by Timothy Robson

Friday evening’s production by the Contemporary Legend Theatre of Taiwan of King Lear, based on Shakespeare’s play, will be considered one of the highlights of this season. Shakespeare’s tragedy of falsehood, humiliation, madness and redemption through love was adapted, directed and performed by Wu Hsing-kuo, artistic director of Contemporary Legend Theatre. Mr. Wu has performed in theater, movies and television. American opera goers saw him in 2006 in the role of Yin-Yang Master in Tan Dun’s The First Emperor at the Metropolitan Opera. The performance was accompanied by an orchestra of nine musicians on traditional Chinese classical instruments, which were amplified. The performance also included pre-recorded sounds that were mixed into the live music. Wu Hsing-kuo was not himself amplified. The music composer was Lee Yi-Chin, and the vocal composer was Lee Men.

The performance, part of the Cleveland Museum of Art VIVA! & Gala series, was originally scheduled for the Gartner Auditorium at the museum, but was moved to the Breen Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland’s Ohio City area. And for good reason: the production has extensive lighting and theatrical effects which would have been impossible in the museum auditorium. [Read more…]