My first exposure to this classic Chinese tale was a roommate in college who always spoke about the mischievous monkey. Over the years, I came to understand the relative importance of the story as similar to the Odyssey (which is pretty high for a Greek girl). When San Francisco Opera announced a new opera based on “Journey to the West,” I was intrigued.
Visually, the production was breathtaking. Director Diane Paulus and her team created a kaleidoscopic world of projections, puppets, and shifting sets that felt alive. The effect bordered on cinematic. A kind reviewer would say it “overwhelms the senses,” but snarky one could liken it to an acid trip. I guess it’s clear which I am.
The story follows the Monkey King’s journey from rebellious trickster to sage, told with humor and a smattering of Buddhist philosophy. The libretto moved smartly between English and Mandarin, and the story mostly held together.
Musically, though, I was less enchanted. Composer Huang Ruo mixed Eastern and Western influences well, but it didn’t really pack an emotional punch. That said, there was a stunning aria near the end that finally gave the opera a hummable tune.
What made the performance unforgettable was tenor Kang Wang. He physically inhabited the title character in a way I haven’t seen since Sondra Radvanovsky in Medea at the Met in 2022. Every facial twitch and leap was precise, every phrase charismatic. The combination of him, the dancer and the puppet all representing the Monkey King was magical.
In the end, The Monkey King dazzled more as a piece of multimedia art more than a musical piece, but what a spectacle it was. Even if the music didn’t always soar for me, the production’s imagination and the main actor’s commanding presence made it a worthy trip.
Opera: The Monkey King
Composer: Huang Ruo
Venue: San Francisco Opera
Date: November 16, 2025
Link: https://www.sfopera.com/operas/the-monkey-king/
Opera Nerd 
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