Asia Society offers a wide variety of performing arts programs highlighting Asian and Asian American artists, screenings of fiction films and documentaries from the US and Asia, and lectures and readings by distinguished authors, cultural figures, and scholars. From these dynamic programs we offer interviews, video clips, transcripts, and other web features.

Major support for performances at the Asia Society is provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Helen and Will Little Endowment for Performing Arts.

Past Performances & Events

Recent Performances & Events

Aruna Sairam - May 2008

Roksonaki—New Sounds from Kazakhstan - March 2008

Kinsmen/Svajanam
November 2007 Performances and Tour

I Land
2007 - 08 Tour

The Tibetan Book of the Dead LIVE
September 2007

The First Emperor:
Creating a World Premiere for the Metropolitan Opera, with Tan Dun
December 2006

Ratan Thiyam's Chorus Repertory Theatre

Cambodian Stories: An Offering of Painting and Dance

5 Streams - See video and background on performance

Dance: The Spirit of Cambodia

Music and Dance of Myanmar (Burma)

Forgiveness/Mourning

Wenji: Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute

Asian American Artists Biographies

Asian American Film Festival

Highlights of Past Performances, Films, Symposia, Lectures

Performance: Kinsmen/Svajanam – Kadri Gopalnath and
Rudresh Mahanthappa
May 5, 6, and 8, 2005
World Premiere. Commissioned by the Asia Society, a new suite by two masters of the alto saxophone: Kadri Gopalnath, a living legend of South Indian Carnatic music, and Rudresh Mahanthappa, a brilliant, young Indian American musician.

Asia Society and Sanskriti Center present
Diwali Day
November 6, 2004
Asia Society presents their annual Diwali Day celebrating the Hindu Festival welcoming Ram and Sita out of the forest and the Hindu New Year. Diwali, or as it is often referred to as the ‘Festival of Lights’, is characterized as being a holiday celebrated as a family. Join a daylong festival of dance, music, bhangra DJs, henna painting, jewelry making, diya decorating, a mudra workshop, and much more.
(This program has been made possible with support from HSBC.)

Rediscovering the Map: Tan Dun’s Music Journey Home
November 5, 2004

Cambodia and America: Woman, Refugees and Genocide
October 23, 2004

Lunchtime Lecture Series: An Eye For Indian Art
This three-part series invites audiences to take a closer look at three of the most important mediums in Indian traditional art: painting, sculpture and jewelry.

• Molly Emma Aitken—"When Gold Blossoms: Indian Experiences of Jewelry"
  October 20, 2004
• Vishakha N. Desai—"Gods, Lovers and Ageless Heroes:
  The Multiple Realms of Indian Painting"
  October 27, 2004
• Vidya Dehejia—"The Sensuous and the Sacred:
  Understanding Indian Sculpture"
  November 3, 2004

From Dice to Go: Asian Games Through the Ages
October 16, 2004

Rose Kerr—Politics and Porcelain in China
October 7, 2004

Bharati Mukherjee—The Tree Bride
September 30, 2004

Suketu Mehta—Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found
September 28, 2004

Siberian Dream (Janet Gardner/2004/56 min./video)
September 20, 2004

Rhythm Odyssey: Led by Sri Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman
September 17, 2004

Infinite Nuance: The Music of G.S. Sachdev
September 14, 2004

Forgiveness/Mourning
Presented by Asia Society in association with Dancing in the Streets
August 28, 29, 31, 2004
A theatrical dreamscape, Forgiveness/Mourning is a visually haunting contemporary work, combining influences from Beijing opera, Korean dance, and Japanese Butoh.

JUSTICE
Defining Justice
August 31, 2004
Part of Imagine 04 Festival
Viewed in an international context, how do we define notions of justice? How do we continue to remember? How do we move on? Panel to follow performance excerpts from Forgiveness, by Chen Shi-Zheng and Eve Beglarian; and Mourning, by Eiko and Koma. Panelists include Eve Beglarian, composer; Eiko and Koma Otake– dancers; Paul vanZyl, International Center for Transitional Justice; and Muzaffar Chishti, Director of the Migration Policy Institute, NYU School of Law. Moderator: Mary Zurbuchen, Scholar, author, and former Ford Foundation representative in Indonesia. Part of the forum sponsored by the Vera List Center for Art and Politics at The New School.

