Nine Productions, Including Traditional Theater from China and Japan,
to Be Staged at the National Theater of Korea Through September 28
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in collaboration with the National Theater of Korea, will host the "World Music Theater Festival Centered on Changgeuk" from September 3 to 28, bringing together traditional music theater from around the world with a focus on Korea's unique musical drama, Changgeuk.
Through this festival, four productions by the National Theater of Korea, three international guest performances, and two domestic guest performances will be presented.
The four productions by the National Theater of Korea include the new Changgeuk "Simcheong" (September 3-6) by the National Changgeuk Company, the Changgeuk concert "Master To Goes to the Dragon Palace" (September 25-26), the "2025 Changgeuk Playwright Project Showcase" by three emerging writers (September 27-28), and the barrier-free music theater "If You Enjoy the World with Kindness" (September 4-7). Among these, "Simcheong," which opens the festival, draws attention as it is directed by Yona Kim, who was named "Director of the Year" by the opera magazine Opernwelt in 2017.
The National Theater of Korea has set this year's festival theme as "Focusing on the East," inviting traditional music theater works from Korea, China, and Japan to explore both traditional values and modern appeal. "The Bamboo Grove Love Story" (September 12-13), which was produced for the 2023 Hong Kong Arts Festival and received critical acclaim, and "Nohgaku: Noh and Kyogen" (September 19-21), which showcases the essence of Japanese traditional theater by performing major works of Noh and Kyogen in a style close to tradition, will be presented to audiences. The Korea-Japan joint music theater "Manghanga," a special collaboration combining Japanese Nohgaku and Korean Nongak, will also be staged at the National Theater of Korea's Haneul Theater on September 17-18.
Two outstanding music theater works by domestic private arts organizations will also be performed: "Paper Flower Field: Grandmother Myth" (September 6-7), which was well received by critics and audiences at its premiere during the 2023 National Theater Yeowoorak Festival, and "Jeongsujeongjeon" (September 13-14), produced as part of the 2023 Bangbanggokgok Culture Sharing joint production and distribution program.
In addition to the main performances, regional collaboration programs will be held, featuring Korea-China-Japan performances organized by the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju, the National Folk Gugak Center, the Jeonbuk Provincial Institute for Korean Traditional Performing Arts, and the Daejeon Yeonjeong Korean Traditional Music Center. The Asia Culture Center will present the Japanese work "Tama" and the Chinese work "Virtual Lotus." The National Folk Gugak Center will showcase the barrier-free Changgeuk "Jijiji." The Jeonbuk Provincial Institute for Korean Traditional Performing Arts will offer the pansori "Simcheongga" and "The Five Great Pansori Masterpieces: Five Voices, Five Colors II," while the Daejeon Yeonjeong Korean Traditional Music Center will present the pansori "Jeokbyeokga."
On September 12, the opening day of the first international guest performance "The Bamboo Grove Love Story," the National Theater of Korea will host a meeting with key figures from the performing arts industry to explain the purpose of the festival and outline future plans to expand the festival into a global event by broadening the range of invited participants. Events for audiences will also be held. Through the "Blue Marble Event," audience members who attend all nine main performances and complete the Blue Marble board will receive festival souvenirs, and "Talks with the Audience" will be held after major performances.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has created a logo for the first-ever World Music Theater Festival Centered on Changgeuk, using the consonants of "Changgeuk Centered" (ㅊㄱㅈㅅ) and a musical note motif to highlight the characteristics of music theater. This logo will be used annually to promote the festival.
Kim Youngsoo, the First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "Through this festival, we hope to showcase the originality and artistic potential of Korean Changgeuk both domestically and internationally, and to provide an opportunity for Changgeuk to take center stage in the global performing arts scene. The Ministry will continue to actively support specialized festivals in various fields so that K-Art can shine even brighter on the world stage."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
