by the use of backing tracks for The Cusp of Magic (and also throughout the night) – I think it's too much like cheating to use 'em.

Ghost Opera was the highlight of the evening for me: a strange and wonderous ritual celebration playing out in the shared performance space of the theatre. Not really an opera, but a ceremonial happening that involved cool lighting, strange sounds (water gongs, chanting, mouth music from banging rocks together, etc), and choreographed movement. Truly something amazing and astounding and way out there compared to anything I remember seeing before.

It was nice of Cal Performances to host a post-show reception, but I'm sorry that I couldn't convince any of my friends to hang our and enjoy wine, snacks, and conversation. The wine and snacks were great, but I didn't enjoy talking to myself at all. It was just impossible getting anything started – I kept finishing my own lines and then clamming up. Next time I'll try talking to other people instead.

Whoa! This section is incomplete for now, sorry!

Program Notes or program notes

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2023 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2023 event list! ☸ On to the next event!