The Jewel Ornament of Liberation: Teachings of Gampopa by His Holiness Dorji Lopen Rinpoche
Public Lecture: July 30, 2004
His Holiness Dorji Lopen Rinpoche, the highest reincarnation of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage, presents teachings from Jewel Ornament of Liberation, the authoritative Lam Rim text in the Kagyu tradition.

Buddhist Monks of Bhutan from Thimphu Tashi Chodzong Monastery, Bhutan
July 29, 2004
Lamas from Bhutan give a rare performance of sacred dances that convey religious ideas or depict the countless manifestations of the Buddhas, the Tantric deities and the guardian or protecting deities of Buddhism. The dances are believed to bless the viewers and remind them to lead good and pure lives while simultaneously instructing them in the doctrines of the faith and demonstrating the power of religion.

Buddhist Astrology with Tsipe Lopen
July 28, 2004
Monk Tsipe Lopen discusses astrology and its importance inside the Kingdom of Bhutan, where astrologers are also highly trained lamas. He studied at the Tshangkha University of Astrology for nine years and earned a Buddhist Philosophy degree in conjunction with his Astrology degree.

The Sacred Art of Sand Mandala Painting
July 27– August 1, 2004
For the first time ever in the West, the Drukpa Kagyu Buddhist monks from the Kingdom of Bhutan build a sand mandala. With the traditional technique of using only their fingers to lay down millions of grains of colored sand, the monks create an intricate painting of the 21 Manifestations of Tara, the deity dedicated to healing.

27th Asian American International Film Festival
Presented by Asian CineVision in association with the Asia Society
July 16–24, 2004

New Photography/New Video from China: An Artists Roundtable
Cosponsored by International Center of Photography (ICP)
June 12, 2004
Wu Hung, University of Chicago and cocurator of Between Past and Future: New Photography and Video from China, talks with selected artists featured in the exhibition about their work and major themes of the exhibition. Invited artists include Hu Jieming, Lin Tianmiao, Liu Zheng and Qiu Zhijie.

Asian Arts and Culture—A New Vision
The Kai-Yin Lo Distinguished Program Series
June 2, 2004
Contemporary Asian societies are rooted in millennia-old traditions, and yet are connected to the latest global trends. This dynamic, and often contradictory relationship between indigenous modes and global forces can lead to an erosion of national identity, but it can also open up exciting new vistas. This annual program series provides a platform to discuss the role of arts and culture in contemporary society, the relationships between the individual and community, heritage and globalization, as well as the synergies between economic growth and cultural enterprise. In the series, artists, designers of distinction, cultural leaders and urban planners are invited to share their views. The inaugural program features Shen Wei, celebrated choreographer, dancer and painter; Bright Sheng, award-winning composer and conductor; and Douglas Chi Chiu Young, Hong Kong designer and managing director of Goods of Desire. Moderated by Robert B. Oxnam, president emeritus, Asia Society. Reception follows.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at the Asia Society
May 2004

Asia Society, Asian CineVision and Miramax present: A Conversation with Director Zhang Yimou and Barbara London, Curator/Museum of Modern Art
May 25, 2004
Ever since his directorial debut, 'Red Sorghum' (1987) won the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival, Zhang Yimou has established his reputation as one of the most talented and influential directors today. Please join us for an informal discussion on his life, career, and upcoming U.S. release of his epic, "Hero."

Gauguin is Dead, There is no Paradise
April 30, 2004
Cabaret, dance, drama and drag queens converge in this playful parody of Gauguin’s Polynesia, to give you a glimpse of life behind the coconut curtain. Fresh as a frangipani and as voluptuous as a velvet painting, four larger than life Island Divas bring you tales of the South Seas in a multimedia performance where nothing is what it seems and everything is seen in quotation marks.

