Bangkok Opera Foundation and the Department of Cultural Promotion present The Silent Prince, an opera about the Buddha by Somtow Sucharitkul, which had its world premiere in Houston, Texas, to critical acclaim two years ago.
The Silent Prince will convey a Buddhist message in a melodious and accessible way at Thailand Cultural Centre.
A new production by Thailand's renowned composer will have a special preview on Dec 5 to honour HM the King's birthday, at the Thailand Cultural Centre starting at 8pm.
The Silent Prince tells the story of Prince Temiya, a former incarnation of the Lord Buddha, who must choose between obedience to his father and taking a human life. Unable to make a decision, he retreats into silence broken only at the very end of the story, when he is compelled to reveal his identity as the Boddhisatva.
Set in Benares in legendary times, The Silent Prince weaves a rich, sensuous visual and aural tapestry of colour and sound. There are scenes set in heaven and hell as well as on Earth. Gods and goddesses appear by magic, and angels bring the baby Boddhisatva down from the sky, spirits from hell haunt Temiya as he remembers his past lives. The world-class production boasts an international cast from four continents, plus some of Thailand's most famous opera singers. Among them are male soprano Jak Cholvijarn, who will take the role of Prince Temiya, Nadlada Thamtanakom, Grace Echauri, Kyu Won Han and John Ames.
The show also features a large chorus and an orchestra of top soloists, conducted by Thailand's best-known young conductor, Trisdee Na Patalung. Somtow will direct the production with designs by award-winning international artist Dean Shibuya, who recently designed Reya _ The Musical. About 100 performers will be involved, including dancers, singers, and musicians.
Seats for the special gala preview will not be sold, but invitations will be available as long as seats remain. To receive an invitation, contact Bangkok Opera Foundation on 02-231-5273, 089-136-9981, 087-077-0071 or email your name, email address, phone number and the number of tickets you would like to silentprince@bangkokopera.com.
