A festival of opera classics in Seoul

Features

Published: 07 Jul. 2005, 21:22

A festival of opera classics in Seoul

Starting next weekend, the Korea Chamber Opera Association will be hosting the annual Summer Opera Festival at the National Theater of Korea, showcasing some of the most beloved operas in the world.
Local opera companies will be performing a repertoire of masterpieces such as Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” and Gian Carlo Menotti’s “The Old Maid and the Thief/The Telephone” at the festival, which is in its seventh year.
On July 16 and 17, the Korean Chamber Orchestra will be performing Franz Lehar’s “Das Land des Lachelns” (The Land of the Morning Calm), the first time the opera is being presented in Korea. The two-day performance of Lehar’s work, conducted by Yoshihiro Chiba, will be followed by “Don Giovanni” by the Seoul Opera Ensemble, “Rigoletto” by Opera Petit and “The Old Maid and the Thief” and “Telephone” by the Kim Cha Kyung Opera Company.
Distinguished Korean singers, as well as aspiring newcomers, will participate in the festival. Ticket prices for operas typically are high, but those for the festival are quite reasonable, providing an opportunity for all to enjoy the event.
To introduce new operas to Korea, the organizers have decided to showcase Lehar’s work, while “Don Giovanni” is being performed in honor of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Mozart. The performance of Menotti’s opera will be conducted by Park Myeong-gi, the current conductor of the Seoul Metropolitan Opera Company.

by Choi Jie-ho

The Seventh Seoul Chamber-Opera Festival will be held in the Small Hall (Dal Hall) of the National Theater of Korea from July 16 to 31. “Das Land des Lachelns” will be performed on July 16 and 17, “Don GiovannI’ from July 19 to 21, “Rigoletto” from July 24 to 27 and “The Old Maid and the Thief” and “The Telephone” from July 30 to 31. Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on weekends. Ticket prices range from 20,000 won to 40,000 won. For more information, call (02) 741-7389.