James Morris
Spiritual Approaches to Cultural Understanding: From Ibn ’Arabi to Ostad Elahi
April 23, 2004
Morris explores the longstanding combination of cultural diversity, tolerance and spiritual cooperation that has historically allowed followers of Islamic faith to live peacefully in diverse communities throughout Asia. The lecture begins by examining the principles of spiritual intelligence as expressed by master-thinkers of Islam, from the influential classical Islamic exposition by Ibn ’Arabi (d. 1240), to the most recent developments by the Iranian philosopher, thinker and master-musician Ostad Elahi (d. 1974). The universal spiritual principles underlying those past achievements are indispensable for real mutual understanding in every sphere of life. Amidst today’s familiar scene of warring nation-states, intolerance, endemic civil wars and fanatical mass ideologies, the principles offer insight into the past where, until recently, very different communities typically shared a remarkable degree of cultural, linguistic, social and religious diversity and creative self-expression. Morris is the chair of Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, and author of such books as Orientations: Islamic Thought in a World Civilization.

Professor Jean During accompanied by Shahab Elahi Music and the Mystic Experience
February 14, 2004
This rare lecture demonstration explores the relationship between spiritual philosophy and music within the context of the Persian tanbour (lute). A rich musical repertoire developed into an integral part of Persian mysticism and became a practice that Sufi mystics could use to spiritually connect to the divine or use as “wings to transport themselves to the other world.” The groundbreaking program examines this tradition, bringing together Elahi, the world-renowned tanbour player and artistic director of the Razbar Ensemble, and During, the distinguished ethnomusicologist and Director of Research at the National Center for Scientific Research in Paris (CNRS) who specializes in Central Asian music and its relationship with mysticism.

Olga M. Davidson with Naqqâl Iraj Anvar
Shahnameh: The Book of Kings, the Court and the Coffeehouse
January 15, 2004
Scholar and author Davidson gives an introduction to the monumental Persian epic, Shahnameh, literally The Book of Kings. Written by the poet Ferdowsi in the early eleventh century, Shahnameh, much like Homer’s Odyssey and Ovid’s Metamorphoses, tells the stories of both the mythical and historical kings and heroes of ancient Persia. These beloved stories are recited by naqqâl (storytellers) in coffeehouses throughout Iran and read on Radio Tehran every morning. Naqqâl Anvar presents a recitation of this
classic epic in Persian, with English translations provided. Presented in a teahouse setting, the audience is invited to sit on Oriental rugs, drink tea and enjoy an intimate concert. A limited number of chairs are also available. Cosponsored by ILEX Foundation.

Music and Dance of Myanmar (Burma)
December 12 and 13, 2003
Asia Society, in conjunction with Lotus Music and Dance, brings an extraordinary group of 9 musicians and 3 dancers to present Myanmar’s (Burma) extraordinary music and dance tradition. Exhibiting the tradition’s colorful palette, the first half of the program features elegant chamber music, which consists of traditional Burmese instruments such as saung gauk (harp) and patala (xylophone), as well as Western instruments that have been incorporated into Burmese music, including piano (sandeya) and slide guitar with their own unique techniques developed around them. The second half of the program features the exuberant Saing Waing (tuned drum-circle ensemble), led by renowned musician Kyaw Kyaw Naing and an ensemble from Myanmar (Burma). Celebrated master dancer U Win Maung joined by two other dancers to celebrate the rich dance traditions.

Music and Dance of Myanmar (Burma): Music Workshop
December 14, 2003
Celebrated musician Kyaw Kyaw Naing leads this hands-on workshop.

Moon Water
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan
November 18, 20–22, 2003
Copresented with BAM Next Wave Festival. The internationally-acclaimed dance theater company of Taiwan returns to BAM for the third time, performing Moon Water—a pure-dance work developed from movements based on tai chi and martial arts. (Cloud Gate Dance Theatre was last seen at BAM amid three tons of falling rice grain in Songs of the Wanderers.) Though the immediate impression is of something distinctly Asian, by juxtaposing the ancient martial arts’ spiral-like movements with J.S. Bach’s Six Suites for Solo Cello, founder and choreographer Lin Hwai-Min has created a dance both contemplative and expansive, one that effortlessly fuses elements of East and West to arrive at a universal whole.

