On Life depicts elements that most of us have experienced—sadness, happiness, reminiscence, loneliness and celebration. It could be more so for Vietnamese Americans, who face challenges of multiculturalism and dualism and are torn by traditions and times. On Life is narrated through the contemporary musical language of Cung Tiên, Tôn Thât Tiêt, and scenes from the opera The Tale of Lady Thi Kính by P.Q. Phan.