Tan Dun

Marco Polo (An Opera Within an Opera) (2008)

Tan Dun portrays the Venetian explorer's travels to the Far East as a journey of both inner and physical discovery, a voyage depicting spiritual experiences as well as a geographical expedition. Pierre Audi's mythical staging and Jean Kalman's fabulous set ...

The First Emperor (2007)

The incomparable Plácido Domingo began a new chapter in his legendary Met career when he created the role of Emperor Qin in the world premiere of Tan Dun's epic opera. Staged by revered film director Zhang Yimou, The First Emperor is both a rich pageant o ...

The Banquet (2006)

Crown Prince Wu Luan is in love with Little Wan but left heartbroken when she marries his father, the emperor. The emperor's brother, Li, kills him and Wu Luan tries to avenge his father's death. ...

The Map (2004)

A performance documentary which preserves a special performance of Tan Dun's trail-blazing performance piece, performed by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra under the direction of the composer, and featuring soloist Anssi Karttunen on cello. ...

Hero (2002)

During China's Warring States period, a district prefect arrives at the palace of Qin Shi Huang, claiming to have killed the three assassins who had made an attempt on the king's life three years ago. ...

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Two warriors in pursuit of a stolen sword and a notorious fugitive are led to an impetuous, physically-skilled, teenage nobleman's daughter, who is at a crossroads in her life. ...

Fallen (1998)

Homicide detective John Hobbes witnesses the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese. Soon after the execution the killings start again, and they are very similar to Reese's style. ...

Don't Cry, Nanking (1995)

In December 1937, during the Second Japanese-Sino War, a Chinese doctor, his Japanese pregnant wife, their teenage daughter and their young son travel from Shanghai to Nanjing seeking shelter in the Capital during the Japanese invasion. The family faces th ...

Part Two: The Mao Years 1949–1976 (1994)

The trilogy continues with The Mao Years, a look at the next period of modern China's history: Mao Zedong's rule, from 1949 to his death in 1976. The film begins with the celebrations marking the establishment of the People's Republic of China, a moment of ...

Aktion K (1994)

A documentary about the greatest mass exodus from a nazi concentration camp, which took place at the upper Austrian hills, in 1945. The following hunting is still known there under the cynical title "Mühlviertler Hasenjagd" - "The Mühlviertel's hare hunt ...

Part One: China in Revolution 1911–1949 (1989)

The first film, China in Revolution, describes the epic upheaval that began in China with the fall of the last emperor in 1911. Over the next four decades, the Chinese people were caught up in struggles with warlords, foreign invasion and a bitter rivalry ...

At the Beach (1984)

"At he beach" - A hidden masterpiece: one part rural elegy, one part urban romance, forged together in an editing tour de force. Rarely screened in China or outside, this story of a fisherman's daughter caught between factory work and feudal forced marriag ...

Reign Behind a Curtain (1983)

(no overview) ...

Beethoven’s Ninth: Symphony for the World (2020)

The 9th Symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most popular pieces of classical music in the world. Even those who are not passionate about the classical music recognize the famous Ode to Joy. Despite the grim context in which it was created, the 9 ...

Beethoven In Beijing (2020)

"Beethoven in Beijing" starts with a forgotten moment in history —the first American orchestra's visit to communist China. The Philadelphia Orchestra's 1973 tour was a gesture of cultural diplomacy that resonates still today, as the revival of classical ...

The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2016)

Follow several talented members of the ensemble as they gather in locations across the world, exploring the ways art can both preserve traditions and shape cultural evolution. ...

Do or Die: Lang Lang's Story (2012)

The First Emperor (2007)

The incomparable Plácido Domingo began a new chapter in his legendary Met career when he created the role of Emperor Qin in the world premiere of Tan Dun's epic opera. Staged by revered film director Zhang Yimou, The First Emperor is both a rich pageant o ...