THE MONKEY KING - Composer Huang Ruo and Librettist David Henry Hwang
After working together on “An American Soldier” and “M. Butterfly,” the composer Huang Ruo and his librettist David Henry Hwang partner again for an important premiere at the San Francisco Opera. Chinese literature provides the source material this time, in the form of the 16th-century novel “Journey to the West,” and the music will similarly blend Eastern and Western traditions. Carolyn Kuan conducts a production by Diane Paulus, with puppetry by Basil Twist; Kang Wang sings the title role. (Nov. 14-30; War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco)