Written by composer Huang Ruo and librettist David Henry Hwang, The Rift is a chamber opera recounting the creation of architect Maya Lin’s iconic Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. The controversial origin of the Vietnam Veterans is at the heart of this story featuring interconnected yet conflicting characters: Maya Lin, the Chinese American student architect of the memorial’s design; a Vietnam War veteran; a Vietnamese refugee; and a government official. The title reflects both the divisions surrounding the Vietnam War and Lin’s own vision of the memorial as a deliberate opening in the earth.

Premiered in 2019, Men of Iron and the Golden Spike by composer Zhou Long and librettist Su Wei is a nine-movement symphonic oratorio honoring the Chinese railroad workers whose labor made the first U.S. transcontinental railroad possible despite enduring racism, dangerous conditions, and historical erasure. This monumental work returns to the stage in New York City after its premiere during the 2019 China Now Music Festival and features a large orchestra, 120 choristers, and six soloists.

After coming back from their 2026 China Tour that took them to 8 cities for 15 performances, the Bard East/West Ensemble returns home to the US to perform works written for the group by Zhang Zheng, Luk Wai Chun, and Wang Danhong. In addition, they will perform unique arrangements of works by Aaron Copland, Astor Piazzolla, and Jiang Ying, among others.

The Orchestra Now will present two evenings of concerts featuring the same program, showcasing two contemporary works that highlight powerful stories and cultural connections. Audiences will hear Zhou Long’s Men of Iron and the Golden Spike, an evocative work inspired by the Chinese laborers who helped build the U.S. transcontinental railroad, alongside Li Shaosheng’s Chasing the Sky, a dynamic and expressive composition that explores themes of aspiration and imagination.