HOUSTON, February 21, 2024 — The Big Swim, a new chamber opera celebrating the Lunar New Year, premiered to three sold-out performances at Asia Society Texas on February 16–18.

The one-act children's opera is a contemporary retelling of a Chinese fable that explains how the order of the 12 animals in the zodiac calendar was determined by a race across a river held by the Jade Emperor. In this telling by composer Meilina Tsui and librettist Melisa Tien, the audience is the Emperor and the race does not go exactly how the animals expect it to.

The performances started with Dragon and Tiger opening the theater doors to welcome guests to the palace where the race will take place. Once the audience settled in their seats, Dragon, Tiger, and Monkey welcomed the audience/Emperor to the race that is about to begin. As the animals prepare and approach the start line, they share their own reasons and strategies to win the race. Ox and Rat team up in a quest for fame and fortune, the calculating Rabbit has devised a plan without including the others, Snake tricks the others as to the time the race will start, and Dog is just happy to be there. Throughout these scenes, Tien's libretto captures the humor of their interactions and characters, while Tsui's score, infused with charming melodies, defines each animal with a musical motif.

As the race nears its start, the music becomes increasingly polyrhythmic to reflect the animals' building anticipation. Once they start their swim, they find their carefully laid plans, based on their individual needs and desires, are no match for the power of the river and that they need to come together as a community in order to survive the swim. Here, director Mo Zhou's expert pacing of the action builds to a frenetic and thrilling climax while maestro Eiki Isomura weaves together the multilayered score with an effortless flow.

The set designed by Afsaneh Aayani and lighting by Michael James Clark evoked traditional East Asian garden design, while the costumes by Valérie Thérese Bart and animal headpieces also designed by Aayani incorporated cultural elements from Houston's diverse Asian communities that celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The performances were preceded by Lunar New Year-themed activities in Asia Society Texas' Grand Hall, including paper-cutting and palace greetings by Houston Hanfu Association, shadow puppetry performed by Aayani and Sasha Blaschka, calligraphy from Huaxing Arts Group Houston, and mask coloring by Houston Grand Opera.

The Big Swim was commissioned by Houston Grand Opera in partnership with Asia Society Texas.

Cast

Meigui Zhang (Rabbit/Horse)
Sun-Ly Pierce (Snake/Sheep)
Alice Chung (Ox/Pig)
Seiyoung Kim (Monkey/Rat)
Joseph Lim (Tiger/Rooster)
Zaikuan Song (Dragon/Dog)

Creative Team

Composer
Meilina Tsui

Librettist
Melisa Tien

Conductor
Eiki Isomura

Director
Mo Zhou

Scenic and Puppet Designer
Afsaneh Aayani

Costume Designer
Valérie Thérese Bart

Lighting Designer
Michael James Clark

Press Coverage

Houston Grand Opera and Asia Society Texas Present World Premiere of The Big Swim, Houston Style Magazine, January 4, 2024.
Houston Grand Opera & the Asia Society Texas to Give the World Premiere of 'The Big Swim,' OperaWire, January 7, 2024.
This Weekend: Full of Family Fun, Inaugural New-Year's Opera Opens at Asia Society, Houston CityBook, February 13, 2024.

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.