As Korea’s opera scene heads into the yr’s ultimate stretch, main corporations throughout the nation are unveiling high-profile productions that underline the rising ambition and scale of the nation’s opera corporations.
From the Seoul Metropolitan Opera’s grand Fortieth-anniversary staging of Verdi’s “Aida” and Chung Myung-whun’s long-awaited return to “Carmen” in Busan, to Wagner’s monumental “Tristan und Isolde,” Puccini’s “Tosca” and Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Euridice,” audiences are being supplied an distinctive lineup of operatic experiences to shut the season.
‘Orfeo ed Euridice’ by Daegu Worldwide Opera Pageant
Because the closing efficiency of the twenty second Daegu Worldwide Opera Pageant, Christoph Willibald Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Euridice” will take the stage on the Daegu Opera Home on Friday and Saturday. A 2024 in-house manufacturing by Daegu Opera Home, the opera was showcased at Estonia’s Saaremaa Opera Pageant in July to worldwide audiences.
Based mostly on historic Greek mythology, “Orfeo ed Euridice” is a lyrical opera that follows Orfeo’s descent into the underworld in a determined try to reclaim his beloved spouse, Euridice.
The manufacturing is directed by Eom Sook-jeong, with Cho Jung-hyun conducting the Dio Orchestra and the Daegu Opera Choir.
This yr’s Daegu Worldwide Opera Pageant, held beneath the theme “Per Sempre” — Italian for “eternally” — has featured 4 full-scale opera productions since Sept. 26: Verdi’s “Il Trovatore,” Bizet’s “Carmen,” Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro,” together with Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Euridice.” Ticket costs vary from 20,000 received to 100,000 received.
‘Aida’ by Seoul Metropolitan Opera
The Seoul Metropolitan Opera will mark its Fortieth anniversary with a large-scale manufacturing of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida,” returning to the Sejong Heart Grand Theater for the primary time in 11 years. The manufacturing additionally commemorates the sixtieth anniversary of the 1965 Korean premiere of “Aida.”
One in all Verdi’s most majestic operas, “Aida” blends unique environment with deeply human drama. Set in historic Egypt, the story unfolds by way of a robust intersection of affection, struggle and future, heightened by lyrical arias and dramatic ensembles.
With a forged of greater than 200 performers, the manufacturing, directed by Lee Hoe-soo, will take full benefit of the Sejong Heart’s Grand Theater stage to ship an awesome sense of scale and spectacle, in line with the opera firm’s inventive director Park Hye-jin.
A distinguished worldwide forged will lead the manufacturing. The title position of Aida shall be double-cast with sopranos Rim Sae-kyung and Cho Solar-hyung, whereas tenors Shin Sang-geun and Kuk Yoon-jong will carry out as Radames. The position of Amneris shall be shared by mezzo-sopranos Yang Tune-mi and Kim Saerin, with baritones Yoo Dong-jik and Yang Jun-mo showing as Amonasro.
A complete of 4 performances shall be supplied from Nov. 13 to 16.
Ticket costs vary from 50,000 received to 170,000 received.
‘Tosca’ by Seongnam Arts Heart
To have a good time the twentieth anniversary of the Seongnam Arts Heart, the Seongnam Cultural Basis will current Giacomo Puccini’s masterpiece “Tosca” on Nov. 28 and 29 on the Seongnam Arts Heart Opera Home.
“Tosca,” one in every of Puccini’s three biggest operas along with “La Boheme” and “Turandot” unfolds over a single evening, depicting a gripping story of affection, jealousy, energy and betrayal, set in Rome within the early 1800s.
This anniversary manufacturing is directed by Eom Suk-jung. On the podium, Roberto Gianola will lead the Korean Nationwide Symphony Orchestra and Winner Opera Refrain.
The manufacturing options main vocalists together with soprano Cho Solar-hyung, winner of first prizes on the Bilbao and Parma Competitions and energetic throughout main European levels, and soprano Search engine marketing Solar-young, a famend dramatic soprano and professor on the Korea Nationwide College of Arts. Tenors Shin Sang-geun and Park Sung-kyu will carry out the position of Tosca’s lover, the painter Cavaradossi. The ruthless police chief Scarpia shall be portrayed by baritones Park Jung-min and Ryu Ji-sang.
Ticket costs vary from 40,000 received to 120,000 received.
‘Tristan and Isolde’ by the Korea Nationwide Opera
“Tristan und Isolde” will run from Dec. 4 to 7 on the Seoul Arts Heart as a collaboration between the Korea Nationwide Opera and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra beneath music director Jaap van Zweden.
Because the second installment of the Korea Nationwide Opera’s Wagner Collection, this new manufacturing of “Tristan und Isolde” explores the fateful and all-consuming love between the knight Tristan and Princess Isolde. The staging is led by director Stephan Marki, who has expanded his Wagner repertoire with acclaimed productions of “Tristan und Isolde” on the Coburg State Theatre in 2023.
On Dec. 4 and 6, the title roles shall be sung by tenor Stuart Skelton as Tristan and soprano Catherine Foster as Isolde, joined by Tone Kummervold as Brangane, Leonardo Yi as Kurwenal. The Dec. 5 and seven performances will function tenor Bryan Register as Tristan and soprano Eliska Weissova as Isolde, with Kim Hyo-na as Brangane, Noh Dong-yong as Kurwenal.
Park Jong-min as King Marke, Lee Jae-myung as Melot, Kim Jae-yeol because the Shepherd and Younger Sailor, and Kim Younger-hoon because the Steersman will carry out their roles throughout all 4 dates.
The three-act opera, operating roughly six hours together with intermissions, begins at 3 p.m. every day from Dec. 4 to 7.
Ticket costs vary from 50,000 received to 180,000 received.
‘Carmen’ by Basic Busan
Basic Busan presents a live performance opera efficiency of Bizet’s “Carmen” led by maestro Chung Myung-whun on the Busan Live performance Corridor in Busan on Dec. 19 and 20. This marks Chung’s first “Carmen” on a Korean stage in about 20 years.
Underneath Chung’s baton, the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra will carry out alongside a formidable forged of singers who carry out internationally. World-renowned tenor Lee Yong-hoon, who has appeared in main roles on the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera Home and the Vienna State Opera, will sing Don Jose — marking solely his third opera look in Korea. Canadian mezzo-soprano Michele Losier will tackle the title position of Carmen, whereas baritone Kim Ki-hoon, winner of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competitors, will seem as Escamillo. Including to the size of the efficiency, three choirs — the Kimhae Metropolis Choir, Basic Busan Choir and the Haeundae Youngsters’s Choir — may also take part.
Ticket costs vary from 10,000 received to 120,000 received.
gypark@heraldcorp.com
