At the Grand Theater of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
November 13?16
"It is the quintessence of grand opera." (Conductor Kim Bongmi)
"It can be said to represent the pinnacle of the performing arts." (Soprano Lim Segyeong)
At the production presentation for "Aida" by the Seoul Opera Company, held at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on the 21st, the production team and cast described the value of the grand opera "Aida" in these terms. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the Seoul Opera Company will stage Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece "Aida" at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts from November 13 to 16. This will be the company's first performance of "Aida" in 11 years.
"Aida" tells the story of the love triangle between Aida, an Ethiopian princess enslaved in Egypt, Radames, an Egyptian general, and Amneris, an Egyptian princess. The work is also widely known as the basis for the musical of the same name, produced by Elton John and Tim Rice and premiered in 1998.
"Aida" is also a signature work of the Arena di Verona, the world's largest open-air opera venue. The Arena di Verona is an ancient Roman amphitheater in Verona, Italy, with a capacity of 30,000 people. It serves as the main stage for the Verona Opera Festival, which is held every summer. The festival was first held in 1913 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Verdi's birth, and "Aida" was the opening performance. Since then, "Aida" has been staged almost every year at the festival and has come to symbolize the Arena di Verona. The Arena di Verona will also be the venue for the closing ceremony of the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics in February next year.
Park Hyejin, director of the Seoul Opera Company, is answering reporters' questions at the production presentation of "Aida" held at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on the 21st. Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
Park Hyejin, director of the Seoul Opera Company, explained, "'Aida' is Verdi's masterpiece that depicts love and loyalty, the conflict between nation and individual, and tragic fate, all set to magnificent music. It is a true masterpiece that combines both artistry and popularity, showcasing the genuine beauty and emotional power of opera."
As a representative work of Verdi's grand operas, more than 200 people, including the orchestra, will take the stage at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, the largest performance venue in Korea.
Director Park Hyejin particularly emphasized that just the chorus for the triumphal march in Act II, one of the most iconic musical scenes in "Aida," will consist of about 100 members. The triumphal march depicts General Radames returning victorious from the war with Ethiopia, and is especially famous for its striking trumpet fanfare.
Director Park Hyejin stated, "With about 100 chorus members, this will be an unprecedented triumphal march that will fill the Grand Theater at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. A large number of dancers will also be featured to bring the grandeur of 'Aida' to life on stage."
Soprano Lim Segyeong, who plays the role of Aida, was the first Korean to perform the lead role in "Aida" at the Verona Opera Festival in 2015. Lim Segyeong said, "Considering the resonance and grandeur of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, it is a stage where, just like at the Arena di Verona, I must give my all."
From the left: mezzo-soprano Yang Songmi, tenor Shin Sanggeun, soprano Lim Se-gyeong, director Lee Hoisoo, Seoul Opera Company director Park Hyejin, conductor Kim Bongmi, soprano Jo Seonhyung, tenor Guk Yunjong, mezzo-soprano Kim Serin [Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts]
Conductor Kim Bongmi noted that the score for "Aida" frequently uses pianissimo (pp, very soft) and even pianississimo (ppp, even softer) markings. She explained, "I believe Verdi wanted to express the fleeting choices and inner conflicts of each protagonist amid the grand and dazzling orchestra and chorus." She added, "I want to capture not only the grandeur of 'Aida,' but also the subtle emotional conflicts of the main characters within it."
Alongside Lim Segyeong, soprano Jo Seonhyung, who has won first place at competitions in Bilbao, Spain, and Parma, Italy, and is actively performing on European stages, will also take on the role of Aida. For the role of Radames, tenor Shin Sanggeun, the first Asian to play Romeo in the New York Metropolitan Opera's "Romeo and Juliet," and tenor Guk Yunjong, winner of the Geneva Competition in Switzerland and the Marseille Opera Competition in France, will share the stage. For the role of Amneris, mezzo-soprano Yang Songmi, the first Korean to debut at the Vienna State Opera, and mezzo-soprano Kim Serin, who is active in Europe and the United States after winning numerous international competitions, will perform.
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