A contemporary opera based on the true story of poet/musician Cai Wenji from the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-210 CE) in China. The story follows a scholar’s daughter who becomes a prize of war, torn between two worlds. “The tale is pulled from the magical suitcase of a poor storyteller, filling the stage with light and color as the characters come to life,” explains director Eckert. With a libretto sung in English and Chinese (with bilingual supertitles), the music incorporates nuances from ancient Chinese to Western contemporary.