Synopsis:

Set to the poetry of Xu Lizhi (1990 – 2014), I Swallowed a Moon Made of Iron harnesses the human voice, piano, theatre and video imagery to create a tragic but powerful cry of protest in solidarity with immiserated workers everywhere.

In this haunting performance, the Canadian composer and performer Njo Kong Kie transforms the poetry of Xu Lizhi into song and delivers a lament for our digital age. Xu toiled in a factory in Shenzhen, China, where he, along with hundreds of thousands of the unseen and ignored, manufactured the electronic devices that we use every day. Xu's profound poetry is an indictment of labour exploitation, and a glimpse into his interior life: his hopes, dreams, and struggle under the unbearable weight of existence.

Njo's score for solo voice and piano is combined with a rich tapestry of video imagery. The result is a contemplative landscape—and a powerful insistence of Xu's humanity. This is a work about human dignity and economic injustice, each set against the other in a conflict as familiar as it is tragic. In the synthesis of the two artists, we have a vital human document, an act of political witness, and, not least, a performance of great beauty.

If you ever wondered who, how and where your digital devices are made, don't miss this critically acclaimed work touring to Southeast Asia – one night only in Singapore!