The Monkey King of Chinese mythology leaps to life in new San Francisco Opera performance
The mischievous Monkey King has been brought to life on stage in a ‘magical kung fu opera’ in the US, through song, dance, puppetry and more
The Monkey King is beloved in Chinese mythology and has appeared in everything from a 16th-century epic to modern comics, animated movies and video games – even in poetry by Mao Zedong.
Now, he is the star of an opera.
The Monkey King, with music by Huang Ruo and libretto by David Henry Hwang, has its world premiere at the San Francisco Opera, in the United States, on November 14 with performances through November 30.
“It’s essentially an allegory of how Buddhism came to China,” Hwang said.
His libretto, in both English and Mandarin, is based on the early chapters of the epic, portraying the Monkey King’s birth and daring exploits, as well as his arrogance and pride that lead to his imprisonment for 500 years until he learns humility, compassion and discipline. At the end of the opera, he is finally worthy of accompanying the monk on his journey.