英语时文：歌剧《猴王悟空》旧金山首演.docx

英语时文 歌剧《猴王悟空》旧金山首演 莘莘云课堂

PAGE/NUMPAGES

歌剧《猴王悟空》旧金山首演

InNovember2025,auniqueoperamadeitsworldpremiereattheSanFranciscoOpera（旧金山歌剧院）.TitledTheMonkeyKing,itbringsoneofChina’smostbelovedmythicalfigurestotheWesternoperastage,blendingEasternandWesternartstylesinacreativeway.

AdaptedfromtheearlychaptersofJourneytotheWest(西游记),aclassicChinesenovelbyWuCheng’en,thestoryfollowsSunWukong—theMonkeyKing,bornfromastoneegg.Heseeksimmortalityforhistribe,defeatspowerfulfoesyetstrugglestogaintherespectoftheHeavenlyCourt（天庭）.ImprisonedunderFiveElementsMountainfor500years,helearnshumility（谦逊）anddecidestoassistthemonkXuanzangonhissacredpilgrimage（朝圣）toTianzhu(ancientChinesetermfortheIndiansubcontinent)toretrieveBuddhistscriptures.

Theopera’screationisacross-culturalcollaboration.Chinese-borncomposerHuangRuowrotethescore,whileDavidHenryHwangcraftedthelibrettoinbothEnglishandMandarin.TobringtheMonkeyKing’smagicaladventures—suchasflyingoncloudsandbattlingcelestialbeings—tolife,threeperformersportrayhim:asinger,adancer,andapuppet.Puppeteer（木偶大师）BasilTwistdesignedsetsfeaturingsilksthattransformintowater,clouds,andmountains,andaPekingOperaspecialisttrainedthecastintraditionalgesturesandmovements.

Musically,theproductionmergesaWesternorchestrawithtraditionalChineseinstrumentslikethepipa,afour-stringedpluckedlute.Thisblendcreatesenergeticbattlesequencesandserene,reflectivemoments,leadingdirectorDianePaulustodubita“magicalKungFuopera”foritscombinationofsinging,KungFu,dance,andpuppetry.

MatthewShilvock,generaldirectoroftheSanFranciscoOpera,hopestheoperawillresonatewithallaudiences.“ForthosewhogrewupwiththeMonkeyKing,itevokesnostalgia（怀旧之情）;forothers,it’sachancetodiscoveratreasureofChineseclassicallitera