Seoul Opera Festival Opens on the 18th... Full Performance of "The Marriage of Figaro"

The 2025 Seoul Opera Festival will be held at Gangdong Arts Center in Seoul from November 18 to 22.

The Seoul Opera Festival, now in its 10th year, is designed to make opera more accessible to the general public. The event is hosted by the Noble Art Opera Company and the Seoul Opera Festival Organizing Committee, organized by the Gangdong Foundation for Arts and Culture and the Noble Art Opera Company, and sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

This year’s festival will open with the small theater comic opera “Beoseot Pizza” on November 18, followed by the “Grand Opera Gala Show” on November 20, where audiences can enjoy well-known arias and ensemble pieces in one place. The festival will conclude with a full performance of Mozart’s masterpiece opera “The Marriage of Figaro” on November 22. On November 21, the day before the full performance of “The Marriage of Figaro,” there will be an open rehearsal day.

Opera 'Beoseot Pizza' Performance Scene [Photo by Seoul Opera Festival Organizing Committee]

“Beoseot Pizza” is a black comedy opera by Seymour Barab, a master of contemporary comic opera. The story centers on four characters: Voluptua, who dreams of a new life with her lover Scorpio after poisoning her husband Formaggio, and her younger sister Phobia. The cast includes Lee Soyoun as Voluptua, Kim Hyangeun as Phobia, Yeom Hyunjun as Formaggio, and Shin Haseop as Scorpio.

The Grand Opera Gala Show on November 20 will feature soprano Kim Sinhye and Kim Eunhee, tenors Shin Sanggeun and Son Jihun, baritone Lee Donghwan, and Japanese soprano Lee Cheonhye, among others.

The open rehearsal day for “The Marriage of Figaro” on November 21 will be limited to 200 seats, allowing the audience to observe the rehearsal process up close from the auditorium.

Thirty minutes before the full performance on November 22, Seo Sanghwa, Head of Business Management at the National Opera Company, will introduce the plot, characters, and major arias and ensemble pieces from “The Marriage of Figaro” to help the audience better understand the work.

Opera 'The Marriage of Figaro' performance scene [Photo by Seoul Opera Festival Organizing Committee]

“The Marriage of Figaro” is one of Mozart’s most celebrated works, humorously portraying a cast of characters entangled in love and intrigue. The story unfolds around Figaro, the servant of Count Almaviva, and his impending marriage to Susanna. Count Almaviva, harboring feelings for Susanna, attempts to prevent the marriage, but Figaro, aware of the Count’s intentions, devises a scheme to outwit him.

The cast includes Choi Byeonghyuk as Figaro, Lee Dongmin as Susanna, Jeong Seunggi as Count Almaviva, Son Jooyeon as the Countess, Park Junhyuk as Bartolo, Kim Serin as Cherubino, Hwang Hyeja as Marcellina, Won Yudae as Basilio and Don Curzio, and Park Sohyeon as Barbarina.

Shin Sunseop, Artistic Director of the Seoul Opera Festival, stated, “The 2025 Seoul Opera Festival aims to increase accessibility to opera through a variety of programs that everyone can enjoy, and to create opportunities for mutual growth and vitality in the cultural and artistic community.” He added, “We hope this festival will provide audiences with moments of comfort and inspiration through opera.” Director Shin also emphasized, “Going forward, the Seoul Opera Festival will not only promote the popularization of opera but also open new paths for many young musicians, establishing itself as Korea’s leading cultural festival.”