San Francisco premiere for opera based on Journey to the West
Huang Ruo watched his kids on Halloween during the coronavirus pandemic, his son dressed as Spider-Man and Batman, his daughter as Elsa from Frozen .
'I was just thinking, wouldn't it be nice to have a superhero figure from Asia so all these kids could have something from that part of the world to wear, to look up to?' the composer said. He decided to write The Monkey King , based on an episode from the 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West in which a primate born from stone acquires supernatural powers and seeks immortality.
The work, with singing in English and Mandarin, will be given its world premiere by the San Francisco Opera on November 14. Composer Huang Ruo, whose The Monkey King will premiere at the San Francisco Opera on November 14. Photo: Wenjun Miakoda Liang/San Francisco Opera via AP David Henry Hwang wrote the libretto for The Monkey King. Photo: Gregory Costanzo San Francisco Opera general director Matthew Shilvock issued the commission following the success of another work by a Chinese composer, Bright Sheng's Dream of the Red Chamber , which the company premiered in 2016.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
HKFP
3 hours ago
- HKFP
Taiwanese singer Anpu cancels Hong Kong concert, organiser cites ‘irresistible force'
Taiwanese singer Anpu has cancelled her concert in Hong Kong next month, with the organiser citing 'irresistible force.' The concert was scheduled to be held on August 23 at AsiaWorld Arena, near Hong Kong International Airport. 'Due to the irresistible force of the organiser's situation, there is no way for the concert to go ahead as planned,' concert organiser CCY Entertainment said in a statement on Tuesday. It did not elaborate on what 'irresistible force' was. The Taiwanese singer, whose full name is Chiao Anpu, publicly supported Taiwan's Sunflower Movement in 2014 and Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement in the same year. However, she came under fire from fans last year after her management company posted her handwritten message celebrating China's National Day on October 1 on Weibo. 'Irresistible force' In the comments section of the organiser's Instagram post, some concertgoers asked what 'irresistible force' meant, while others complained that they had already booked hotels or that the handling fee was non-refundable. According to the organiser, ticket vendors KKTIX, and Damai, which primarily serve the mainland Chinese market, will arrange refunds without customers needing to apply. However, handling fees will be non-refundable. This is not the first time a performance or an art event has been cancelled in Hong Kong without a clear explanation. Hong Kong singer Pong Nan's concert in January was axed due to a venue cancellation by the city's art hub. Pong, who is openly gay, is known for his support of the 2019 anti-extradition bill movement. The House of Hong Kong Literature, a non-profit that promotes the city's literary scene, said on July 21 that it was forced to call off a book fair, citing 'factors beyond our control.' A fundraising concert organised by the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) moved online, after the live performance was axed due to what the press group described as 'an irresistible force.'
South China Morning Post
10 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hit Netflix series Adolescence raises key questions about shaping masculine identities
Stephen Graham's Netflix series Adolescence received universal acclaim from critics on its release in March this year. The British drama tells the story of a family whose seemingly ordinary existence is thrown into turmoil when their teenage son is accused of murder. What unfolds is a deep dive into the dangers of social media , toxic masculinity and misogyny. While entirely fictional, the drama had viewers and critics alike commenting on the realistic depiction of the worrying threats facing adolescents today, including the concerning rise of the 'manosphere' with content from the likes of self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate, who has been charged with rape and human trafficking. Young people in Hong Kong are clearly not immune to such content. Dr Jeffy Ho, lead clinical adviser at Mind Hong Kong, explains that masculinity in Hong Kong is shaped by a mix of traditional Chinese values of filial piety, stoicism and duty, along with Western influences of independence, assertiveness and emotional openness. Dr Ho's work with Mind Hong Kong includes oversight of the Improving Access to Community Therapies programme*, which offers low-intensity psychological support sessions from trained well-being practitioners, including school-based services made available to students. These programmes are designed, among other things, to 'help teens build skills for navigating peer and adult relationships [...] and cope with the social pressures that arise from all situations, which may include gender expectations'. KELY Support Group's Get Positive programme incorporates circus skills to help Hong Kong secondary school students deal with stress and boost their confidence. Photo: Handout Ho says there are common narratives around masculinity, including 'men as providers and protectors, [and] emotional restraint, toughness and academic or professional success as markers of male worth and leadership, confidence and competitiveness – as well as avoidance of traits considered 'feminine''. Adolescent identities form as the result of a complex mix of biopsychosocial changes, he explains. 'These intersecting factors [...] make it even more challenging to navigate what it means to be a man,' he adds. Louis Hou, executive director of KELY Support Group, which provides education, outreach and support programmes to empower youth with 'knowledge, resilience and confidence to challenge traditional norms', agrees that 'local culture, heavily influenced by historical media portrayals, continues to reinforce traditional views of masculinity. This phenomenon isn't unique to Hong Kong, but is observed globally.' Dr Wilbert Law, chairman of the division of educational psychology of the Hong Kong Psychological Society and assistant professor in the department of psychology at The Education University of Hong Kong, echoes these sentiments. 'Traditionally, there are certain narratives around masculinity in Hong Kong Chinese [culture] such as being the breadwinner or master of the house, taking on leadership roles in society, carrying on the lineage, and protecting women and more vulnerable [people],' he says. As to whether these ideas are changing, Law explains this is less straightforward. 'It depends on age groups as well as religious and cultural backgrounds,' he says. With multiple types of masculinity being acknowledged and demonstrated across society, he adds, 'There is more heterogeneity in what defines a man.' Wellbeing practitioners trained under Mind Hong Kong's iACT programme. Photo: Handout According to Hou, there has been a shift in Hong Kong towards a 'soft masculinity', where men are encouraged to embrace vulnerability. 'Mental health has entered the discourse, with growing societal support for men to express a broader emotional range. The rise of male-oriented support groups and mental health resources further underscores this departure from traditional ideals of stoicism, reflecting wider acceptance of diverse emotional expression.' In addition to this, traditional expectations of male breadwinners are changing, says Hou.
