Opera 'Aida' Directed by Lee Hoesu: “A Love Story Crossing the River Between Life and Death”

[The Financial News] The Financial News, Korea’s ‘First-Class Economic Newspaper,’ will stage Giuseppe Verdi’s grand opera 'Aida' at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Grand Theater in Jongno-gu, Seoul, from June 13 to 16. Co-hosted with the Seoul Metropolitan Opera in celebration of its 40th anniversary, this production is anticipated to be a rare and majestic opera in Korea, featuring a massive stage, a large cast, dazzling sets and costumes, and a full-scale orchestra.
Premiered in 1871 at the Cairo Royal Opera House, 'Aida' tells the tragic fate of Aida, a princess of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia who falls in love with the general of the enemy nation during a war between a great power and a weaker country; Radames, the Egyptian general who loves her but dreams of victory in war; and Amneris, a princess torn between jealousy and love. The production is directed by Lee Hoesu, who received acclaim last year for 'La Forza del Destino' at the Daejeon Arts Center.

Director Lee Hoesu presented 'the boundary between life and death' as the key interpretive theme for this 'Aida.' Speaking to The Financial News on the 11th, he explained, “While faithfully following the original narrative, I reinterpreted the work with metaphors of the Nile River and Samdocheon, which symbolize the boundary between life and death. Just as ancient Egyptians regarded the east bank of the Nile as the realm of the living and the west as the world of the dead, the Eastern Samdocheon also represents the boundary between this world and the afterlife.”
He continued, “Samdocheon is not merely a passage to death, but the starting point of reincarnation. Only by crossing through death can one reach a new life, which aligns with the ancient Egyptian worldview. The core of this production is a ‘love story that crosses the river,’ presenting death not as destruction, but as a journey of transcendence.”
The stage visually embodies these symbolic structures. The eastern palace and plaza are rendered in brilliant lighting and vibrant colors to express the ‘energy of life,’ while the western temple and tomb are depicted with restrained light and shadows to evoke the ‘realm of death and eternity.’ Director Lee explained, “The love between Aida and Radames begins in the east and is fulfilled in the west.”

The highlight of this production is undoubtedly the triumphal march in Act II. As the Egyptian army returns victorious from battle with the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, a grand procession and magnificent music combine to create a spectacular scene. When asked which scenes he devoted the most attention to, aside from the triumphal march, Director Lee cited the temple, Nile River, and tomb scenes.
"The temple scene visualizes the ritual order of the priests through straight lines and geometric structures, revealing the authority of the consecrated world. The Nile River scene is centered around water. For Amneris, the river symbolizes purity and purification, but in the duet between Aida and Amonasro, the river turns crimson with the blood of the people who perished in war."
Director Lee added, “In the final tomb scene, the two lovers meet death underground, but that space is not darkness—it leads to ‘the other side of the river bathed in light.’ Their love transcends this world and expands into eternity. Their final moments are depicted with the brightest and warmest light in the entire performance.”
In this 'Aida,' dance is not merely decorative but serves as a symbolic device central to the narrative. “Dance acts as a visual medium for the ‘flow of the river’ and the ‘movement of souls.’ In the overture, dancers appear as guides who cross the river and open the story, and in the end, they serve as a ritual passage leading the souls of the two lovers into eternity. They close one door and open another.”

This production of 'Aida' features a stellar cast of leading vocalists active on major opera stages worldwide, further enhancing the quality of the performance.
The role of Aida will be performed by SaeKyung Rim, who became the first Korean to take a lead role at Italy’s Verona Arena Opera Festival and has since played the title role in 'Aida' over 100 times both domestically and internationally, establishing herself as a top lyric spinto soprano. She will be joined by Cho Sun-hyung, who won first prize at competitions in Bilbao, Spain, and Parma, Italy, and is actively performing across Europe.
The role of Radames will be shared by tenor Sanggeun Shin, who was the first Asian to play Romeo in 'Romeo and Juliet' at the Metropolitan Opera (The Met) in New York and received high praise from The New York Times (NYT), and tenor Kook Yoon-jong, who has performed extensively across Europe and Asia after winning competitions in Geneva, Switzerland, and Marseille, France.
For the role of Amneris, Songmi Yang, the first Korean mezzo-soprano to debut at the Vienna State Opera and a laureate of the Francesc Viñas International Singing Competition, the Dong-A Music Competition, and the Korea Opera Awards for Best Female Lead, will appear alongside Serin Kim, who has garnered attention on European and American stages with numerous international competition prizes.
The role of Amonasro will be performed by baritone Yoo Dong-jik, who has excelled at major European theaters after sweeping the Bilbao and Viñas competitions in Spain, and Yang Joon-mo, who won both first prize and the audience prize at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich, Germany, and is active both domestically and internationally.
Additionally, Choi Woong-jo and Sim Gihwan will appear as Ramfis, Lee Joon-suk as the King of Egypt, Min Juhee and Kim Dong-yeon as the High Priestess, and Kim Eunguk as the Messenger, promising a more dynamic and dramatic 'Aida.'
SaeKyung Rim, Sanggeun Shin, and Songmi Yang will open the stage on June 13. Director Lee Hoesu commented, “SaeKyung Rim (Aida) expresses a soul torn between love and country with dignity and strength, while Sanggeun Shin (Radames) skillfully portrays the inner world of a man where brilliance and solitude coexist.” He added, “Songmi Yang (Amneris) completes the tragic climax of the work, moving between love, jealousy, regret, and redemption.”
'Aida,' despite its grand stage aesthetics, ultimately tells a story of human love, conviction, and salvation. Director Lee expressed his hope that, through this journey across the boundary between life and death, the audience will come to face their own inner selves.
jashin@fnnews.com Shin Jin-a Reporter