The Canadian Youngsters’s Opera Firm is presenting the unique opera The Monkiest King, initially developed as a part of the CCOC’s fiftieth anniversary in 2017.
The brand new manufacturing options greater than 100 younger voices between the ages of seven and 19, together with the lyrical and theatrical music of Alice Ho, and libretto by Marjorie Chan. The unique Canadian kids’s opera takes the stage at Harbourfront Centre from Could 30 to June 1.
The Monkiest King premiere was beloved by audiences and critics alike, and was nominated for 2 Dora Awards. In 2020, the official recording of the opera was launched. You’ll be able to take heed to it right here.
The 2025 manufacturing is a reimagination.
The Legend of the Monkey King
Monkey King, or Solar Wukong, is a determine who comes from a ebook titled Journey to the West. It was printed in China within the sixteenth century throughout the Ming Dynasty.
Within the story, the Monkey King travels with a monk referred to as Xuan Zang, defending him on their journey to India. Zang’s objective is to convey Buddhist holy books again to China.
The Monkey King is intelligent, mischievous, and endowed with particular powers, just like the 72 Earthly Transformations, which he can use to vary himself into animals and issues. He makes use of his numerous abilities, and learns, alongside the best way.
Many students imagine that the legend dates even farther again, and could also be influenced by the Hindu story of the monkey god Hanuman, and even older legends of magical monkeys.
A scene from the unique manufacturing of The Monkiest King (composer Alice Ho and librettist Marjorie Chan); Emily Cheung, choreographer; Yu Han, dancer; Cathy Ord, videographer:
The Opera
The opera is a celebration of cultural variety, utilizing the centuries outdated story of The Monkey King with a contemporary twist. It presents themes that embody the facility of transformation, and a way of discovery.
It’s additionally a celebration and showcase of the fantastic thing about younger voices.
The Monkiest King, Solar Wukong, is a mischievous soul, and he units out on adventures that lead him to cross paths with the Jade Emperor and the Goddess of Mercy, amongst different characters. Alongside the best way, he learns about compassion, humility, and knowledge. He goes from a playful character to 1 who is ready to behave with a selfless sense of heroism.
For 2025, the manufacturing has been reimagined by director William Yong.
William Yong
At present, William Yong is the creative director and founding father of Toronto-based Zata Omm (Zen And The Actualization Of Trendy Motion), and W Zento Manufacturing.
For nearly twenty years, he’s collaborated with artists, scientists and engineers in quite a lot of disciplines. Beneath his tenure, Zata Omm has centered on bringing dance and expertise along with up to date tradition. What does efficiency appear to be within the period of expertise? He’s choreographed quite a few works for the corporate, together with shorter and full-length productions. W Zento is a movie and video manufacturing home specializing within the brief movie trade.
Yong skilled on the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts as a singer, and was a member of the Hong Kong Youngsters’s Choir, touring with the latter to festivals and live shows. After making the swap to bop, he studied on the London Modern Dance Faculty, and Netherlands Dance Faculty, ending his Grasp’s diploma on the College of Kent within the UK.
He’s danced and sung on phases in additional than 75 international locations over his skilled performing profession, and introduced his first work as a choreographer in Germany in 1993.
Yong has since created greater than 150 items, and his dance works have been carried out as a part of Toronto’s Danceworks, Harbourfront World Stage and NextSteps collection, and by a number of firms throughout Ontario and Quebec. In 2024, he grew to become the primary Asian choreographer commissioned by the Nationwide Ballet of Canada to create an unique mainstage work.
Yong’s frequent collaborators have added their enter, together with costume and props designer Lisa Mann (How To Promote Medicine On-line), and Dora Award nominated lighting designer Noah Feaver.
Performances
CCOC’s Music Director Teri Dunn conducts the choir, together with a 10-piece chamber orchestra {of professional} musicians: Patty Chan, Wendy Zhou, Sanya Eng, Lina Cao, Hoi Tong Keung, Douglas Miller, and members of the Penderecki String Quartet. The rating requires each Western and Chinese language devices, together with the erhu, guzheng, pipa, and dizi.
As Govt Director Katherine Semcesen says in an announcement, “On the Canadian Youngsters’s Opera Firm, we imagine younger individuals are not solely the way forward for opera — they’re its current. Time and time once more, our singers exhibit that underneath the care and steerage of unimaginable artists, younger individuals are able to extraordinary artistry.
“By opera, they deepen their understanding of themselves and the world round them — discovering empathy, resilience, and the facility of inventive expression.”
Are you trying to promote an occasion? Have a information tip? Have to know one of the best occasions taking place this weekend? Ship us a be aware.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the each day arts information straight to your inbox.
Join the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — native classical music and opera information straight to your inbox HERE.
Anya Wassenberg is the Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. Beforehand, she was a contract author with a specialty in tradition and journey for 3 many years, and a inventive writing teacher for Ontariolearn.
