Скачать или смотреть The Monkey King, beloved figure from Chinese mythology, swings onto the stage in San Francisco

(14 Nov 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
San Francisco - 12 November 2025
1. SF Opera House exterior
2. World Premiere sign
3. SOUNDBITE (English) David Henry Hwang, Libretto, The Monkey King:
"The story is based on kind of an allegory of an actual Tang priest who brought the Buddhist sutras from India to China. About 400 years ago, the novel Journey to the West was written and all these fantastic creatures like Monkey were added. But it's essentially the story of how Buddhism came to China."
4. Monkey King born from stone during performance
5. SOUNDBITE (English) David Henry Hwang, Libretto, The Monkey King:
"He is born from a stone, he comes to lead his monkey nation, he wants to save them from death, and eventually seeks higher position with the gods."
6. Monkey King dancer and puppet take each others place on stage
7. SOUNDBITE (English) David Henry Hwang, Libretto, The Monkey King:
"To translate the story to the stage, we're using lots of different theatrical techniques. We're using martial arts, Chinese opera, puppetry. Monkey is portrayed by a singer and a dancer slash opera actor and a puppet. And they interchange quite seamlessly. So it's really a spectacular theatrical event. And happens to be an opera."
8. Monkey dancer flips on stage
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Huang Ruo, Composer, The Monkey King:
"I would say The Monkey King is a magical kung fu opera with a heart. It's a long way to define it, but it is an opera, so it has fine singing and fine playing with the orchestra, and we also have a Chinese instrument called pipa. So it is an opera that integrates different cultures, Eastern and Western cultures, into one."
10. Monkey King addresses his monkey disciples
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Huang Ruo, Composer, The Monkey King:
"The crucial central message in our opera, also inspired by the original story, is what does it mean to have power?"
12. The Monkey King sings in front of performer's tai chi style dance
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Huang Ruo, Composer, The Monkey King:
"Monkey King is a beloved superhero figure for all these Chinese kids growing up, but also is quite well-known in other parts of Asia, even in the West. So this is our equivalent of Mickey Mouse in the East. So Monkey King has magic and also he knows what is right and what's wrong, and he will help the weak and to help others. So that to me is a good source of material for an opera that could bring positive energy and positive image."
14. The Monkey King is made fun of by the Emperor's court
15. The Monkey King magically replicates to fight back against the Emperor
16. The Monkey King flies away
17. The Monkey King enters the underwater world
18. The Monkey King tests out a new weapon
19. SOUNDBITE (English) David Henry Hwang, Libretto, The Monkey King:
"When you create a show, you want it to have greater life. And yes, there are certainly discussions about taking this show to different cities, including maybe the country where the story came from. But none of that is finalized yet."
20. Cloth drops as curtains close
STORYLINE:
A mischievous hero from Chinese legend is taking center stage in a brand-new opera. 

He’s been a comic-book star, an animated hero, and even the subject of poetry by Mao Zedong. 

Now, the Monkey King, born from a stone egg and famous for his rebellious spirit, is making his operatic debut.

“The Monkey King,” with music by composer Huang Ruo and a libretto by David Henry Hwang, has its world premiere at the San Francisco Opera. 


Bringing this fantastical world to the stage was no small feat. 




And this might just be the beginning. 



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