Journey to Benares
November 14 and Saturday November 15, 2003
This provocative new work highlights the adventurous collaboration between British artist/author/filmmaker Melinda Camber Porter and composer /choreographer /director Elizabeth Swado. Journey to Benares explores the agonies and ecstasies of love, the illusion of redemption in a faraway land, and pays homage to the relevance of tantric philosophy. Actors will sing excerpts from the score in a piano reading format, followed by question and answer with the artists.

Iran Prorgams
November 7, 2003 - January 14, 2004
These programs explore Persian culture, history and critical issues impacting Iran today. They coincide with the exhibitions Hunt for Paradise: Court Arts of Iran, 1501-76 and TOOBA: Shirin Neshat.

Padma Vibhushan Sonal Mansingh
October 19, 2003
Renowned Indian dancer Padma Vibhushan Sonal Mansingh, in a rare North American appearance, gives a concert of classical Odissi and Chau forms of Indian dance. In a career spanning 42 years on stage, Mansingh has performed in 75 countries, as well as extensively within India. A dancer of unparalleled grace, beauty and intellect, Mansingh’s dancing is rooted in tradition and yet endowed with contemporary, even radical sensibilities. She is the first woman dancer ever to receive the Padma Vibhushan award given by the president of India. Mansingh is joined by Chau master dancer Shashdhar Acharya and musicians Harish Jain, Dayanand Parihast, Niranjan Bhol and Abar Hussain.
Produced by Natya Dance Theater of Chicago.
International air travel provided by Air India.

The Sound of Ocean
U Theatre from Taiwan tours to the USA in their acclaimed production
September 19 - October 11, 2003
A compelling, seamless work of rhythm and movement in 100 minutes, The Sound of Ocean was created by U Theatre under the direction of Liu Ching-Ming and master drummer Wong Chee-Mun. An intense physical and emotional experience, the work traces the cyclical journey of water from a drop to a stream, from a river to the ocean. The work’s five sections are animated by a theatrical tension devoid of explicit narrative. It is propelled by rhythms beat out on temple bells, gongs, and skinned drums large and small. The collective expressive power of the group is made possible by the extra-ordinary technical and athletic prowess of the individual performers. Daring feats of speed and precision create huge dynamic arcs as the piece moves from section to section. With a spare grace and clarity, The Sound of Ocean illuminates U-Theatre’s creative process which centers on the concentric relationships of individual to the collective, and the larger natural and spiritual environments.

Sanjeev Abhayankar: A Mehfil Concert of Hindustani Vocal Music
September 20, 2003
Celebrated North Indian singer Sanjeev Abhayankar performs a mehfil, an intimate ‘salon style’ concert. Pandit Sanjeev Abhyankar, from the Mewati Gharana, is an artist of international acclaim in the field of Hindustani Classical Music. An extremely popular artist, he has attracted a younger generation to Indian classical music with his lyrically expressive voice. Abhayankar started learning Hindustani classical music at the age of eight, giving his first stage performance in Mumbai at eleven. Since then, he has toured throughout India and internationally in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Seychelles, the United States and the Middle East. He has several classical compositions to his credit. Abhayankar is accompanied by live musicians on tabla and harmonium. Audience members are invited to enjoy the program baihak (floor) style. A limited number of chairs are available. Chai (tea) is served. Copresented with Raga Music Circle.

SILKROAD 2003
An Experience in Chinese Theater
September 5, 2003; Lincoln Center Avery Fisher Hall
40 performers from the Taipei Li-Yuan Chinese Opera Troupe, led by the renowned Maestro Bao-Chun Li, perform 3 classic Chinese Beijing opera pieces mixing spectacular singing, dancing, acrobatics and acting.

Remembering Rukmini Devi Arundale
May 27, 2003
Renowned dance historian and scholar Dr. Sunil Kothari presents the life of Rukmini Devi, the great Indian dancer of the early 20th century. Rare slides and film excerpts accompany the talk to illustrate Devi’s fascinating story as a rebel and innovator in the classical Indian dance circuit.

