Operas Galore at Daegu, Bucheon Next Month
By Lee Hyo-won, Kwaak Jeyup
Staff Reporter, Korea Times Intern
Opera fans can expect some treats to come their way next month, as Daegu and Bucheon become host to opera festivals.
Opera in Daegu
The 2008 Daegu International Opera Festival (DIOF) will take place from Oct. 1 for a 39-day run. Marking the 60th anniversary of opera in Korea and also the festival's 6th year, DIOF has announced its theme ``Via Corea, Viva Opera!'' and its program this year.
The festival will begin with ``Tosca'' (Oct. 1-3), commemorating the 150th anniversary of Puccini. Francesca Patane sings the title role, while Lee Jung-won, who sings at La Scala, will be Cavaradossi. The orchestra will be under the direction of Valerio Galli of Fondazione Festival Pucciniano.
At the press conference in Seoul, Nam Sung-Hee, president of the organizing committee, said, ``Daegu International Opera Festival brings together internationally-renowned singers and the country's best opera companies.'' She added, ``Our selections are all milestones in Korean opera history, and the productions will confirm the energy and excellence of Korean opera.''
Among the works in the European canon, there are ``Lucia di Lammermoor'' (Oct. 10) and ``L'Elisir d'Amore'' (Oct. 13) by Donizetti, ``La Cenerentola'' (Nov. 5-7) by Rossini and ``La Traviata'' (Oct. 20) by Verdi. The Korean premiere of the famed Staatstheater Darmstadt production of Mozart's first two operas ``Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebotes'' and ``Apollo et Hyacinthus'' (Oct. 24-25) composed at the age of 11, promises to be an exciting event for Mozart fans.
Modern and contemporary selections represent the Korean repertoire. ``Soul Mate (A Match Made in Heaven)'' (Oct. 17 and 18), which premiered in Frankfurt as ``Der Hochzeitstag'' in 2006 to rave reviews, is a work based on a 1943 comedy that parodies the rigid traditions of marriage. ``Chun-Hyang Jeon'' (Oct. 31), the first Korean opera ever, composed in 1948, is based on one of the most famous works in Korean pansori that revolves around the mutual love of Chun-hyang and Mong-ryong, which is disturbed by a corrupt local administrator.
Other events include a performance of the Adolphe Adam ballet ``Giselle'' (Oct. 28), a ceremony of the first Korean Opera Awards, an open audition for Opera Australia, and a backstage tour.
The festival takes place at the Daegu Opera House. Call (053) 666-6111 or visit https://www.operafestival.or.kr for more information.
Opera in Bucheon
The third season of Opera in Bucheon will open Oct. 22-25. Following last year's highly successful performance of ``The Barber of Seville,'' the small Gyeonggi Province city presents Donizetti's ``L'Elisir d'Amore'' to establish opera as one of its representative cultural symbols.
The comic opera is about a poor farmhand who tries to win the love of a beautiful woman with a fake love potion. The story comes to life in a traditional Italian setting with a cast of over 130 singers including members of the Bucheon Philharmonic Chorus. The Bucheon Philharmonic, one of South Korea's most reputable ensembles, completes Bucheon City's ambitious brand-making project. The orchestra's conductor Lim Hun-joung will assume the artistic directorship of the production while Choi Hee-chuhn, who conducts the Saxon State Opera Dresden, will take the baton.
With the exception of tenor Kang Yosep, the first Korean soloist at Deutsche Oper Berlin, the main cast was selected through an open audition and brings together talented young singers who are active in Korea and Europe. Kang will share the role of the love-struck Nemorino with Strasbourg-based singer Lee Seung-mook, who received positive reviews from the Italian press for his interpretation of ``Carmen's'' Don Jose at the 2006 and 2007 Bologna Festival in Italy. The heroine Adina will be played by sopranos Kim Hang-jae, who debuted as Mimi in ``La Boheme'' in Turin, Italy, and Son Ji-hye, whom Sumi Jo took under her wing through the ``Sumi Jo and Winners'' tour.
The performances on the 22nd and 24th features Kang and Kim, while Lee and Son will sing on the 23rd and 25th. The first duo is expected to deliver delicate, lucid tones while the latter will show off a more dramatic and deep color. In attempt to bring a genre that is often considered distant and esoteric closer to the public, the singers will greet fans through an autograph session following each performance.
The opera will be staged at Bucheon Civic Center, beginning 7:30 p.m. each night except on Saturday, Oct. 25, when it begins at 4 p.m. Tickets cost 20,000-80,000 won. Call (032) 320-6335 or visit www.bcf.or.kr for more information.