In the first scene of the opera, the Emperor calls his general to capture and bring him, Gao Jianli. He wants Jianli to compose for him, for only music can truly unify China. When he is dragged in, the Emperor sees that Jianli has been made a slave by virtue of the brand in the middle of his forehead. He demands that the brand be removed.

Well, this is the perfect scenario for our make-up artists. With the input of our Chinese team, as well as checking out how some Chinese film directors have depicted it, they have been experimenting with the brand. First, it was just painted on Paul’s forehead. Then they used polymers to create the brand in relief, (a raised scar). Next came the discussion of how it would have been “removed”. It seems that the ancient Chinese ripped the skin (sorry, I know that it is a horrible image), and then, although there was a scar, it was no longer the clear brand that it had been before.

It would not surprise me to find out that all of the slaves who worked on the Great Wall were branded. I am engrossed in a beginner’s history lesson, working on this piece.

Friday, Dec. 15, 2006
I am on the train on the way in for our General Orchestra rehearsal,
essentially our first of two dress rehearsals. While today there may be the
slightest room for stopping, at Monday’s Final Dress there will be none.

We have been on stage for 3 weeks now- a total of 13 rehearsals, the first 8
of which were with piano. Last Friday we had orchestra with us in the
theater for the first time. This was a VERY exciting day. I had forgotten
that the chorus had not yet heard the orchestration! It was fun to see them
as staggered as I was when I first heard the spectacular palette of colors
Tan paints with.

The first stage orchestra rehearsal is always a rough one as well,
especially with a new piece. It is the first time that all of the balance
issues between singers and orchestra become clear. On the music staff our
focus shifts immediately to identifying exactly where the scoring needs to
be readdressed so that the vocal line is given its prominence. Often one of
the worst places to judge balance from is the conductor’s podium, and so the
maestro must trust the ears we provide him out in the house.

For the most part Tan is very receptive to balance notes, and his score the
following day arrives with revisions that must be put into the orchestra
parts, as well as notes to himself to mind how loud the orchestra is
playing in certain spots. With some of the exotic instruments Tan has opted
to listen a little from the house while I conducted. At first we had a
small amplifier hooked up to the zheng which appears on stage several times,
but Tan decided that it was loud enough on its own. Tan also listened to
the Bass Flute which appears in the orchestra for scenes with either sex or
ghosts. It needs some very gentle amplification and the proper level was
set.

Thinking back to our first stage orchestra day though, the thing that is
most thrilling for me is that for the very first time all of the elements of
the opera are in the same room at the same time. No more imagining or
guessing. It’s all there- set, costumes, lights, orchestra, soloists,
chorus, ballet. It is what drew me to a life in the opera, and it is a fun
day!

During a rehearsal a few weeks ago, Tan Dun briefly mentioned the phrase “unconditional gentleness”. It seems that when he was a young man in a Buddhist environment, his teacher used this phrase to describe a way of being, a philosophy of living. It accurately describes the atmosphere that permeates this theater as we mount this world premiere.

This week, the week before our dress rehearsal and opening night, feels like we are “down to the wire”. There are staging changes, technical adjustments, costume and make-up refinements, changes in the musical score as music is added in some places, cut in others. They happen hourly and the amount of professionalism and good will from all members of the company is palpable. The librarians, who work long hours in order to get the orchestra scores ready for the following morning, not to mention informing everyone - the technical staff, stage managers, titles people, directing staff, musical staff, chorus, and yes, not least of all, the singers - so that we are all, literally, on the same page, deserve special mention. And yet, this is just one tiny example that is reflected throughout the entire theater.

All of us have had moments of stress as this baby is birthed. For creating is like that, especially when the product is so public! At some point we have to let the child be seen. Isn’t every creative project like that? The underlying structure, unconditional gentleness, sensitivity, support and encouragement remain solid, like the Great Wall of China.