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News Release - The Huntington Will Present “On Gold Mountain” Opera in the Chinese Garden
Posted on Thu., Feb. 10, 2022
Produced in partnership with LA Opera, the production is based on Lisa See’s book about her Chinese American family and was composed by Nathan Wang, 2022–23 Cheng Family Foundation Visiting Artist
Eight outdoor performances May 5–15, 2022
From left: Portrait of the See family, including Fong See (third from left) and Letticie “Ticie” Pruett (second from right) and their five children, 1914. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens; Lisa See (photo by Patricia Williams); and Nathan Wang (photo by Derek Wang).
SAN MARINO, Calif.—The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens and LA Opera Connects will present an outdoor, site-specific staging of On Gold Mountain, an opera based on author Lisa See’s bestselling book about her Chinese American family’s immigrant experience in California. The opera features a colorful musical score by Nathan Wang, The Huntington’s newly inaugurated 2022–23 Cheng Family Foundation Visiting Artist in the Chinese Garden. Eight performances will be held Thursday, May 5, through Sunday, May 15. Tickets go on sale Feb. 15 at huntington.org.
On Gold Mountain, which premiered in 2000 at the Aratani Theatre in Los Angeles, tells the story of See’s great-grandfather, Fong See, who emigrated from China to California in the 19th century. Arriving in the United States alone at age 14 in search of his father, Fong See faced discrimination and challenges, but with hard work, determination, and ambition, he eventually became a successful businessman. Despite laws against interracial marriage at the time, he married a white American woman, Lettice “Ticie” Pruett, and they had five children. Fong See’s journey takes the audience from China to Los Angeles’ Chinatown, where he became a prominent community member and opened an antique shop that is still owned by the family today.
Archives from the See family are held at The Huntington in the Lisa See Collection and the Gilbert, Florence, and Leslee See Leong Collection. Photographs and documents from these archives will be incorporated into the new production, which will be brought to life in The Huntington’s renowned Chinese Garden, Liu Fang Yuan 流芳園, or the Garden of Flowing Fragrance. On Gold Mountain will be the first theatrical production staged in The Huntington’s new Terrace of Shared Delights 衆樂臺, which opened in late 2020 as part of the final phase of the garden’s construction.
Blending Western and traditional Chinese music, Wang’s musical score will be performed by an orchestra composed of members of the LA Opera Orchestra and student musicians from the greater Los Angeles community. Casting for the production is underway. On Gold Mountain will be directed by Jennifer Chang with a libretto by See.
Tickets
Tickets for On Gold Mountain will be available Feb. 15. For details, visit huntington.org/on-gold-mountain. Huntington Members: $135; non-Members: $150
