My good friend Oanh Vu and I were commissioned by MN Opera to write the mini opera Chim Lạc (Lost Bird). It’s part of a month-long series of short operas created by Minnesota artists.
Oanh wrote the story and co-created this beautiful shadow puppet show with Andrew Young, with the help of puppeteers liping vong and Ty Chapman. I composed the music and songs that came to life thanks to the MN Opera orchestra, vocalists Lady Midnight and Monique Bạch Hạc Nguyen, classical guitarist Milena Petkovic, percussionist Eri Isomura, music mixer Andy Thompson, and sound designer Mike Hallenbeck.
About Chim Lạc (Lost Bird)
We may all feel the loneliness and isolation of the pandemic right now, but what are the unique ways we experience loneliness because of who we are? When Liên suddenly dies, her granddaughter Thi is confronted with the shame of never fully knowing her, due to their language barrier. But Thi is given a second chance when a magical bird transports her back in time to Bến Tre, Viet Nam, where her grandma grew up.
Chim Lạc (Lost Bird) is a modern shadow puppet opera inspired by the struggle of living in exile as a Vietnamese refugee, especially when they cannot be with their family or in community.
Credits
Produced by
Oanh Vu and Charlie McCarron
Commissioned and Supported by
MN Opera
Written by
Oanh Vu
Directed by
Oanh Vu and Andrew Young
Music and Lyrics
Charlie McCarron
Vocalists
Lady Midnight as Thi Phan
Monique Bạch Hạc Nguyễn as Bà Ngoại Liên
Puppeteers
liping vong as Thi Phan
Oanh Vu as Bà Ngoại Liên
Ty Chapman
Andrew Young
Puppet Designers and Builders
Oanh Vu and Andrew Young
Additional Voices
Hiệp Vũ as Hiep
Xuân Nguyễn as Chi Haï and Fishmonger
Instrumentalists
Flute – Michele Frisch
Alto Flute – Bethany Gonella
Oboe – Jeffrey Marshak
Clarinet – Nina Olsen
French Horn – Charles Hodgson
Trumpet – John Koopmann
Trombone – Philip Ostrander
Percussion – Eri Isomura
Timpani – Kory Andry
Harp – Phala Tracy
Classical Guitar – Milena Petkovic
Piano and Synths – Charlie McCarron
Music Club Band – Andy Thompson
Violin 1
Natalia Moiseeva
Heidi Amundson
Colin McGuire
Violin 2
Elise Parker
Angela Waterman Hanson
Viola
Susan Janda
Laurel Browne
Cello
Sally Dorer
Hocheol Shin
Double Bass
John Michael Smith
Constance Martin
Cinematographer – Oanh Vu
Sound and Video Editor – Charlie McCarron
Sound Designer – Mike Hallenbeck
Music Mixer – Andy Thompson
Song Translator – Monique Bạch Hạc Nguyễn
MN Opera Lab & Special Projects Director – Julia Gallagher
MN Opera Company Manager – Roxanne Stouffer Cruz
Special Thanks:
Eric Simonson
Joel Puckett
Lee Bynum
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