'Overlord': A Music Theater Work by Yu Bin and Ensemble (Show 1)

There will also be a performance of Overlord on Thursday, January 11 at 3 p.m. Learn more.

Asia Society and the China Shanghai International Arts Festival (CSIAF) come together again for the annual showcase presenting emerging talent from RAW (Rising Artists Works), a platform developed by CSIAF to present new ideas and bright young artists from across China.

Overlord, a performance by the Yu Bin Ensemble, is a music-focused, interdisciplinary performance created by the pipa (traditional Chinese 4-stringed lute) player Yu Bin, who will be joined by an ensemble of some of the most talented young musicians in China, playing both Chinese and western instruments.

Overlord is inspired by two traditional Chinese pipa masterpieces: Ambush on All Sides and King Doffs His Armor. Overlord is based on historical facts, portraying the Chinese warlord Xiang Yu, using music to explore his inner world at different moments in his life. Unlike other film and traditional Chinese opera adaptations, Overlord avoids focusing on the retelling the story, and instead attempts to find the humanity inside this complex figure — who has often been portrayed as a ruthless leader, a notorious killer and a gruesome enemy — and explore the emotional connection he had to humanity as he led the rebel forces into battle against the Qian Dynasty. Yu Bin’s work uses music and theater to portray a nuanced character with a complex inner life. 

Pre-performance reception begins at 6:00 pm. 

Co-presented by the China Shanghai International Arts Festival as part of their R.A.W (Rising Artists’ Works) a creative initiative to commission new work by young artists.