INTERVIEW: Vietnamese American faces legal battle in new opera ‘Bound’
Photo: Fang-Tao Jiang and Guang Yang star in Bound, a new opera by Huang Ruo and Bao-Long Chu. Photo courtesy of Richard Termine / Provided by Michelle Tabnick PR with permission.
The story that inspired the new opera Bound is individualistic, but profound, touching upon so many issues, including culture, immigration, heritage and humanity. At the center of the narrative is an 11th grade honor student who is forced to support her siblings after her parents’ divorce. For the second-generation Vietnamese American, the new responsibilities pull her away from her own schooling, which eventually lands her in court facing possible jail time.
The new show, which is presented by the Baruch Performing Arts Center and Fresh Squeezed Opera in New York City, plays through April 18 at BPAC. The opera comes to the Big Apple thanks to composer Huang Ruo and librettist Bao-Long Chu. Ashley Tata directs the one-act show.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Ruo about the new opera. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What inspired you to create Bound and adapt this true story?
I always believe that it is part of artist’s duties to create art work that reflect and response to our life, society and world. Art can address social issues, ask questions, and in hope to move our society forward.
When I received a commission from the Houston Grand Opera (HGOco) to create a new opera, my librettist Bas-Long Chu and I came crossed the true story of Diane Tran from a news headline: “Diane Tran, Honor Student at Texas High School, Jailed for Missing School”.
We thought that it is very important to create a new opera to explore the experience and struggle of an immigrant family (first and second generations) torn between the notion of the American dream and preserving their cultural heritage.
Do you believe the messages in the opera are important for an audience in 2019 to hear?
Yes. This is a very timely story and even more so for today, when part of our country is debating and dealing with the issue of immigration. Not to mention that not too much attention is paid to the second generation of the immigrants who are born and raised in this country, [which] is home to them. What are their stories and what are their struggles?
What style will audiences hear when they come to experience your music?
As in many of my writings, my music draws equal inspiration from eastern music, western avant-garde, experimental, noise, natural and processed sound, rock and jazz to create a seamless, organic integration using a compositional technique called ‘Dimensionalism.’
When did you realize you had a talent for composing music?
When I was quite little, after I mess up memorizing a [Johann Sebastian] Bach piano piece on stage, I improvised in the style of Bach and continued playing. After not too many people found out that I didn’t play the exact ‘Bach,’ I was told by my teacher that I have a talent for composing music.
Do you believe Bound is a challenging show from a performer’s perspective?
Bound tells a touching human story, and it is always hard to do so from a singer’s perspective, as they not only need to sing as the music asks for, but also need to understand the story, their character, and to deliver that convincingly through both voice and acting. To me, this is always what makes opera an undying art form as long as there are stories to be told through music.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Bound, presented by the Baruch Performing Arts Center and Fresh Squeezed Opera, plays through April 18 at BPAC in New York City. Click here for more information and tickets.
