A home for digital performing arts in Canada
By Marjorie Chan & Njo Kong Kie
Co-produced by Theatre Passe Muraille and Music Picnic
A lament for loves lost, and a Hong Kong that once was.
52 minutes
We recommend listening to this audio-only performance with high quality headphones, in a quiet place, or maybe even by the water.
Content Warnings: Implications of abuse and suicide, descriptions of disease.
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Wen and her friend Li-An are forever changed by their encounter with the Cellist, whose music unlocks all that was left unspoken. Co-created by Marjorie Chan and Njo Kong Kie, The Year of the Cello is told poetically, alongside live cello music culminating in a lament for loves lost, and a Hong Kong that once was.
Adapted from the world premiere stage production, this audio work has been created with binaural sound to give a surround listening experience of the play. Wen and her friend Li-An are forever changed by their encounter with the Cellist, whose music unlocks all that was left unspoken. Co-created by Marjorie Chan and Njo Kong Kie, The Year of the Cello is told poetically, alongside cello music culminating in a lament for loves lost, and a Hong Kong that once was.
Prelude, Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor — Composed by J.S. Bach, for unaccompanied cello, 1717 – 1723
Prelude, Cello Suite No. 1 in G major — Composed by J.S. Bach, for unaccompanied cello, 1717 – 1723
Sarabande, Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor — Composed by J.S. Bach, for unaccompanied cello, 1717 – 1723
Rain — Composed by Njo Kong Kie for solo cello, 2015 – 2022
The Year of the Cello — Composed by Njo Kong Kie for solo cello, 2015 – 2022
Welcome to the year of the cello.
This is the first collaboration between composer/pianist Njo Kong Kie, and playwright/librettist Marjorie Chan. While they share a discipline of creating for opera, for The Year of the Cello, they have set out to create in a new way. A play with cello.
One of the enduring inspirations for this piece is the quote, “Music is love in search of a word.” by poet Sidney Lanier. And this is where we find the two main characters, Wen, and The Cellist, who have never found the way to express the inexpressible, their love for Li-An.
The Year of the Cello is set in a dream-like place of stasis where Wen, and The Cellist have to work through their past, their connection and reconcile their relationship. It is not until the music feeds and informs the conversation that the healing can begin.
We have always envisioned the piece to be sound-led and have been so pleased to work with consultants Vivian Chong and Jess Watkin in creating this audio production.
Like the characters in the play, the creators too were inspired by the sound of cello, and solo cello, in particular. It is often said that the cello most approximates the human voice. In this work we feature compositions of Kong Kie, but also those of J.S. Bach, the most iconic of composers for solo cello.
In fact, we used the Pablo Casals original gramophone recording of the Prelude from Suite 5 at the beginning of the play! Other historical recordings used include excerpts of the then contemporary Cantonese opera tune “Lotus Picking Song” recorded by Cho Chuk Wen and the early Chinese pop song “Tao Hua Jiang” (Peach Blossom River) by Li Jin Hui, recorded by Wang Ren Mei and Li Li Li.
Thank you for listening.
Marjorie Chan & Njo Kong Kie (Co-creators)
In person performance – World Premiere: Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto, October 15–19, 2022
The Cultch Online: October 2022 – February 2023
“Njo Kong Kie’s compositions are surprising, erratic and visceral, in stark contrast to the sweeping perpetual motion of Bach.” — Intermission Magazine
“Rong Fu’s delivery is steady and relentless, as if the crucial moments must be addressed before they too are lost. There is a dreamy, feverish quality to the monologue.” — Istvan Reviews
The original play was commissioned by Diaspora Dialogues under the title “The Birthday Cadenza”. The creators wish to thank the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for funding various stages of development. Additionally, this work has benefitted from workshops from the Banff Centre for the Arts (Playwrights Lab), Factory Theatre (WIRED), and Cahoots Theatre (Hot House).
Theatre Passe Muraille means Theatre Beyond Walls. Founded in 1968, TPM is Canada’s original alternative theatre company, currently developing and producing new Canadian plays. TPM is striving to articulate a distinctly Canadian voice that reflects the complexity of our intercultural society. TPM believes there should be a more diverse representation of artists, audience members, and stories in our theatre. TPM aspires to be a leader locally, nationally and internationally in establishing, promoting and embracing collaborative and inclusive theatre practices. We do this so that we can support and ignite the voices of unique artists, communities and audiences.
Theatre Passe Muraille gratefully acknowledges the original caretakers of this land, the Anishinabek, Wendat, Haudenosaunee and the Mississaugas of the Credit. We embrace collaborative and collective values as exemplified by Indigenous cultures, and we aspire to live up to those values. We are also particularly inspired by the Dish With One Spoon Treaty. This agreement binds people on this land to share peacefully with their neighbours, so that we may all have enough.
There is one dish, one spoon, and no knife. In that spirit, we honour all who came before us, our own ancestors as well as all the Indigenous caretakers, named and unnamed, recorded and unrecorded. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work, play, and create here in this community, and on this territory.
Thank you.
Why Music Picnic? A picnic, whether casual or formal, is always eclectic, joyful, whimsical, romantic, intimate and tasty, maybe even meditative – as is the musical experience we strive to create.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
