Tan Dun Triple Concerto: Hero for violin, violoncello, piano, and orchestra
Tan Dun Terracotta Symphony
Ken Hamao, violin
James Kim, cello
Robert Fleitz, piano
Tan Dun, conductor
The Juilliard Orchestra
The exhibition Age of Empires: Chinese Art of the Qin and Han Dynasties (221 B.C.–A.D. 220), on view April 3–July 16, 2017, brings to The Met the terra cotta warrior sculptures that were buried with the Emperor Qin Shi Huang to protect him in the afterlife. To celebrate this extraordinary exhibition, The Met commissioned a new work from composer Tan Dun—Terracotta Symphony, based on music from his opera, The First Emperor, featuring terra cotta drums sourced specifically for this piece. Also on the program is Hero Concerto for violin and orchestra, with music drawn from Tan Dun’s film score for Zhang Yimou's Hero.