David Henry Hwang and Huang Ruo's latest opera The Monkey King is making its world premiere at San Francisco Opera, opening November 14. Get a first look at the production, directed by Tony winner Diane Paulus, in the gallery below.

Based on the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West, the opera tells the story of a monkey, born from a stone egg, who embarks on a quest for the secret of immortality, mischievously thumbing his nose at authority along the way. The piece incorporates puppetry, dance, Peking opera, and Buddhist sutras.

Tenor Kang Wang stars as the Monkey King, alongside tenor Konu Kim as the Jade Emperor, soprano Mei Gui Zhang as Guanyin, baritone Jusung Gabriel Park as Master Subhuti/Buddha, bass Peixin Chen as Supreme Sage Laojun, baritone Joo Won Kang as Dragon King Ao Guang/Lord Erlang, and mezzo-soprano Hongni Wu as Crab General/Venus Star. Carolyn Kuan is conducting the world premiere.

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See Production Photos of The Monkey King at San Francisco Opera

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Paulus helms a production which features puppetry and scenic design by Basil Twist, choreography by Ann Yee, costumes by Anita Yavich, lighting by Ayumu "Poe" Saegusa, and projections by Hana S. Kim. The creative team also includes associate set designer Sara C. Walsh and Peking Opera specialist Jamie Guan.

The Monkey King is the third opera by librettist Hwang and composer Ruo, following their 2014 opera An American Soldier, which had its New York premiere last year, and a 2022 opera based on Hwang’s Tony and Pulitzer-winning play M. Butterfly. Ruo's next opera, based on the film The Wedding Banquet, will premiere in Seattle in 2027, before coming to the Metropolitan Opera.

The Monkey King runs November 14-30 at San Francisco Opera. The November 18 performance will be live-streamed and available for on-demand viewing on the SFO website through November 25. For more information, visit SFOpera.org.