Composer pays tribute to women

As a man and father of two boys, composer Tan Dun says he owes so much to a woman whom he can never repay in his lifetime.

But he is surely working hard on that as an artist. His new creation, Nu Shu: the Secret Songs of Women, had its Chinese premiere on Oct 20, as a commissioned project of the Shanghai International Arts Festival, and presented by Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.

The symphony and micro-film production "is an ode for women", says the 56-year-old composer, best known for his Oscar-winning creation of music for the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.