Music at the Crossroads: Continuum
May 17, 2003
This internationally celebrated ensemble performs striking new solo and chamber music from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia. Rich ancient traditions merge with western contemporary influences in the bold, original music of Alisher Latif-Zadeh, Zarina Mirshakar, Sansargereltekh, Dmitry Yanov-Yanovsky and Benjamin Yusupov. “Simply put, there is no musical organization … that produces more intellectually enticing or more viscerally satisfying programs than Continuum.”—The New York Times.

In What Language?: A Song Cycle of Lives in Transit
May 8–11, 2003
An inspiring work of music and poetry by composer Vijay Iyer and librettist Michael Ladd, commissioned by Asia Society. Featuring a series of monologues of travelers and laborers at an international airport, In What Language? explores cultural identity and stereotypes in an age of expansive global diaspora. Scored for seven musicians and three speaking voices, it draws upon a broad range of musical influences including experimental jazz, hip-hop, African and South Asian rhythms. Directed by Rachel Dickstein with projection and lighting by Clifton Taylor. Q&A follows the May 9 performance.

People’s Poetry Gathering
April 11-13, 2003
New York City is transformed into a poetry village as the third biennial People's Poetry Gathering celebrates oral and written poetries from the U.S. and around the world. This year’s Gathering highlights poets from the Muslim world and explores the traditions surrounding ballads and epics. With headquarters at the new Bowery Poetry Club and Cooper Union, it includes a special tribute to ballad hunter Alan Lomax, as well as readings and performances of the Ramayana, Beowulf and Gilgamesh along with other world epics. Produced by City Lore and Poets House in collaboration with Asia Society, South Street Seaport Museum, the American Museum of Natural History and more than twenty cultural groups. For a complete program, call (212) 529-1955 or visit www.PeoplesPoetry.org

Celebration: Epics From Around The World
April 11, 2003
at Washington Square United Methodist Church, 135 W. 4th St.
Hear the invocations from the epic poems and ballads of ancient Sumeria (Gilgamesh), Finland, (Kalevala), the Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. With Almasbek Almatov, David Ferry, Aili Flint, Tuomas Hiltunen, Julian Kystasty, and Ulla Suokko.
Free Admission. Calll 212-529-1955 or visit www.PeoplesPoetry.org for details.

Epics of Kazakhstan: Almasbek Almatov
April 12, 2003
In Kazakh culture, epic singers are keepers of a collective memory that connects oral traditions with shamanic spirituality and nomadic philosophy. Almatov, the renowned singer and charismatic storyteller of Kazak epics, presents a rare performance of traditional epics from his homeland. Accompanied on the dombra (a plucked string lute), war, adventure and love all come alive through his voice. A fourth generation singer, Almatov has toured internationally throughout Europe, Turkey and Mongolia, appearing most recently in Washington, D.C. as part of the Silk Road program at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Folklorist Dr. Alma Kunanbaeva provides context and translation during the performance.
$7 members/students/seniors; $10 nonmembers

Panel Discussion
Midnight’s Children: Musings of the Past, Visions of the Future
March 17, 2003
Indian independence and the creation of Pakistan. What was the dream? What has been the reality? What is the hope for the future? This inter-generational panel of South Asians includes participants who were involved in or affected by the independence movement of India and the founding of Pakistan. They will share their personal memories of the history and legacy of these movements on past and present; local and global. Panelists include: Bapsi Sidhwa, Meena Alexander, Asad ur Rahman, Shaheryar Azhar and Vishakha Desai
$7 members/students/seniors; $10 nonmembers

Musha'ira: Celebrating the Poetic Ghazal in Urdu and English
A Tribute to Agha Shahid Ali (1949-2001)
February 8, 2003

Traditionally at a musha'ira, Urdu-speaking audiences had the opportunity to hear the poetic form of verse, known as ghazals, recited or sung. Although the ghazal deals with the whole spectrum of human experience, its central concern is love. Today, poets, men and women from India and Pakistan, maintain a stronghold on this centuries-old tradition of musha'ira, blending contemporary expressions with the heritage of the past, creating a unique and powerful extension of this great Islamic art.
$7 members/seniors/students; $10 nonmembers
For tickets and information, call 212-517-ASIA.

