Du Yun's THE ZOLLE SUITE LA Opera's Newest Digital Short Streaming Now

Produced by Ron Diamond, the Digital Short showcases an international trio of animators, each working on a segment from Du Yun's opera Zolle.

By: Jul. 09, 2021
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Du Yun's THE ZOLLE SUITE LA Opera's Newest Digital Short Streaming Now

LA Opera's newest Digital Short, The Zolle Suite, is now available to watch online. The new short from Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Du Yun brings three chapters of her 2005 opera Zolle to the digital screen, produced by Ron Diamond of Acme Filmworks.

By turns abstract, compelling and resigned, three movements from the opera are brought to life by an international trio of animation directors-Steven Woloshen, Benjamin Swiczinsky and Kristian Pedersen-each creating his own unique visual interpretation of Du Yun's striking musical world.

In Du Yun's opera Zolle, a dead woman wanders through the shadowy space between memory and reality, unable to choose between the worlds of the living and the dead. Ultimately, she lets go of both, turning into a part of the earth. (The word "zolle" is Italian for "a big chunk of earth.")

"I was an international student at the time of writing, and I am an Asian-American now," said Du Yun. "Revisiting and re-recording this story after a decade, it still rings true-the calling of the homeland and the pull of migration. It was a pleasure to come back to it for this project."

Du Yun herself is the narrator of the film, which features mezzo-soprano soloist Hai-Ting Chinn and Julian Wachner conducting the International Contemporary Ensemble.

To watch, visit LAOpera.org/Zolle.

Part of the company's On Now platform of online programming, Digital Shorts are newly commissioned films that team gifted composers, performers and visual artists. Digital Shorts are offered free of charge to all viewers.



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