The 9th annual China Now Music Festival opens with performances at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall. This year’s theme “Chasing Dreams” celebrates America’s 250th anniversary by telling stories of the shared dreams, resilience, and creativity that connect all of us.
To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, the festival presents THE RIFT, an opera in one act by composer Huang Ruo and Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang that explores the story behind Maya Lin’s iconic Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Bard East/West Ensemble, which combines Western and Chinese instruments, also performs works by contemporary composers. READ THE LIBRETTO OF THE RIFT HERE.
Photography by Fadi Kheir
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Zhang Zheng 张征 (b.1978), composer
Feng · Ya · Song《风·雅·颂》Luk Wai Chun 陆尉俊(b.1993), composer
Moments Between Ledges and Frets for Pipa and Ensemble《弹指品相间》
Yang Jin, pipa Wang Danhong 王丹红 (b. 1985), composer
Morning Star Lilies Forever《永远的山丹丹》
Finale: Morning Star Lilies Forever INTERMISSION
Huang Ruo 黄若 (b.1976), composer
David Henry Hwang 黄哲伦 (b.1957), librettist THE RIFT: Opera in One Act (concert version) Karen Vuong, soprano
Michelle Mariposa, mezzo-soprano
Edward Graves, tenor
Daniel Klein, bass-baritone
Eric Ting, director
Shawn Duan, projection designer
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
ABOUT THE COMPOSERS AND LIBRETTISTS
The 2026 China Now Music Festival is presented in collaboration with the Central Conservatory of Music, China.
