▲ This photo, shows the participants of the press conference for the 13th Korea Opera Festival taking a picture on the 12th in the Seoul Arts Center. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

▲ This photo, shows the press conference for the 13th Korea Opera Festival that was held on the 12th in the Seoul Arts Center. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

 

 

SEOUL, Apr. 12 (Yonhap) -- A festival to appreciate a variety of opera works from classical to original is being held.

The Korea Opera Festival Organization and the Korea Opera Festival Organizing Committee held a press conference at the Opera House in the Seoul Arts Center on the 12th and announced that the 13th Korea Opera Festival will be held at the Seoul Arts Center from 28th April to the 5th of June.

At this year's festival, the Korea Opera Eve Festival, "Opera Gala Concert" and the Children's opera will be presented for the first time. There will be 5 major operas in the large theater and 2 smaller operas in the small theater.

On the opening day, the 28th, the "Opera Gala Concert," announces the start of the festival under the theme of "The Flower of Hope is in full bloom." Soprano Rim Se-kyung, Sun Young-seo, Oh Mi-seon, Lee Jeong-won, Lee Dong-myeong, baritone Ko Seong-hyeon, vocalist Shin Jeong-hye and many more will be on stage to perform famous songs including "La Traviata," "Madama Butterfly," and "Tosca" along with the Korean original opera, Aria.

Art Director of the festival, Kim Soo-jeong said, "I always wished there was a festival for all these singers. As it is a season when cherry blossoms are in full bloom, I try to capture the innocence of 'Madama Butterfly' or the 'Tosca' that is like the flower lily."

The director continued, "For the hope that the Korean Opera would take over the world one day, the opera begins and ends with a Korean Opera."

For the pre-act operas, composed of two Versimo operas (realist operas), "Cavalleria Rusticana e Pagliacci," Franz Lehár's "The Merry Widow" (Gyeonsang Opera),and Giacomo Puccini's " La bohème" (Best opera) will be on stage. 

Two invited works will be presented. The National Opera will premiere Verdi's Les vêpres siciliennes (The Sicilian Vespers) in Korea and the Gimhae Cultural Foundation will re-enact the original opera "Queen Heohwanghu" which premiered last year.

"Not only does Queen Heohwanghu show the myths and tales of the founding of Gaya, but it also shows the love and dream between king Suro of Geumgwan Gaya and Queen Heohwanghu that was beyond the borders" the general manager from the Gimhae Cultural Foundation said.

The NMK's "Girl With the Fan" being held at the Jayu Theater includes Pansori, vocal music and a combination of Korean traditional music with the Western music while the muse opera's children opera "Chef Ralph's Dream" is a remake of the opera "Mystery on the Docks."

 

As a side event, an outdoor musical water fountain show will also be performed at the lawn plaza from the 14th May till 21st May.

 

(This article is translated from Korean to English by Haemin Kim.)

 

 

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[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]