Monday February 25, 2008
Passage to Tibet
The spectacular historical tale of Chinese Princess Wen Cheng comes to glorious life in Musical On Stage Productions’ latest effort, Jewel of Tibet.
Stories by SETO KIT YAN
skyseto@thestar.com.my
COME March, the biggest Malaysian musical of the year, Jewel of Tibet, will regale you in all its splendour.
This RM1.5mil all-Malaysian production features 150 minutes of original music, songs and dance choreography, more than 300 newly-designed ethnic Chinese and Tibetan costumes, 17 scene changes and 40 cast members playing multiple roles.
Based on a true story, the musical extravaganza is a tribute to Princess Wen Cheng, who undertook a three-year-long arduous journey from China to Tibet to marry King Songsten Gampo more than a thousand years ago.
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The cast of Jewel of Tibet putting on their elaborate costumes in the dressing room. – KAMAL SELLEHUDDIN / The Star |
Last July, director Ho Lin Huay, 36, led her creative team from Xi’an, China (formerly known as Chang’an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty) to Lhasa, Tibet, on the route taken by Princess Wen Cheng when she left her homeland to marry King Songsten Gampo.
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Jewel of Tibethas nine segments of large-scale dances and 17 scene changes with 40 cast members playing multiple roles – RICKY LAI / The Star |
Ho said the settings in the Tang Dynasty and Tibet naturally make for very colourful costumes and entertaining performances. “We are very excited to be playing at Istana Budaya. Audiences will see that an all-Malaysian team can produce top notch musicals, too.”
Composing and arranging the music for the production was not an easy task for music director Imee Ooi.
An established Malaysian music producer, composer, arranger and vocalist who has released more than 20 albums, Ooi, 43, was also the music director for past productions Siddhartha and Above Full Moon.
“The first was set in India, the second, in China and now this, which is more like a combination of Tang Dynasty Chinese and Tibetan music.
“This particular production presents strong influences of contrasting musical styles with diverse instruments and melodies of a different flavour to suit each individual character from the gentle Chinese princess to the Tibetan warrior king who has gone through many wars.”
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Multiple roles: Imee Ooi (left) serves as composer, musical arranger and musical director for Jewel of Tibet while Ho Lin Huay is the director, producer and scriptwriter. |
“When we were in Singapore two years ago for The Perfect Circle, which was a smaller musical production, lots of foreigners among the audience were surprised to discover that we were Malaysians. They were so impressed by the performances of our vocalists that they even asked whether we were singing live.”
And the song, goes hand in hand with the dance in this sort of production.
Choreographer Michelle Yong, 45, whose repertoire ranges from classical ballet and Chinese traditional dance to contemporary and jazz, worked together with another choreographer Chan Soo Ling and director Ho to come up with nine dance items to fit into the 150-minute musical.
“Essentially, the director wanted some Tang Dynasty Chinese and Tibetan flavour although the dances did not need to be entirely traditional. We used a lot of contemporary elements to give the performances a more modern touch. Imee’s music arrangement paints a great picture so the choreography comes very naturally too.”
“The director and I each choreographed four dances and combined our efforts in the remaining performance. So, our different styles are quite apparent.”
They auditioned professional dancers from all sorts of backgrounds and trained them for two months in gestures and expressions before they began choreographing.
“Even the singers had to put in a lot of effort to learn how to dance and walk like the people they were going to portray.”
It’s been a long journey for both cast and crew but their efforts seem worthwhile and audiences will soon get a taste of the glory and splendour of the Jewel in Tibet.
As an added bonus for audiences, Musical on Stage Productions, with the support of Xi Yue Art and Culture, has also produced a full colour book and 10-episode documentary in DVD format titled Jewel of Tibet – Walking With Princess Wen Cheng, which document the creative team’s travels from China to Tibet, as they journeyed the route taken by the princess. The book is priced at RM59.90, while the book and DVD package is priced at RM129. Partial proceeds from the book and DVD sales will go towards covering the musical’s production costs. Both the book and DVD are available in bookstores nationwide.
| Mark your calendar Jewel of Tibet– The Musical will be staged at Istana Budaya from March 1 to March 15. Showtime is 8.30pm from Tuesdays to Saturdays and 3pm on Sundays. There will be no performances on Mondays. Produced by Musical On Stage Productions, the musical will be performed in Mandarin with English subtitles. Tickets for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are priced at RM253 (VIP), RM183 (A), RM153 (B), RM123 (C) and RM73 (D). Tickets for Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are priced at RM 233 (VIP), RM163 (A), RM133 (B), RM103 (C)and RM53 (D). For enquiries, call 012-632 3033 or visit www.musicalonstage.com. Group purchases of 10 tickets and above are entitled to a 10% discount for all zones. Tickets are available via Axcess Hotline at 03-7711 5000,online at www.axcess.com.my and at authorised Axcess outlets. |
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