3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
French Baroque arias takes center stage at this year's Hanwha Classic
Coloratura soprano Patricia Petibon and Ensemble Amarillis present 'Flammes de Magiciennes'
For this year's Hanwha Classic, an annual highlight for fans of early music, French Baroque will take center stage with a one-woman opera performed by renowned French soprano Patricia Petibon and Ensemble Amarillis, performing in Korea for the first time.
Titled 'Flammes de Magiciennes' -- or 'Flames of Sorceresses' in English -- the performance weaves together arias from French Baroque operas to create a five-act narrative centered on Medea, a mythological figure who enacts a brutal revenge driven by love, passion and betrayal.
'It focuses on the figure of the sorceress in Baroque opera, which began in early 17th-century Italy and gained importance later in Paris and Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV,' Heloise Gaillard, artistic director of the French ensemble, told reporters during a press conference Wednesday at The Plaza in central Seoul.
She added that the opera was inspired by Petibon.
'Patricia moves effortlessly from comedy to tragedy, which perfectly suits the Baroque aesthetic — a music of contrasts. In Baroque opera, we shift quickly from the tragic to the comic, and even within tragedies, comic characters are ever-present,' Gaillard said.
Petibon, a versatile soprano with a repertoire spanning from French Baroque to contemporary music, said Baroque music offered an ideal foundation for her vocal development.
'I'm a bit voracious — I don't like staying in the same musical world. I believe voice grows through exploration: exploring the body, exploring new repertoires,' she said.
'Flammes de Magiciennes,' which will be staged Friday and Sunday at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall, also offers audiences a chance to explore Baroque instrumental works and dances.
'I paired these themes with instrumental works that enhance the drama in the text. For instance, the first piece in the program is 'Le Chaos' by Jean-Fery Rebel, from 'Les Elemens.' It depicts primordial chaos -- when the elements had not yet come together in harmony. The music is truly revolutionary for its time, with extremely dissonant, chaotic harmonies.'
'There are also dances in the program, highlighting the essential role of rhythm in Baroque music. Louis XIV was a great dancer, and dance permeated the court's life and music,' she explained.
Hanwha Classic, a cultural initiative of South Korean conglomerate Hanwha, was launched in 2013 to support early music -- classical music composed in the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods -- and has introduced internationally renowned early music artists to South Korea.
All tickets are priced at 50,000 won ($36.38).
To commemorate Korea's Memorial Day on Friday, Hanwha will invite 200 individuals who have been recognized for distinguished service to the nation.
