The Monkey King
Encouraged and moved by the success of Dream of the Red Chamber, for their 2025-26 season the San Francisco Opera created another new opera based on another famous and beloved Chinese novel, Journey to the West: The Monkey King (猴王悟空). Again, the Chinese Heritage Foundation of Minnesota underwrote the commissioning fees for both composer Huang Ruo and librettist David Henry Hwang.
And what a success it was! The Monkey King played to sold-out audiences during its entire run, with demand so strong that the SFO added two additional performances. Ticket sales were 104% capacity, and all 300 standing room only were sold out. Performed in English and Chinese, the production united the disciplines of opera, movement and puppetry. Its storyline followed the Monkey King, a beloved and iconic hero in Chinese culture, whose adventurous story symbolizes transformation, perseverance and the pursuit of wisdom. Huang and Hwang blended ancient Chinese and contemporary Western traditions to create a thrilling new incarnation of the mythic action hero, whose exploits are well known throughout Asia.
50% of single ticket buyers were new to SF Opera, and 40% of them identified as Asian or Asian American, and their ages averaged younger. The November 18 livestream drew over 4,500 viewers from around the world. This magic is now spreading to the West Coast as well, with the New York Metropolitan Opera announcing that it will open its 2026-27 season with The Monkey King!
There was international acclaim as well. It garnered the front cover of the January issue of the United Kingdom magazine “Opera”, and was rated by the New York Times as one of the best classical performances of 2025. Opera China called it “a spectacular golden cultural bridge”.
This showcasing of another cherished example from China’s cultural heritage, now presented in a contemporary concept and perspective, will continue to build common meeting space and encourage respectful dialogue. This endeavor will further CHF’s mission of promoting mutual understanding and trust among all peoples, as articulated in San Francisco Opera’s General Director Matthew Shilvock’s extraordinary reflections.
