The world premiere of an opera is a big deal, and the first performances composer Huang Ruo and librettist David Henry Hwang’s “The Monkey King,” which continues Tuesday, Friday and Nov. 30 at San Francisco Opera, strikes it rich with pearlescent singing on key arias, centuries-old staging aided by 21st-century technology and so much more to tell the tale of the most beloved character in all of Chinese literature and how Buddhism came to China from India. The staging boasts a subtle alchemy of computer-aided abstract imagery, in myriad shapes and a rainbow of colors, mesmerizingly psychedelic and dreamy at times, floating cloud-like across scrims and drops throughout the opera’s two acts. The sterling lighting credits go to Ayumu “Poe” Saegusa and the A-1projection design credits go to Hana S. Kim. The production, funded in part by the Carol Franc Buck Foundation (named after the late Carol Franc Buck of Vacaville), also features the no-surprise puppetry of Bay Area native Basil Twist, including some whimsical shadow puppets so common in Asian theater; a company of dancers choreographed to perform occasional acrobatics and martial arts with split-second timing by Ann Yee; and costumes rooted in tradition and street art influences by Anita Yavich. An especially bracing tonic for the eyes are the set designer’s use of 4, 500 yards of silks, poly silks and other fabrics draping the set changes and augmenting scenic effects, sometimes with Chinese characters emblazoned on them. It all comes together in a deeply satisfying web of essential elements by director Diane Paulus, Peking Opera specialist Jamie Guan, and the spot-on interpretation of Ruo’s score by conductor Carolyn Kuan, creating a vision and soundscape that ably supports the characters and storyline. In brief, “The Monkey King,” which lasts about 2 1/2 hours, including an intermission, is about the early life of Sun Wukong, the mythical Monkey King. Born from a stone, cracking open like an egg, he rebels against the gods for immortality, and eventually gains enlightenment. The “hero’s journey” story is based on episodes from the classic Chinese novel “Journey to the West,” Hwang’s take on the narrative fleshing out an arrogant trickster hero’s rise and fall. During the Nov. 16 staging, there were several sublime moments of elegant and graceful singing, in English and Chinese. They included renditions by soprano Mei Gui Zhang’s renditions, as the Chinese goddess of compassion, of “All dharmas are equal” and “Relieve the suffering of all creatures,” her silky vocals drawing sustained applause. Australian-Chinese tenor Kwang Wang, making is company debut, sang and acted the role of the Monkey King, his character, by turns, self-important and rebellious, strives to bring light into a world struggling against darkness. His “Land of Bliss” aria was a bracing exercise in song delivery. For tickets to the remaining three performances, $10 (standing-room only) to $447, telephone the box office, 301 Van Ness Ave., at (415) 864-3330 or visit sfopera. com. * * * * * * Like many Ken Burns fans, I’ve been watching his latest effort, “The American Revolution,” about the historical event that changed the modern world and continues to do so today. During the first episode on Nov. 16, “In Order to Be Free,” I was reminded of an American history fact that I learned as a junior at Munich American High: the pivotal role American Indian tribes played in our nation’s founding: The Iroquois Confederacy served as a model for the U. S. government, particularly influencing the U. S. Constitution through its system of federalism and balance of power. The Founding Fathers were impressed by the Confederacy’s structure. It combined local tribal autonomy with a larger governing body for common affairs, an idea that resonated with their own vision for the new nation. True, the writings of French political philosopher Montesquieu and English philosopher and physician John Locke played significant roles in the creation of our founding documents, but so did the Iroquois Confederacy. The idea of federalism, for example: The Iroquois Confederacy was a multi-state government in which individual tribes handled their own affairs, while a central council addressed concerns shared in common, a principle the U. S. adopted for its federal system. Balance of power: The Confederacy’s system of dividing powers between the individual tribes and the larger confederacy government inspired the Founders to create a balance of power, of checks and balances, in the new nation’s government. The inspiration for the Constitution: While not an exact model, the Iroquois Confederacy offered a real-world example of a successful confederation for the Founders to study and adapt. Key figures like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were familiar with the system and incorporated many of its ideas into their work. Some symbols: The U. S. adopted symbols from the Iroquois, such as the bald eagle. To the Iroquois, it represented their Confederacy. The symbol of five arrows bound together in the Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s Great Law of Peace is also seen as a parallel to the bundle of 13 arrows on the Great Seal of the United States. Long overdue official recognition: The influence of the Iroquois Confederacy was officially acknowledged by the U. S. Senate in a 1987 resolution. It recognized that the Confederacy’s Great Law of Peace served as a model for the Constitution. Some may consider the Senate resolution meager amends for centuries of harsh treatment, killings and treaty betrayals of the original inhabitants of North America. But it can also be regarded as a springboard for enlightened discussion and understanding of the great contributions of our nation’s indigenous people, including their profound sacrifices in the Revolutionary War, and a realization that the United States was a racially and ethnically diverse nation, a strength, from its first days nearly 250 years ago, when it cast off the oppressive yoke of King George III and Great Britain. Richard Bammer is a Reporter staff writer.
https://www.thereporter.com/2025/11/22/richard-bammer-a-royal-monkey-and-our-governments-indigenous-roots/