Mestro Chung Myung-whun, front row center, with the cast for Bizet's "Carmen" reacts to the audience at the end of The Korea Times spring concert at Lotte Concert Hall in southeastern Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
The Korea Times spring concert on Friday featured maestro Chung Myung-whun and the KBS Symphony Orchestra at Seoul’s Lotte Concert Hall, presenting French composer Georges Bizet’s opera “Carmen,” one of the most beloved works among Korean audiences.
Instead of a traditional staged opera, the performance presented a concert version, a format that places greater emphasis on the music rather than elaborate sets and staging.
Premiered in Paris in 1875, “Carmen” is a tragic love story between the Romani woman Carmen and the soldier Don Jose, set in Seville, Spain. Unlike many operas centered on love and sacrifice, “Carmen” is driven by jealousy, desire and obsession, culminating in death. For this reason, it was initially criticized as vulgar and immoral. Over time, however, it came to be recognized as a masterpiece for its realistic portrayal of love its as a clash between possession and personal freedom.
“Carmen” is filled with melodies familiar to many in the audience. The 120-minute performance opened with the prelude and featured highlights including “Habanera,” “Toreador Song” and “Gypsy Song.”
Mezzo-soprano Alisa Kolosova took on the role of Carmen, delivering a powerful yet restrained lower register that convincingly captivated those around her — even the conductor. Her control was particularly evident in her rendition of the famous aria “Habanera.”
Don Jose was performed by tenor Galeano Salas, who conveyed the character’s inner turmoil through his vocal delivery. The cast also included baritone Kim Byung-gil (Escamillo), soprano Kim Soon-young (Micaela), bass Park Ki-hyun (Zuniga), tenor Kim Jae-il (Le Remendado), tenor Wee Jeong-min (Dancaire), soprano Lee Hye-jin (Frasquita), mezzo-soprano Kim Ga-young (Mercedes) and baritone Yoo Jae-une (Morales). Members of the Noi Opera Chorus and Seongnam City Chorus were seated behind the orchestra, adding depth to the choral sections. CBS Children's Choir also joined the performance.
Despite being a concert opera, the production offered a number of engaging visual elements. The varied styles and colors of the costumes added visual interest, while dynamic and sensual flamenco and heel dance performances energized the stage — especially so given the carpeted floor of the concert hall. At one point, tenor Salas entered from the back of the hall, walking through the audience before taking the stage. The performers moved fluidly around the orchestra and conductor, adding a sense of theatricality to the performance.
Mezzo-soprano Alisa Kolosova, center, sings during the Korea Times spring concert at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Friday’s concert marked Chung’s second concert opera with the KBS Symphony Orchestra. He previously conducted Verdi’s “Otello” in concert form with the orchestra in 1997. In December, he led a concert version of “Carmen” with the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra at Busan Concert Hall.
Source: Korea Times News
