Farewell My Concubine is on its USA Premiere tour, stopping in Dallas February 5 and 6 at the Eisemann Center in Richardson. This intimate venue thrusts the audience into the emotions and scenes of this classic tragic love story. 

We also invite the community to participate in “Farewell My Concubine” through Community Partner sponsorships which benefit the CAICE Foundation. These Community Partner sponsorships are at two levels, $2,000 and $1,000.  Benefits include Platinum VIP or Premiere seating for two, invitations and admission to the opening night VIP post performance party and more. A portion of the donations are tax deductible. Sponsorship information is here.

OVERVIEW
The Chinese American Inter-Cultural Exchange Foundation presents the U.S. debut of the first Western-style interpretation of the classic Chinese story, "Farewell My Concubine." Based on real events and characters from Chinese history, "Farewell My Concubine" brings a new interpretation of a much-beloved love story to American audiences for the very first time.
The Western-style opera will be making its U.S. debut on January 12, 2008 in San Francisco, followed by performances in Pasadena, Washington D.C., New York, Houston and Dallas. For more information, please visit http://www.farewellmyconcubineusa.com/

GROUNDBREAKING CULTURAL EVENT - ONE OF MANY FIRSTS

• First U.S. tour of the newly-scored opera "Western-style" opera
• Inaugural appearance of China National Opera House, one of China's premier arts groups, in the United States
• One of the rare times that an original Chinese opera will be performed in the U.S. by a Chinese cast and sung in Mandarin

2008 U.S. TOUR DATES
The new, Westernized production of "Farewell My Concubine" staged its world premiere in Beijing in October 2007, and will be performing in six cities across the United States:

• January 12, 13 - War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, CA
• January 19,20 - The Pasadena Civic, Pasadena, CA
• January 25 - OAR Constitution Hall, Washington, O.C.*
• January 27 - Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, New York, NY*
• January 30, 31 - The Cullen Theater at the Wortham Center, Houston, TX* • February 5, 6 - Eisemann Center, Dallas, TX

* Concert-style production
For ticket information, visit FareweIlMyConcubineUSA.com.

WHAT IS A "WESTERN-STYLE" OPERA?
Unlike traditional, highly-stylized "Beijing-style" opera (incorporating instrumental music, vocal performance, pantomime, dance and acrobatics), this new "Western-style" production captures the framework of a classic Italian opera, but is sung entirely in Mandarin with English subtitles.

ABOUT THE STORY
"Farewell My Concubine" is based on real events and characters from over 2,200 years ago in China. Set at the end of the Qin dynasty, the love story revolves around the heroic warrior, Xiang Yu, and his beloved concubine, Yu Ji. The story remains very popular today, and almost everyone in present-day China is familiar with its theme, characters and ill-fated romance. The well-known Chinese love story is also the inspiration for a play, a novel and a 1993 Oscar-nominated movie.

ABOUT THE CHINESE AMERICAN INTER-CULTURAL EXCHANGE FOUNDATION
The Chinese American Inter-Cultural Exchange Foundation is a Dallas-based non-profit organization promoting cultural exchange and understanding between China and the U.S. through the arts. Established in April 2007, CAICE Foundation aims to bring quality Chinese cultural performances to the United States and, in return, introduce American and Western-style performance art to China. Partnering with the China National Opera for its inaugural project, CAICE Foundation is presenting the reinvented classic Chinese story "Farewell My Concubine" to American audiences for the very first time.

ABOUT CHINA NATIONAL OPERA HOUSE
China National Opera House is one of China's premier arts groups. Based in Beijing, it is one of a few performance troupes staging "Western-style" opera productions in China. "Farewell My Concubine" marks the 130-person troupe's U.S. debut.

ABOUT XIAO BAl. COMPOSER AND PLAYWRIGHT
Xiao Bai is composer and playwright of the Western-style production of "Farewell My Concubine." A native of China, he is an internationally-renowned composer and conductor. Xiao Bai is deputy chairman of the board of the China Chorus Association, and chairman of the Chorus Commission of the Shanghai Musicians Association.
He is a graduate of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music's Conducting Department, where he majored in music composing.

Xiao Bai's conducting experience includes holding the executive conductor position in the Shanghai Opera House for 35 years. He also served as visiting conductor of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and the Harbin Opera House, visiting professor of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, music director of the Chorus of the Shenzhen Musician Association and art director of the Wuxi Heshan Chorus.

Xiao Bai is one of a few musicians in China renowned for both conducting and composing. He has received international recognition for his work. As a student, he won first prize in the ih Vienna World Youth Large Music Works Competition. At the age of 70, he received the Best Conductor prize in the 5th International Chorus Competition in Italy.

As a composer, Xiao Bai's compositions include songs and pieces for large orchestras such as The River of Happiness, The Great Wall, The Love of Motherland and The Hero Vue Fei. He has composed an opera, Long Sign to the Sky, and is currently staging his second opera, Farewell My Concubine, in the United States.

ABOUT EMILY KUO VONG. PRODUCER
Emily Kuo Vong is the founder and chairman of CAICE Foundation, a Dallas-based non-profit organization promoting cultural exchange and understanding between China and the U.S. through the arts. Emily is a trained professional musician and conductor in China and the United States.

Born and raised in Shanghai, Emily is a graduate of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where she studied choral directing under famed Chinese composer and conductor, Xiao Bai. Considered a music prodigy, Emily began studying music and composition at a very early age and published her first work at 13. She is a professional musician and conductor in China and the United States, founding the Dallas Li Sheng Ladies Choir in 2004.
She currently lives in Dallas and is chairman of the L'Etoile International Apparel Group.

Questions? Contact Sharon Adams, 214.343.4402 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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