South China Morning Post
11 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hit Netflix series Adolescence raises key questions about shaping masculine identities
Stephen Graham's Netflix series Adolescence received universal acclaim from critics on its release in March this year. The British drama tells the story of a family whose seemingly ordinary existence is thrown into turmoil when their teenage son is accused of murder. What unfolds is a deep dive into the dangers of social media , toxic masculinity and misogyny. While entirely fictional, the drama had viewers and critics alike commenting on the realistic depiction of the worrying threats facing adolescents today, including the concerning rise of the 'manosphere' with content from the likes of self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate, who has been charged with rape and human trafficking. Young people in Hong Kong are clearly not immune to such content. Advertisement Dr Jeffy Ho, lead clinical adviser at Mind Hong Kong, explains that masculinity in Hong Kong is shaped by a mix of traditional Chinese values of filial piety, stoicism and duty, along with Western influences of independence, assertiveness and emotional openness. Dr Ho's work with Mind Hong Kong includes oversight of the Improving Access to Community Therapies programme*, which offers low-intensity psychological support sessions from trained well-being practitioners, including school-based services made available to students. These programmes are designed, among other things, to 'help teens build skills for navigating peer and adult relationships [...] and cope with the social pressures that arise from all situations, which may include gender expectations'. KELY Support Group's Get Positive programme incorporates circus skills to help Hong Kong secondary school students deal with stress and boost their confidence. Photo: Handout Ho says there are common narratives around masculinity, including 'men as providers and protectors, [and] emotional restraint, toughness and academic or professional success as markers of male worth and leadership, confidence and competitiveness – as well as avoidance of traits considered 'feminine''. Adolescent identities form as the result of a complex mix of biopsychosocial changes, he explains. 'These intersecting factors [...] make it even more challenging to navigate what it means to be a man,' he adds. Louis Hou, executive director of KELY Support Group, which provides education, outreach and support programmes to empower youth with 'knowledge, resilience and confidence to challenge traditional norms', agrees that 'local culture, heavily influenced by historical media portrayals, continues to reinforce traditional views of masculinity. This phenomenon isn't unique to Hong Kong, but is observed globally.' Dr Wilbert Law, chairman of the division of educational psychology of the Hong Kong Psychological Society and assistant professor in the department of psychology at The Education University of Hong Kong, echoes these sentiments. 'Traditionally, there are certain narratives around masculinity in Hong Kong Chinese [culture] such as being the breadwinner or master of the house, taking on leadership roles in society, carrying on the lineage, and protecting women and more vulnerable [people],' he says. As to whether these ideas are changing, Law explains this is less straightforward. 'It depends on age groups as well as religious and cultural backgrounds,' he says. With multiple types of masculinity being acknowledged and demonstrated across society, he adds, 'There is more heterogeneity in what defines a man.' Wellbeing practitioners trained under Mind Hong Kong's iACT programme. Photo: Handout According to Hou, there has been a shift in Hong Kong towards a 'soft masculinity', where men are encouraged to embrace vulnerability. 'Mental health has entered the discourse, with growing societal support for men to express a broader emotional range. The rise of male-oriented support groups and mental health resources further underscores this departure from traditional ideals of stoicism, reflecting wider acceptance of diverse emotional expression.' In addition to this, traditional expectations of male breadwinners are changing, says Hou.
