Opera "When the Purple Mountains Burn" is a collaboration between composer Shuying Li and librettist, stage designer, and director Julian Crouch. The opera delves into the connection between Iris Chang and Shiro Azuma in relation to the Nanking Massacre that occurred in China during World War II. Iris Chang, an American Chinese best-selling author, wrote "The Rape of Nanking," which profoundly impacted the perception of the Second World War in Asia. After exposing these brutal truths, she fell into depression and tragically committed suicide at age 36. Shiro Azuma, on the other hand, was a Japanese soldier who openly confessed to participating in war crimes against the Chinese during World War II.

The opera examines questions of social justice and humanity: What is it within us that allows one part of humanity to mercilessly devastate another? The story intertwines the powerful message of a journalist and the deep confession of a soldier to create a universal narrative that resonates with all. The fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel, narrated by Iris's mother Ying Ying, serves as a poetic device to connect the two main characters.