Wu Man
Ojai Music Festival Review: Rhiannon Giddens Leads by Example
“With her lute-like instrument, [Wu Man] lent authenticity and authority to an embellished performance at the Ojai Valley School on Friday afternoon of Tan Dun’s “Ghost Opera,” a chamber piece from 1994 composed for her and string quartet—the Attacca Quartet superbly filled that role this time. The score also requires manipulation of water and paper, as well as vocal interjections, all augmenting the work’s haunting atmosphere.”
“Lei Liang’s “Vis-à-vis” [performed by Wu Man] in duet with the percussionist Steven Schick was an exciting study in contrasts—a battery of struck instruments vs. a single plucked one; a standing performer running about vs. a seated one—but there were also plenty of surprises, especially from Ms. Wu, who could, impressively, make what emanated from her instrument sound as though tins cans were being dragged through gravel.”