Taiwanese composer Chi-Ling Liu has raised a formal dispute regarding the use of his music in Água, a work in the repertoire of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch.
According to compiled documentation and publicly available performance records, this matter concerns Liu’s music in Água, a production with an international performance history spanning approximately 25 years and more than 100 performances.
Available documentation confirms Liu’s music in the work in 2011 and again in 2023. Liu states that no completed licensing agreement has been signed and that no payment has been made to him to date.
The following documents are available for media reference:
( Additional documentation, including the full evidence appendix and evidence chronology, is available upon request. )
01_ChiLingLiu_PressSummary_PinaBausch_Dispute
02_ChiLingLiu_EvidenceOverview_PinaBausch
03_ChiLingLiu_ComposerBio
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Taipei, May 2026
Taiwanese composer Chi-Ling Liu issues the following statement regarding the use of his music in Água, a work in the repertoire of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch.
According to compiled documentation and publicly available performance records, Água has an international performance history spanning approximately 25 years and more than 100 performances.
Available documentation confirms Liu’s music in the production in 2011 and again in 2023.
To date, Liu states that no completed licensing agreement has been signed and that no payment has been made to him.
In 2011, during performances in Taipei, Liu confirmed on site that music used in the production was his. Attribution was subsequently corrected in programme materials.
In 2023, during correspondence surrounding performances at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in New York, the company’s then Managing Director wrote that “the rights for the use of the music of Mr. Chi-Ling Liu for Agua are still not cleared.” The correspondence also included an apology on behalf of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch GmbH.
The BAM performances proceeded after temporary authorization from Liu was confirmed.
Following the performances, a lump-sum proposal of €3,500 was made and was not accepted by Liu. If calculated against more than 100 performances, this would amount to just over €30 per performance.
In 2026 correspondence, the company wrote that it was “under the impression” that matters concerning authorization and usage “were resolved” with Mr. Christmann at that time. Liu states that no agreement has been signed and no payment has been made.
“This is not only about compensation, but about whether a creator’s rights can be properly respected and maintained.”
“I value the artistic connection with this work, but I also believe that such a relationship should be completed through proper authorization and agreement.”
“This is not a single exchange, but a long-running unresolved licensing and compensation issue.”
— Chi-Ling Liu
• Água has been performed internationally for approximately 25 years, with over 100 documented performances.
• Available documentation confirms Liu’s music in the production in 2011 and again in 2023.
• Liu states that no completed licensing agreement has been signed.
• Liu states that no payment has been made to him to date.
• In 2023, the company’s then Managing Director wrote that the rights for the use of Liu’s music in Água were “still not cleared.”
• The 2023 BAM performances proceeded after temporary authorization from Liu was confirmed.
• A lump-sum proposal of €3,500 was made and was not accepted by Liu.
• In 2026 correspondence, the company wrote that it was “under the impression” that matters concerning authorization and usage “were resolved.”
• Liu states that no agreement has been signed and no payment has been made.
The following documents are available for media reference:
( Additional documentation, including the full evidence appendix and evidence chronology, is available upon request. )
01_ChiLingLiu_PressSummary_PinaBausch_Dispute
02_ChiLingLiu_EvidenceOverview_PinaBausch
03_ChiLingLiu_ComposerBio
Taipei_Theater_Visual_01.jpg
Image_Caption.txt
Bryan Su (Representative for Chi-Ling Liu)
Email: kutaok@hotmail.com
Phone: +886 932025999