White Snake Projects Presents
Madame White Snake
A Video Game Opera
September 10-17, 2016 | Emerson/Cutler Majestic Theatre
Madame White Snake
Zhou Long, composer | Cerise Lim Jacobs, librettist
Commissioned by Friends of Madame White Snake & Boston Lyric Opera
Run Time: Approx. 90 minutes without intermission; Performed in English with subtitles
September 10-17, 2016
Emerson/Cutler Majestic Theatre
SYNOPSIS
Madame White Snake, the 2011 Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, is the story of a white snake demon who longs to become human to experience love.
She transforms into a woman, meets Xu Xian, a mortal man and marries him. But she is afraid to disclose her true identity. She encounters the Abbot of the Golden Mountain Monastery who recognizes her as his arch nemesis – the snake. The Abbot sows the seeds of doubt in Xu’s mind and gives him a “truth potion” which re-transforms her back into a snake. The Abbot spirits away Xu and the White Snake raises the waters to drown the Abbot to get him back.
A great flood engulfs the world; she is defeated by the Abbot after giving birth to a son.
Highlights
Press
The Inspiration
What do you give a man who has everything and wants nothing?
I know – music, beautiful voices – a song cycle! It was 2005. Charles was going to be seventy-five in 2008. I thought I was brilliant coming up with that idea for his 75th. I could surprise him with a performance of the song cycle in our living room on his birthday. The song cycle I planned to commission did not happen; instead, it morphed into a fully-fledged opera that won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for its composer, Zhou Long.
CAST
CREATIVES
Michele Adams
Boston Children’s Chorus Master
Yi Zhao
Lighting Designer
S. Katy Tucker
Projection Designer
Beth Morrison
Creative Producer
SUPPORT
The Ouroboros Trilogy was made possible in part by a grant from the Boston Cultural Council.
Madame White Snake is dedicated by Cerise to Charles, with whom everything is possible.
