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Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
'The Rising World' - a message-driven opera that wades through cloudy narrative
While not perfect, 'The Rising World' marks a bold and promising step for the Seoul Arts Center. "Tick, tick, tick, tick ..." A chorus encircles a giant ticking clock as they chant. Inside is a figure -- an artisan who sacrifices herself to restore order. Her act saves the princess and many others from a world submerged by water. What follows, the scene shows, is left to those who remain. One might read this as an allegory -- a warning about climate change, or a meditation on the power of unconditional sacrifice. In its first-ever original opera production, the Seoul Arts Center on Sunday premiered 'The Rising World,' composed by Mary Finsterer with a libretto by Tom Wright. While the music -- performed by the cast and the Korean National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Steven Osgood -- was solidly executed, the narrative's arrival at that core message required the audience to wade through water -- slow and murky. The new opera presents a female-driven drama performed by top singers, soprano Hwang Soo-mi and mezzo-soprano Kim Jung-mi, set in an imaginative world that suffers from rising water after the princess becomes possessed by a water spirit. It offers no explanation of why the princess is possessed. That lack of exposition might have been forgivable -- even compelling -- had the narrative flowed with greater emotional momentum. A dramatic scene in which court advisers argue over how to handle the princess' possession stretches on without a dramatic payoff. One wonders if, with tonal variation -- even humor -- this segment could have landed more effectively. Musically, the score feels accessible and at times gently textured. Fluidity runs through the opera, echoing the motif of water throughout its orchestration, but it falls short of a powerful moment of catharsis. Visually, the aesthetic of the set and costumes evokes Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" -- a world defined by slate grays and deep blues. The stage is minimal yet symbolic, evoking ancient ruins. With this work, the Seoul Arts Center signals its ambition to reach global audiences through an English-language opera, backed by an international creative team -- including director Stephen Carr, who ensured that the production also incorporated culturally resonant elements for Korean audiences, such as traditional jars, the melancholic twang of the geomungo, and chants delivered in Korean. "The Rising World" will be presented two more times on May 29 and 31. gypark@
Korea Herald
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Seoul Arts Center premieres new opera 'The Rising World,' blending myth, invention and global vision
In its first venture into producing an original opera, the Seoul Arts Center has partnered with an international creative team — and chosen English as the language of performance. 'The Rising World: The Spirit of Water,' set to premiere in May, draws inspiration from Korea's historical water clock and the country's rich folklore surrounding water spirits. According to the creative team, the opera is not an adaptation of an existing tale, but a newly imagined story that weaves Korean cultural motifs into a universal dramatic framework. Composer Mary Finsterer, known for her work across opera, film and orchestral music, described the piece as one of her most personal works to date. 'The story isn't rooted in a specific culture,' she explained. 'But Korean elements like the water clock and water spirit helped shape a world that speaks to all audiences.' Finsterer also incorporated Korean traditional instruments and sound textures into the score, including a geomungo cadenza performed live on stage. The geomungo is a traditional Korean plucked zither known for its deep, resonant timbre. Musically, 'The Rising World' emphasizes fluidity, echoing the motif of water throughout its orchestration, the composer explained. Finsterer said it blends conventional and electroacoustic elements, including the rare waterphone instrument, to evoke the elemental force of water. 'Every single note she writes — whether it's note length, rhythm, pitch, or phrasing — tells something very specific about what a character is feeling,' said conductor Steven Osgood, a veteran of more than thirty opera world premieres. Osgood is set to lead the Korean National Symphony Orchestra at the premiere. The opera centers on two female protagonists — a princess and an inventor — who drive the narrative as they confront environmental catastrophe and the corrupting force of power. Soprano Hwang Su-mi and mezzo-soprano Kim Jung-mi, who portray the lead roles, emphasized that while the opera highlights gender dynamics, its core message lies in the intergenerational transmission of wisdom and responsibility. 'This isn't just a story about two women,' Hwang noted. 'It's about how the younger generation rises to inherit and reshape the future.' 'There is no love story. Instead, it explores themes like the environment, power dynamics between the monarchy and the people, and offers reflections on Korea's current social context,' Hwang added. The cast also includes tenor Robin Tritschler, a seasoned performer with credits at Covent Garden's Royal Opera House and the Salzburg Festival, who plays the apprentice, and bass-baritone Ashley Riches, a globally acclaimed recitalist, in the role of the king. Countertenor Jung Min-ho, an early music specialist active in both Korea and Europe, takes on the role of the Spirit of Water, bringing an ethereal, otherworldly quality to the production. 'The Rising World' project dates back to 2022, when the Seoul Arts Center announced a renewed commitment to opera by strengthening its in-house productions. That initiative has included collaborations with the Royal Opera House on 'Norma' and 'Otello,' and now culminates in the world premiere of an entirely original work. 'We wanted to do more than just import foreign productions,' said Suh Kou-nee, general director of artistic planning and operations at SAC. 'This time, we aimed to create an opera that resonates globally while still reflecting a distinctly Korean identity.' Explaining the decision to stage the opera in English, Suh emphasized that it was not about prioritizing international markets, but rather about adopting a language that could reach the widest possible audience while still honoring Korean themes. 'After Korean, the most familiar language here is English,' she said. 'This is a Korean production told in a global voice.' With international staging in mind, SAC has begun negotiations with opera houses in Asia and Europe for performances in the 2027-28 seasons and established a partnership with Schott Music, the prestigious German publisher known for releasing first editions of 'Don Giovanni,' 'The Ring Cycle' and more recently, works by Stravinsky. 'The Rising World: The Spirit of Water' will have its world premiere at the Seoul Arts Center's Opera House on May 25, with additional performances scheduled for May 29 and 30.
