Adelaide Festival Centre has unveiled the program for the 2014 OzAsia Festival, the annual celebration of Adelaide’s sister state, Shadong Province in China. The festival runs from 3-20 September, showcasing 21 performances and 36 events that promote the rich history and resplendent culture of the region, with more than 250 artists and presenters gathering from across the globe.

Amongst this talent is world renowned composer and conductor Tan Dun, who joins the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra to present the Australian premiere of Nu Shu: The Secret Songs of Women. The culmination of years of research, Nu Shu explores the secret language developed by women in 13th-century feudal China, weaving heart-wrenching stories of mothers and daughters navigating their lives in secret through the use of the ancient syllabic script.

Central to the composition is the harp solo, an instrument chosen by the composer for its lithe, feminine sound and distinctive curved lines, which are evocative of the elegant, slim language of Nu Shu, as well as the gender that created it. Elizabeth Hainen, solo harpist with the Philadelphia Orchestra since 1994, will join Tan Dun and the ASO for the Australian premiere during...