San Francisco Opera’s The Monkey King is a thrilling landmark in cultural exchange
This timeless Chinese folk tale retold as an opera is a sumptuous feast for the eyes and ears that provides a showcase of Chinese culture
San Francisco Opera’s premiere of The Monkey King is a visually enchanting retelling of the timeless Chinese folk tale and a thrilling landmark in cultural exchange.
The sets and puppetry by Basil Twist are a wonder and delight from start to finish.
A staggering 4.1 kilometres (2.6 miles) of silk is used to create rippling visions of the undersea kingdom, of flights through the heavens, and of fantastical encounters with magic white horses, hovering jellyfish and moving mountains.
Layers of transparent curtains sweep across the stage, revealing ever more magical worlds of light and colour.
The Monkey character has three forms: a singer in Kang Wang, a puppet who can fly through the air, and a nimble dancer, Huiwang Zhang. Via clever stagecraft, they seamlessly take turns depicting the many aspects of Sun Wukong.