Connecting Community Through Opera
In San Francisco, an extraordinary phenomenon is unfolding, bringing Asian and American cultures even closer together. San Francisco Opera’s cultural innovation, The Monkey King, is going beyond velvet seats and gilded stages by reimagining how we experience one another through opera. The recently reorganized Department of Engagement & Connectivity (DEC) is thoughtfully turning the War Memorial Opera House into the Bay Area’s village square where strangers become neighbors, notes play across generations and cultures, and the passage of time is measured out with unbroken moments of life being shared in complete symphony; a profound and joyous cultural intersection held together by storytelling and music.
The world premiere of The Monkey King is an epic blend of music, dance, and puppetry based on the beloved Chinese classic, “Journey to the West,” brought to operatic life by General Director Matthew Shilvock’s vision, composer Huang Ruo, and librettist David Henry Hwang, which joins communities to a faraway yet accessible world.
Connectivity as a Community Value
At its heart, San Francisco Opera’s mission is simple: bring together growing audiences to experience opera’s transformative power. By implementing DEC’s goals—listening to local voices, meeting communities where they are, and creating participatory experiences—the Opera’s vision is for everyone to join, from San Francisco to Singapore and everywhere in between. This is a moment where art inspires conversation, where intercultural education provokes questions, and with every voice added to our chorus, that grand tapestry of creative San Francisco Opera spirit gets richer. In DEC’s conception, the future of opera is something that is written together, connection by connection, both on and well beyond the stage.
The Monkey King Events: Engagement & Connectivity in Action
The Monkey King is a groundbreaking San Francisco Opera experience that brings the enchantment of Chinese culture to every part of San Francisco. Working in collaboration with libraries, museums, artists, Art Builds Community (ABC), and Chinatown’s own rich network of cultural organizations, such as BeChinatown®, DEC offers an array of free events that the whole community can enjoy.
At the Monkey King Make & Play: The Art of Puppetry event, hands-on activities and puppetry workshops will be led by local artists, who will help bring the mischievous Monkey King to life through movement and craft at the Asian Art Museum’s Free First Sunday on November 2.
The adventure continues with Once Upon an Opera Storytimes at San Francisco Public Library Branches around the city through most of November, during which puppeteers encourage audiences of all ages to bring their puppets and get them dancing and playing. No experience is necessary, just curiosity and creativity.
The party extends to Chinatown proper at the Historic Great Star Theater with First Act Community Screening, Saturday, November 1. It is a free community film screening giving audience members a glimpse at how Monkey King inspires classic Chinese animation from 1961 Uproar in Heaven (Shanghai Film Group/Shanghai Animation Film Studio) 經典動畫《大鬧天宮》（上海電影集團/上海美術電影製片厰) to the contemporary blockbuster The Monkey King: Havoc in Heaven's Palace (Filmko Pictures (Hong Kong) Co. Ltd.)
《西遊記之大鬧天宮》（星酷影業（香港）有限公司） Registration required.
We are thrilled to expand its impactful partnership with San Francisco Public Library in presenting Opera Glasses: Monkey King Streaming Event. A free encore streaming of the World Premiere production of The Monkey King.
San Francisco Opera embraces Chinatown and the broader Chinese and Chinese American communities as vital, vibrant threads in the Bay Area's cultural fabric. Through its thoughtful programming, the Department of Engagement & Connectivity and BeChinatown® are transforming the presentation of The Monkey King into a hands-on celebration, honoring both San Francisco itself and a story that resonates deeply across the Asian diaspora and among the many who call this city and region home with The Monkey King Public Market. It is a free community gathering in Memorial Court, just outside the War Memorial Opera House. Open to ticketholders and the public alike, this convergence of artisans, artists, and food vendors invites patrons and passersby to savor culinary delights, witness cultural demonstrations, and purchase artistic crafts from local creators. Markets will be held at the following performances:
- Friday, November 28, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
- Sunday, November 30, 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Before the performances, ticketholders can join a 20-minute pre-opera talk with scholar Sidney Chen; it is perfect for newcomers, opera aficionados, and everyone in between. Inside the Opera House, explore an art installation curated by Caitlin Pambid, Quynh-Mai Nguyen, and Amanda Rawson of ABC, featuring Bay Area artists reimagining the cross-cultural versions of the popular Monkey King through their own creative lenses.
The Monkey King Celebrations Are For You
This fall’s the Monkey King events exemplify the DEC vision: connecting the city, inspiring creative exploration, and inviting audiences into the heart of San Francisco Opera. Everyone is encouraged to join the festivities, featuring free workshops, screenings, and market days, and see firsthand how Engagement & Connectivity is building a more vibrant and welcoming San Francisco through the power of conversation and opera.
For a full list of events, details, and how to secure your experience, visit our page, The Monkey King Events
###
