Daegu's Self-Produced Opera Debuts on the World Stage in Estonia

【Financial News Daegu=Kim Jang-wook】 Daegu Opera House, rewriting the history of performing arts in South Korea, will meet global audiences on the Saaremaa stage in Estonia with its self-produced opera.
Daegu Culture and Arts Foundation's Daegu Opera House (hereinafter referred to as Daegu Opera House) announced on the 14th that it will re-enter the European stage to showcase its self-produced opera at the world-renowned 'Saaremaa Opera Festival' held on Saaremaa Island, Estonia from the 22nd to the 26th.
The Saaremaa Opera Festival is an international opera festival with about 40 years of history, held every summer on the beautiful Saaremaa Island in Estonia. It is considered Estonia's representative cultural event and the most unique and attractive opera festival in the Baltic Sea region.
Daegu Opera House was officially invited to this festival based on its exchange with the Estonian National Theatre Estonia Concert, which has been ongoing since 2022 as part of the UNESCO Creative Cities of Music collaboration project.
Through this, Daegu Opera House is expected to elevate the artistic quality and originality of Korean opera internationally by presenting its self-produced opera on the European stage, thereby enhancing the status of Daegu as a UNESCO City of Music.
Jung Gap-gyun, director of Daegu Opera House, emphasized, "We have thoroughly checked the final preparations through a preliminary meeting, pledging a safe and successful performance," adding, "All participants are determined to represent South Korea and Daegu, striving to create a meaningful stage that introduces Korean opera and Daegu culture to the world."
At this festival, Daegu Opera House will present three full-length operas: Yun I-sang's 'Simcheong', Gluck's 'Orfeo ed Euridice', and Puccini's 'Madama Butterfly', along with a traditional music performance 'Scent of Dalgubeol, Intoxicated by the Fragrance' featuring the Daegu City Traditional Music Orchestra, and an 'Opera Gala Concert' that will decorate the finale of the festival, showcasing Daegu's excellent opera production capabilities and cultural content on the European stage over five days and five performances.
Additionally, this performance will feature Daegu Opera House's resident groups, DIOO Orchestra and Daegu Opera Choir (DOC), as well as internationally active conductors Marcello Mottadelli and Jo Jeong-hyeon, and vocalists Lilla Lee, among other domestic and international artists. The Daegu City Traditional Music Orchestra, which brings the most Korean music to the citizens, and the Cairo Dance Company, which is actively based in the region, will also join, creating a large-scale performance group of 149 members.
Lee Hyun-mi, head of Daegu City's Cultural Content Division, said, "We hope that Daegu Opera House's participation in this festival will open a new horizon for Korean opera and that all efforts will lead to acclaim from overseas audiences."

gimju@fnnews.com Kim Jang-wook