2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
16th Korea Opera Festival to feature classics, originals and family works at Seoul Arts Center
Korea's leading celebration of opera returns this summer with the 16th edition of the Korea Opera Festival, featuring seven new and classic operas running from June 6 to July 13 across all three theaters of the Seoul Arts Center: the Opera House, CJ Towol Theater and Jayu Theater.
Organized by the Korea Opera Companies Association, the annual event brings together seven private opera companies to stage a lineup that includes canonical masterpieces, newly created Korean operas and productions tailored for younger audiences, underscoring the festival's commitment to both artistic excellence and broader accessibility.
The festival opens with "Carmen," a mainstay of the French Romantic repertoire, presented by Gloria Opera Company and directed by Yang Soo-hwa. Set against the backdrop of Spanish exoticism and filled with iconic arias such as "Habanera" and "Toreador Song," Bizet's "Carmen" will run June 6–8 at the Opera House.
From June 13 to 15, Nuova Opera Company will stage Puccini's "La Boheme," which captures the spirit of 19th-century Paris through the bohemian lives and doomed love of young artists. Artistic director Kang Min-woo leads the production.
BeSeTo Opera Company, under artistic director Kang Hwa-ja, follows in early July with Mozart's "Don Giovanni" to be performed from July 4–6. The opera buffa fuses comedy and darkness in the story of the legendary libertine whose escapades end in ruin, framed by Mozart's masterful blend of drama and satire.
Closing the Opera House schedule is "Dosan," a Korean original by Korea Arts Group that dramatizes the life of independence activist Ahn Chang-ho. Running July 11–13, the opera turns the philosopher's ideals of education and enlightenment into a musical narrative, bridging Korean modern history and operatic form.
At CJ Towol Theater, audiences can enjoy Rossini's beloved comedy "The Barber of Seville," presented by Noble Art Opera Company June 20–21. Directed by Shin Sun-seop, the production delivers all the charm, wit,and rapid-fire arias that make the opera a perennial favorite.
The Jayu Theater serves as the stage for two family-friendly productions. "Miles and the Three Musketeers," an original work by The Muse Opera Company directed by Lee Jung-eun, plays June 28–29. Through animal characters preparing for a music audition, the opera explores themes of friendship and aspiration in a format suited for all ages.
Opera Factory reimagines the classic fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood" as a children's opera, running July 5–6. Directed by Park Kyung-tae, the production uses a child's perspective to reframe familiar narratives and promote engagement with classical music among younger audiences.
Launched in 2009, the Korea Opera Festival has grown into a key platform for private opera companies.
