In just a couple of weeks, Thomas Quasthoff returns to his US "home base,"
the Oregon Bach Festival, and there is a strong possibility that he will
sing in Chinese while in Eugene.  The bass-baritone attends many concerts
there even when he is not participating, and if he shows up in Hult Center
on July 7, he won't have much of a choice about singing in Chinese.

It will be a concert of works by Tan Dun.  Besides the "Crouching Tiger
Concerto" (yep, a suite from the movie soundtrack), Tan's "Orchestral
Theater I: YUN" and "Orchestral Theater II: RE" are on the program.
In the former, Tan requires "various dramatic sounds, such as yelling,
murmuring, changing, striking, and singing, produced both instrumentally
and with the orchestra members' voices."

In the latter, Quasthoff and the rest of the audience will be urged to
hum along with the players on the single note "D" or "re," and then "chant
`Hong mi la ga yi go' repetitively for about 30 seconds, beginning as low
and quietly as possible, and gradually rising in pitch and getting louder."

I am not sure what the translation is, but "Doe, a deer, a female deer"
is a strong possibility.

Will Terry Riley also participate in this step up from his "In C"? Will
Pauline Oliveros make sure in person that her 1960s musical inventions
(based on works by others in the 1920s) are not appropriated? Unknown at
this point.

More germanely, however, for festival audiences, this is what Quasthoff's
confirmed schedule is:

June 28 - Mass in B Minor (with Karina Gauvin, Ingeborg Danz, Chrisopher
Cock; festival music director Helmuth Rilling on the podium).

July 2 - Bach, Cantata BWV 82 (Ich habe genug); Mozart, Arias for Bass and
Orchestra, "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" and "Per questa bella mano"; Hai
gia vinta la cause!...Vedro, mentr'io sospiro," from "Le Nozze di Figaro."
(Jeffrey Kahane, conductor).

July 6 and 13, recital (with Justus Zeyen, piano) - Schubert,
"Schwanengesang"; Wolf, Morike Songs; R.  Strauss, "Zueignung," "Die
Nacht," "Heimliche Aufforderung," "Morgen."

Janos Gereben/SF
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