Dark Matter

2012 telecast production of John Adams's opera Nixon in China, recorded at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.

In three separate segments, set respectively in 1966, 1911, and 2005, three love stories unfold between three sets of characters, under three different periods of Taiwanese history and governance.

Ning Ning is a new student at her school, where her passion for singing helps her form a relationship with a boy in her class. Together with their friends, they fight the odds to participate in an inter-school singing competition.

The film uses a documentary approach to tell the stories of 12 Chinese pioneers, chosen from the fields of business and the arts. The protagonists reflect upon their life journeys against the backdrop of modern China.

Chen Shi-Zheng helms Puccini's spectacular opera on Sydney Harbour, starring Dragana Radakovic and Riccardo Massi. A sleek, modern production featuring contemporary cinema, Chinese acrobatics, and breathtaking fireworks. Steering away from traditional styles, this lavish production presents a sleek, modern China, blending spectacular staging with elements of modern cinema and breathtaking Chinese acrobatics. The drama unfolds on a stunning set designed by Dan Potra, featuring a shimmering 18-metre-tall pagoda and a colossal, 60-metre fire-breathing dragon whose tail morphs into the Great Wall. Dragana Radakovic stars as the icy princess Turandot, alongside Riccardo Massi as Calaf, the mysterious prince determined to win her love or face the executioner’s blade. With a cast of over 70 performers, brilliant fireworks lighting up the night sky, and a soaring score that includes the legendary aria ‘Nessun dorma’, this is an unmissable, open-air cinematic event.

Narrated excerpts from Chen Shi-Zheng’s acclaimed stage production of Tang Xianzu’s The Peony Pavilion, filmed in Paris after its Lincoln Center presentation. This two-hour document condenses the epic kunqu love story of Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei through opera, dance, acrobatics, puppetry, martial arts and Robert Powell’s narration, preserving the atmosphere of a much longer theatrical event.