City of Asylum will present Bringing Sound to Silence with AppalAsia, a performance by a trio that combines Western and Chinese traditional music, on February 13.
Since the founding of AppalAsia in 2009, they have followed their passion for artistic collaboration between different cultures and disciplines beyond race, religion, and gender.The performance runs from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, and will take place both online and in person. Tickets are free but registration is required. Alphabet City is located at 40 W. North Ave. on the North Side (map).
In a recent project, the group was asked to develop original compositions for the 1919 silent movie Broken Blossoms. In this performance, the group shares this project with us, playing a selection of original music and some folk/traditional tunes.
Broken Blossoms depicts the story of Cheng Huan, a Chinese immigrant who comes to London to spread the teachings of Buddhism but is quickly disillusioned by the social environment of the city. His path soon crosses with Lucy Burrows, a young woman enduring abuse from her alcoholic prizefighting father. The story of the protagonists’ intersecting lives explores themes of racism, abuse, discrimination of gender and religion, and oppression and violence against minorities. Amid these harsh realities, however, remains the hopeful presence of beauty and love. Despite the passage of a century since the film’s release, its commentary on prejudice and the value of freedom remains poignant reminders to this day.