Indulge in Imaginative Operas on Small Stages
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Last month, the Seoul Opera Ensemble Company staged a hip version of Verdi's ``Rigoletto'' at the Towol Theater, Seoul Arts Center. Such small stages will continue to host operas that flirt with experimental structures and bring audiences closer to the genre.
The Small Theater Opera festival, currently ongoing through July 27 at the National Theater of Korea, features rare-to-see pieces such as Rimsky-Korsakov's ``Mozart and Salieri.'' The work dramatizes the supposedly fatal rivalry between the two composers in 18th-century Vienna, and inspired the critically acclaimed Milos Forman movie ``Amadeus'' (1984).
Accompanying the show are works by the Mozart and Salieri themselves, ``Der Schauspieldirektor (The Impresario)'' and ``Prima la musica e poi le parole (Music Comes Before Speech),'' respectively. At the time, it is said that the emperor assigned the two to write an opera about the birth of opera, and Salieri's piece was preferred over Mozart's satirical criticism of the corrupt music scene. Tickets for each opera cost from 30,000 won to 50,000 won. Call (02) 6223-5312 or visit www.seoulopera.org. Located near Dongguk University station, line 3, exit 6.
While Seoul Arts Center prepares for its Opera Theater's reopening in mid-December with ``The Nutcracker,'' the Towol Theater will continue to resound with operatic arias. The National Opera of Korea invites first-time opera-goers and avid fans to watch Bizet's Spanish love story ``Carmen'' July 23-Aug. 1. Tickets cost from 10,000 won to 50,000 won Students and children can receive special discounts up to 50 percent, with the lowest reservation price costing 5,000 won. Call (02) 586-5282.
In August, Seoul Arts Center presents Mozart's ``The Magic Flute'' from Aug. 9 to 24. This is part of the center's annual best-selling summer vacation treat for families. The fantastic visuals and storyline featuring nymphs and singing flutes will captivate children and adults alike. Under the baton of Christopher Lee from Austria, the Seoul Arts Center Festival Orchestra and the country's top singers will deliver a night of magic with the stellar Queen of the Night aria. Tickets cost 30,000 won to 50,000 won. Call (02) 580-1300 or visit www.sac.or.kr (Korean and English). The center is located near Nambu Bus Terminal station, subway line 3, exit 5.
Alice in Wonderland
In the meantime, local fans will finally be able to appreciate an original opera at home. South Korea's feted composer Chin Unsuk's ``Alice in Wonderland'' is now available on
DVD (Eklasse).
Lewis Carroll's classic story is brought to life with Chin's dreamy music, Chinese-American playwright David Henry Hwang's poignant libretto and Kent Nagano's fine-tempoed interpretation. It debuted last year at Munich's Bayerische Staatspoer (Bavarian State Opera) with maestro Nagano at the baton, and now everyone can experience the performance. The opera was listed in the Los Angeles Times' ``Best of 2007'' and named ``World Premiere of the Year'' by European critics in Opernwelt magazine.
Deliciously surreal and hypnotizing, Alice's adventure is thoroughly deconstructed through multimedia creations inspired by pantomime, theater and musical. It is at once fascinating and thought-provoking as our protagonist asks the undying question: ``Who in the world am I?'' Soprano Sally Mathews delivers arias with restrained drama and deep tones while she speaks the lines with a childish purr.
Particularly striking is the scene with the smoking Caterpillar, brought to life by a bass clarinet soloist. The opera production seems to be an audiovisual materialization of the composer's musicality ― her greatest muses being dreams, light and color.
In English with Korean, French, German and Italian subtitles. Chin herself spent six months translating the libretto into her native tongue. On sale at major record shops and bookstores. Call (031) 911-5613.