American orchestras have increasingly planned special concerts for the Asian Lunar New Year, including the New York Philharmonic, New Jersey Symphony and Philadelphia Orchestra. This year the Houston Grand Opera has teamed up with Asia Society Texas to commission a new opera with a Lunar New Year theme, and A Tempo this week features conversations with some of the creators. Called “The Big Swim,” the work updates a traditional folktale about the animals of the Zodiac with traditional Asian and Western styles and other music genres.
Host Rachel Katz will speak with HGO General Director and CEO Khori Dastoor, Asia Society Texas President Bonna Kol, composer Meilina Tsui and producer Mo Zhou.
Lawrence Elizabeth Knox