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FULL Buddha and the Monkey King London (Anna Vienna Ho) 2020 Lixin Liu, Michael CT Lam
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Buddha and the Monkey King
- Composer: Anna Vienna Ho
- Libretto: Michael CT Lam, Roxanne Korda, based on “Buddha and the Monkey King” from Journey to the West Libretto Text, Libretto Index
- Venue & Opera Company: The Cockpit, London UK
- Recorded: September 19, 2020
- Type: Staged Opera Live
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
An adaptation of ‘Journey to the West’ by Wu Cheng’en, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Rooted in Chinese folk religion, mythology, and Confucianist, Taoist and Buddhist philosophies, this opera opens a new window on the novel. This short opera, which is considered a “prologue” of the whole work, shows one of its most iconic moments as Buddha talks to the mighty Monkey King.
This English-language opera blends Chinese and Western musical traditions. The second part of the work, “The Monk of the River” will be performed in the next Tête à Tête Opera Festival.
The performance will include an introduction to Chinese instruments, especially the Ruan.
Buddha and the Monkey King:
Librettist: Michael CT Lam
The Monkey King: Lixin Liu
The Buddha/Ruanist: Michael CT Lam
Piano: Lingling Yu
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The Monk of the River:
Librettist: Roxanne Korda
Xuanzang: Jack Whiting
Yin Wenqiao: Valerie Wong
Chen Guangrui: James Gribble
The Dragon King/Yin Kaishan: Franco Kong
Madame Zhang: Deirdre McCabe
Liu Hong: Aaron Kendall
Li Biao: Tricia Yates
Monk Faming: Edwin Dizer
Madame Hu: Roxanne Korda
Fisherman/Zhao Yue: Wan Tat Cheah
Erhuist: Eugene Too