Published: 12.02.2026 10.02.2026

Staging of the Opera “Dream of the Red Chamber” at the San Francisco Opera – A Breakthrough Event in the Context of the Global Reception of Chinese Culture

Katarzyna Suska-Zagórska ORCID , Chenyang Zhao ORCID

Abstract

Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦, Hónglóu Mèng), an 18th-century novel by Cao Xueqi, is one of the four great classic novels of Chinese literature and holds a special place in the canon of Chinese cultural heritage. Its significance is reflected in the English-language opera Dream of the Red Chamber by Bright Sheng, which premiered on September 10, 2016, in San Francisco, in collaboration with the San Francisco Opera, the Chuanlong Foundation, and the Chinese Heritage Foundation Friends of Minnesota. The success of this project marked a significant milestone in the global dissemination of Chinese classical literature and music, demonstrating an original synthesis of Chinese musical traditions with Western compositional language. The use of English and the international team of producers emphasised the universal dimension of the project and its importance for intercultural dialogue. This article attempts to provide a concise overview of Cao Xueqin's novel and Bright Sheng's opera, focusing on their cultural significance, artistic merits, and international critical reception. The focus of this discussion is the opera's staging and its resonance in the United States and China, rather than a detailed analysis of the musical work.

Keywords:

Chinese classical novels, Chinese folk music, opera, the global context of the reception of Chinese culture

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Staging of the Opera “Dream of the Red Chamber” at the San Francisco Opera – A Breakthrough Event in the Context of the Global Reception of Chinese Culture. (2026). Edukacja Muzyczna (Musical Education) , 20, 317-373. https://doi.org/10.16926/

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Staging of the Opera “Dream of the Red Chamber” at the San Francisco Opera – A Breakthrough Event in the Context of the Global Reception of Chinese Culture. (2026). Edukacja Muzyczna (Musical Education) , 20, 317-373. https://doi.org/10.16926/

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