10/01/2026
We're excited to announce that Huang Ruo, internationally renowned composer of The Monkey King, Bound, and M. Butterfly, will serve as our first Composer-in-Residence beginning in 2027.
"Huang Ruo is one of the foremost composers of opera in the United States and I couldn't be prouder to announce his residency with Seattle Opera," said General and Artistic Director James Robinson, who has directed several of Huang's operas. "Beyond his accomplished record as a composer, Huang Ruo is also a compelling advocate for opera who believes deeply in the art form's power to bring people together. He's one of the most engaging and enthusiastic people I know, and I think Seattle Opera audiences will learn a lot from his perspective."
"I'm deeply humbled and honored by this invitation to serve as Composer-in-Residence for Seattle Opera," said Huang Ruo. "It is rare for opera companies to engage Composers-in-Residence, so I think this partnership demonstrates both Seattle Opera's bold vision for the future of the art form and an exciting model for how opera companies can work with living creators to create, present, and engage the community around new opera. I am excited for this new adventure and I feel a sincere responsibility as an artist and educator to help people better understand our world through opera."
Huang Ruo's three-year residency will begin in the 2027/28 season with his opera, M. Butterfly. Based on the Tony Award-winning play by David Henry Hwang, the opera tells the true story of a fateful relationship between a French diplomat and a Chinese opera singer, raising questions about the West's cultural assumptions about the East and the fluid nature of desire.
The residency will culminate in the world premiere of The Wedding Banquet, a new rom-com opera inspired by the beloved 1993 film by Ang Lee and the 2025 re-imagined version by director Andrew Ahn. James Schamus, who co-wrote both films, will write the libretto.
Read more at seattleopera.org/huangruo
Photo credits:
1 & 2, Huang Ruo, photos by David Jaewon Oh
3 & 4, M. Butterfly, photos by Curtis Brown for Santa Fe Opera
5 & 6, Bound, photos by Sunny Martini
