The ever-popular Chinese classic 'Monkey: Journey to the West' has premiered in London to a packed audience. Music director Damon Albarn calls the mix of opera, animation and acrobatics 'Popera.' The show has already travelled to Paris, Berlin and the U.S. state of South Carolina.
"Monkey: Journey to the West" is based on a Chinese legend dating back to 1592. It tells about The Monkey King's epic journey of enlightenment. The tale became popular in the 1970s when it was made into a television series for Western audiences.
Damon Albarn was initially reluctant to take on the mammoth task of adapting the play for a 21st century crowd but was convinced by co-director Chen Shi-Zheng.
After his first visit to China, Albarn returned to the world's most populous country many times to understand the intricacies of traditional Chinese music.
