On November 20, 2025, join Asia Society Northern California for a performance of The Monkey King at the San Francisco Opera, based on the Chinese classical novel, Journey to the West. Combining innovative puppetry, dance, Peking opera, and Buddhist sutras, The Monkey King tells the legendary story of Sun Wukong, the daring Monkey King, as he seeks immortality for his tribe. The Monkey King is a San Francisco Opera World Premier production by Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang.
This Groundbreaker exclusive experience at the San Francisco Opera will feature an pre-show reception and discussion with a member of the production team. The discussion will explore the important role of Chinese American performance art in U.S.-China Relations, as well as the production experience behind-the-scenes at The Monkey King. After the exclusive reception and discussion, the evening will end with a performance of The Monkey King in the Premium Orchestra section.