A Digital Opera in 7 Acts

Commemorates the 400^th Anniversary of the Death of Matteo Ricci

Based on the book The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci by Jonathan D. Spence

"A singing actor (TIAN Hao-jiang) at the height of his powers" - Opera

"(TIAN Hao-jiang) One of the few Chinese stars in opera" - WNYC

Commemorating the 400^th anniversary of the death of Matteo Ricci, Zuni Icosahedron presents an operatic performance based on Jonathan Spence’s book of the same title The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci. Incorporating many new thinking trends in performing arts, this modern opera in 7 acts has solid texts as its foundation and versatile and daring contemporary music as pillars, together with puppetry, multimedia design and digital image, the digital collage of singing, image and space reveals the legend of the Jesuit priest who came to the Ming Dynasty China in the late 16^th century for missionary work and his effort to convert the Chinese people to Christianity through teaching them the Western art of memory, creating a memory palace transcending time, space and culture. The opera is written by Diana Liao, playwright of Poet Li Bai, with music composed by Steve Hui Ngo-shan. Internationally acclaimed basso cantante Tian Hao Jiang, portraying Matteo Ricci, will interact with various virtual characters in this palace through a diversity of performing forms, such as music, singing, dancing and puppetry, to lead the audience to explore the internal journey of this pioneer of exchange.

Photography (Tian Haojiang's portrait): Sonny Wong

Co-organiser: St. Ignatius Chapel

Zuni Icosahedron is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Zuni Icosahedron is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre