Opera director defends herself against critics
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Korea National Opera general director Han Ye-jin speaks at a press conference at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul on Tuesday. / Yonhap
By Baek Byung-yeul
After cancelling twice, new Korea National Opera (KNO) general director Han Ye-jin finally met reports Tuesday for the first time since her surprise appointment last month.
Normally new directors have introduced their vision during their first press conference, but Han spent more time explaining what she calls misunderstandings surrounding her appointment.
The opera community, which has strongly protested the new KNO director, has claimed that she does not have the academic or professional background befitting the chief of the nation’s top opera house.
“I take those opinions as an encouragement and will do my best as a new director,” she said during a press conference at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Tuesday.
While she has sung in Korean opera houses, Han admitted that she has no experience in opera production. The opera community is demanding that she step down and filed a complaint with the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office on Jan. 30 against Han for being named without proper verification from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
She vowed to transform Korea as an “emerging mecca of opera.”
“Many Korea-born opera singers are actively performing in lots of world-famous theaters. Korean singers have great competitiveness compared to other countries,” Han said.
“I will put every effort to make Korea as an emerging Mecca of opera by benchmarking top opera companies.”
The director, also known abroad as Regina Han, studied at the G. Verdi Conservatorio di Milano.