Most of us have pledged, at least once, to read Hong Lou Meng, better known as Dream of the Red Chamber. Few do. After all, a three-volume book chronicling 40 major characters and 500 minor players isn’t for subway skimming. But Hong is more than the pinnacle of the country’s four classical novels. Written in the vernacular, the characters’ dialogue aided 20th century lexicographers in codifying the modern language, as well as helping reformers promote its usage. Today, the book even has an academic field devoted to it: Redology.

 

A Dream of Red Mansions Music Legend is based on composer Wang Liping’s music from the eponymous 1987 television drama, re-orchestrated and rearranged by rising star composer/conductor Cai Donghua, as part of his year-long music legends series. Described as a high-brow Mamma Mia, Legend will take you inside a classic novel you’ll probably never read.