Soprano Angela Gheorghiu to sing in memory of late Pavarotti

Prima donna returns to Seoul after 5 years

By Yun Suh-young

Angela Gheorghiu / Courtesy of Naphtalina Fondazione Pavarotti

Soprano Angela Gheorghiu will be performing later this week in Seoul, five years since her first performance here.

Gheorghiu's last appearance in Seoul was in “La Boheme” in 2012, which was her fourth visit to the country. Her first was in 2002.

Starting at the Daegu Opera House on Nov. 12, Gheorghiu is on a nationwide tour to perform in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the death of legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti. On Nov. 15, Gheorghiu will perform at the Gwangju Culture and Art Center, followed by Seoul performances on Nov. 17 and 18.

The "Angela Gheorghiu Gala Concert in Seoul" will be held at the Lotte Concert Hall in Jamsil, southeastern Seoul. On the first day, soprano Shin Young-ok, tenor Matteo Mezzaro, and baritones Ko Seng-hyoun and Leon Kim will also perform with the Korea Coop Orchestra under the helm of Eugene Kohn. On the second day, tenor Rame Lahaj and baritone Ko Seng-hyoun will perform with the Gwangju Metropolitan Orchestra, again under Kohn. Both concerts will feature songs that Pavarotti favored during his lifetime.

Gheorghiu arrived in Seoul Nov. 6. The Seoul concert will be the highlight of her tour, according to her local agency.

In the upcoming performance, she will be singing solos such as "Vissi d'Arte" from “Tosca,” "Habanera" from “Carmen,” "Ebben? Ne andro lontana" from “La Wally,” and "Lo son l´umile ancella" from “Adriana Lecouvreur” as well as duets such as "Parigi o Cara" from “La Traviata,” "La ci darem la mano" from “Don Giovanni,” and "O soave fanciulla" from “La Boheme.”

Debuting in 1990, Gheorghiu has performed in leading roles at New York's Metropolitan Opera, London's Royal Opera House, the Vienna State Opera and Milan's La Scala to name a few. The Romanian soprano made her international debut in 1992 as Zerlina in "Don Giovanni" at the Royal Opera House and in 1994 she performed as Violetta in “La Traviata” at the Royal Opera House which led her to international stardom. She is especially known for her performances in Puccini's operas, and has made the greatest number of appearances in Puccini's "Tosca" over the past five years. Gheorghiu is known as one of the best Puccini sopranos as the characters fit her dramatic vocal tone. She has concentrated her repertoire on roles such as Violetta, Mimi, Magda, Adina and Juliette.

Ticket prices are from 70,000 won to 270,000 won. Tickets can be bought at Interpark or Lotte Concert Hall websites. For more information, call 02-743-7854.