Composer Huang Ruo found inspiration for his latest opera, The Monkey King, while watching his children celebrate Halloween during the pandemic. As his son dressed as Spider-Man and Batman, and his daughter as Elsa from Frozen, he reflected on the absence of an Asian superhero in mainstream culture. This thought led him to adapt Journey to the West, a 16th-century Chinese novel, into an opera.
The new production will have its world premiere at San Francisco Opera on November 14, featuring performances in both English and Mandarin. The opera explores the story of a mystical primate, born from stone, who acquires supernatural powers and embarks on a quest for immortality.
San Francisco Opera’s general director, Matthew Shilvock, commissioned the work following the success of Dream of the Red Chamber by Bright Sheng in 2016. The librettos for both operas were penned by playwright David Henry Hwang, best known for M. Butterfly, which won a Tony Award in 1988. Shilvock emphasized the importance of creating operatic works that resonate with Asian-American audiences while also appealing to audiences in Asia.
Huang Ruo has an extensive background in opera, having composed Bound, which premiered at Houston Grand Opera in 2014, and An American Soldier, which debuted at Washington National Opera the same year. His upcoming work, The Wedding Banquet, based on Ang Lee’s 1993 film, is set to premiere at Seattle Opera before reaching the Metropolitan Opera during the 2027-28 season.
For The Monkey King, Huang was partly motivated by the rise in anti-Asian discrimination during the Covid-19 pandemic. He saw the project as a way to spread positive energy and celebrate cultural heritage.
The production, directed by Diane Paulus, features scenic design and puppetry by Basil Twist. The titular character will be represented in three distinct forms: through a singer, a dancer, and a puppet. Chinese tenor Kang Wang makes his debut in the lead role.
Eight performances will be held through November 30, with a live stream scheduled for November 18. With its vibrant storytelling and cultural depth, The Monkey King promises to be a landmark opera that bridges Eastern and Western traditions on stage.
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