Opera 'Seobu-ui Agassi' Set During the American Gold Rush Revived After 3 Years

December 5-8 at the Seoul Arts Center Opera House

Giacomo Puccini's (1858?1924) opera The Girl of the West, set during the American Gold Rush era, will return to the National Opera Company stage after three years.

The National Opera Company will perform The Girl of the West from December 5 to 8 at the Opera Theater of the Seoul Arts Center. The company premiered The Girl of the West in Korea in 2021 and is bringing it back this year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Puccini's death.

2021 Performance Scene of 'Seobu's Agassi' [Photo provided by National Opera Company]

Puccini adapted two plays by American playwright David Belasco (1853?1931) into operas: Madama Butterfly and The Girl of the West. Madama Butterfly premiered in Italy in 1904 and had its New York premiere in 1907. During his stay in New York, Puccini watched Belasco's new play The Girl of the Golden West and decided to compose another opera based on it.

The Girl of the West is set in a California mining town during the American Gold Rush. Belasco was born in California in 1853, at the height of the Gold Rush.

The heroine, Minnie, runs a small saloon in the mining town and safeguards the gold mined by the miners. One day, Minnie falls in love with an outlaw who has secretly entered the town, and to protect their love, she boldly challenges the town sheriff to a poker game.

The role of Minnie will be performed by sopranos Lim Se-kyung and Kim Eun-hee, both known for their powerful vocal abilities. The outlaw Ramirez, who approaches Minnie under the alias Dick Johnson but eventually falls in love with her, will be portrayed by tenors Park Sung-kyu and Han Yoon-seok. The town sheriff, Jack Rance, who obstructs Minnie and Ramirez's love, will be played by baritones Yang Jun-mo and Hwang In-soo. Additionally, Gerard Wallin, an artist affiliated with the Deutsche Oper Berlin, will appear as Ashby, the deputy manager of the transportation company.

Hong Seok-won, artistic director of the Busan Philharmonic Orchestra, will conduct the Korea Coop Orchestra.

The National Opera Company plans to present the December 7 performance at 3 p.m. through Knoma Opera, Korea's first dedicated online streaming service for opera.