In this program American English-speaking poets are joined by Urdu-speaking poets originally from India and Pakistan.
Participants include:

Sadr (Presiding Chairperson)
Asad ur Rahman

Urdu poets
Humaira Rahman
Sabiha Khatoon 'Saba'
Rais Warsi

English poets
Christopher Merrill
Grace Schulman
Sara Suleri (reading Agha Shahid Ali's poetry)

Blood Links
Wednesday and Saturday, November 20 and 23 • 8:00 p.m.
Defying conventional theater, Blood Links traces William Yang’s scattered family’s migration from China to Australia over a hundred years ago. Through a monologue and over 500 slide images, this intimate performance explores the ties which bind families and the issues that arise from belonging to two cultures distinctly different and yet inextricably linked. Yang is one of Australia’s most respected artists and a world-renowned photographer. Asia Society also presents the film Sadness based on Yang’s earlier work on November 21.
$16 members/students/seniors; $20 nonmembers
Made possible with generous support from The Boeing Company, News Corporation and the Australia Council.
Read an interview with William Yang.

Ta'ziyeh: Performing Iran’s Living Epic Tradition

Through lectures, demonstrations and discussions, this multi-disciplinary symposium explores the performing traditions and transformations of Ta’ziyeh (or "mourning"), the only form of music drama in the Islamic world. Incorporating artistic forms from pre-Islamic Persia, Ta’ziyeh is a blend of opera and theater that is performed in the round and features musicians, actors and live animals. Part musical play, part religious drama, Ta’ziyeh is rarely performed outside of Iran. Participants include artists, scholars and the production team, featuring William Beeman, Brown University; Peter Chelkowski and Richard Schechner, New York University; Mohammad Ghaffari, Director; among others.

Read papers from the symposium.

Labyrinth: In the Moon-Night
Sin Cha Hong, Byung-ki Hwang and Kang Kwon Soon

Photograph © Johna Elbers 1994

Choreographer and dancer Sin Cha Hong is joined by master Korean musician Byung-ki Hwang on kayageum (twelve-string plucked zither) and extraordinary vocalist Kang Kwon Soon in a provocative convergence of traditional Korean and contemporary performance. Using innovative instrumental techniques with cello bow, changgu stick and the bow of the keomungo, Hwang explores the inner voice of the kayageum in a piece that expresses the life cycle, from birth to death.

Read an interview with Sin Cha Hong about the experiences and cultures that have inspired her work, and the state of Korean contemporary performing arts today.

Wenji: Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute

Bun-Ching Lam, Composer
Xu Ying, Librettist/Assistant Director
Rinde Eckert, Director
Diana Liao, English Translation of Libretto

Wenji: Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute is a contemporary opera based on the true story of poet/musician Cai Wenji from the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-210 CE) in China. The story follows a scholar's daughter who becomes a prize of war and is torn between the two worlds. "The tale is pulled from the magical suitcase of a poor storyteller, filling the stage with light and color as the characters come to life," explains director Eckert. With a libretto sung in English and Chinese (with bilingual supertitles), the music incorporates nuances from ancient Chinese to Western contemporary. January 31, February 1, 2, 8, and 9, 2002

View interviews, photos, and resources at the new site for Wenji: Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute.

Dance, the Spirit of Cambodia

9 weeks
12 cities
41 dancers and musicians

Dance, the Spirit of Cambodia, a project of the Royal University of Fine Arts, Phonm Penh will present classical and folk dance and music from Cambodia during a 12-city national tour August 11–September 29, 2001. This coast-to-coast trip by the 41-member troupe marks the first time in more than a decade that the living traditions of Cambodian music and dance have formally toured in the U.S.A.

View a complete tour schedule as well as other articles and resources at the new site for , the Spirit of Cambodia.

The Floating Box

The Floating Box: A Story in Chinatown premiered at the Asia Society in New York, October 27, 28 and November 1-4, 2001.

Ratan Thiyam's Chorus Repertory Theatre>
Uttar Priyadarshi (The Final Beatitude)