Programme Note
Composer Note:
The basic materials in this work are derived from an instrumental interlude of the well-known Peking Opera, "Farewell My Concubine." In the opera, Princess Yü bids farewell to General Xiang — her lover and master — with a sword dance, during which she kills herself at the climatic point of the dance. Here I imagine the violin part delivers the female singing voice as well as the Peking Opera fiddle, while the piano part often gives the rhythm of the Chinese opera.
— Bright Sheng