Die tote Stadt; Seoul Arts Center (1)

The National Opera (Director and Artistic Director Choi Sang-ho) will perform a movie-like opera, "Die tote Stadt", at the Opera Theater of the Seoul Arts Center for four days from May 23th until 26th. The performance is based on Georges Rodenbach's novel "Bruges La mort", and the opera was composed by Korngold at the age of 23. It premiered in 1920 but has a strong late-romantic character, and is an opera that has the advantage of its beautiful melody and sound produced by a huge three-way orchestra reminiscent of Richard Strauss.

"Die tote Stadt" is the story of Paul who misses his dead wife, Marie. Paul is a person who lives in past memories while storing his wife's hair and other her things. He gets to know Marietta, who looks alike his dead wife, and invites her to his home. Marietta is a dancer of a wandering theater company, who comes to Paul's house and dances seductively. After that, Marie's welcome appears to Paul and demands love and trust. Meanwhile, artists of the wandering theater company appear and perform in the city square. Paul is obsessed with Marie's soul and intervenes in the performance and insults Marietta. Paul, who says he will not look at women other than his wife, suffers from a guilty conscience, and Marietta takes away Marietta's hair as if laughing at him. Paul takes the hair back and strangles Marietta with it. When Paul comes to his senses, he decides to leave the city in an organized room as if nothing had happened.

Mahler, Richard Strauss recognized Korngold who started composing at the age of 7 as "the Austrian prodigy” and this opera displays its dramatic melody played by Korngold of Post-Romanticism. Korngold continued to compose from an early age and composed his third opera, "Die tote Stadt" at the age of 23. The time of the premiere of "Die tote Stadt" was in 1920, when the time of the 12-tone technique devised by Schoenberg was prevalent. Nonetheless, Korngold did not join the new music and continued to compose as an extension of late Romanticism. Therefore, "Die tote Stadt" provides a dramatic realization of the scream caused by loss along with a romantic melody similar to Mahler. 

In addition, "Die tote Stadt" was a great success from its premiere, because it gave a great resonance to those who suffered from loss after World War I. Afterwards, he moved to the United States to escape the Nazis and established himself as a pioneer of Hollywood film music.

While the work itself may be unfamiliar, there are beautiful songs that have stolen the hearts of the audience. Following arias work as a warm consolation as opposed to an eerie story. In Act 1, there is "Glück das mir verblieb" sung by Marietta and Paul, who look like their dead wife, and in Act 2, there is an aria that baritone loves, "Mein Sehnene, mein Wähnen." Baritone's aria is a mournful aria in which Marietta asks Fritz to sing after proposing a toast to the members. Baritone Kim Tae-han is a popular song performed at 2023 Queen Elizabeth and baritone Kim Ki-hoon at 2021 Cardiff Singer of the World.

Although this is an opera with extreme difficulty that requires high notes and physical strength, stable performance is expected by the production and cast of veterans. The upcoming production will be led by German conductor Lotta König and Swiss director Julien Chavas. Lotta König served as music director at Osnabweig Theater and is a conductor who shows wide repertoire ranging from Mozart to Berg in world-class opera theaters such as Vienna State Opera and Metropolitan Opera. Julien Chavas served as director of the theater at the Magdeburg Opera and is a director who has made his name known in the opera world especially through contemporary opera production. He is receiving love calls from opera theaters all over the world since he is recognized as a "director who appreciated his work with his eyes as much as his ears."

Notable cast members are Roberto Sacca as Paul, a tenor who shows rich tone and overwhelming power. He has performed at major opera houses around the world for 30 years, and from 2012 to 2014, he continued his performances with a particular focus on the works of Wagner and Richard Strauss. He is an artist who is loved for his "tenor with brilliant, natural, and heroic colors" and "tenor between subtle intimacy and explosive power." Also noteworthy is the soprano Rachel Nicholls as Marie/Marietta. She debuted with Wagner "Parjipal" at the British Royal Opera as a dramatic soprano, and the British Observer rated her as "a soprano with a full tone, flexible and accurate power, and convincing in all movements."

Although "Die tote Stadt" is an opera of beautiful music, it is introduced for the first time in Korea because it is a work that boasts the difficulty of extreme music to vocalists. The role of Paul requires a song full of high B flat and A sounds, and it requires strong physical strength to continue singing on stage except for part of the second act. In addition, the Marietta station also requires a high tessitura (the most comfortable and stable tone among the ranges that can be produced). 

This production will feature veterans who have already experienced the stage of "Die tote Stadt" in Europe, showing a stable appearance despite being a work with extreme difficulty. Rachel Nichols performed the same work at the Loughborough Festival in 2022, and in particular, Rota Königs and Roberto Saka performed "Die tote Stadt" together at the Royal Theater in La Monet, Belgium in 2020, which is an opportunity to see their more precise breathing.

In addition, baritone Yang Joon-mo, Choi In-sik as Frank/Fritz, mezzo-soprano Lim Eun-kyung as Brigita, soprano Lee Kyung-jin as Giuliette, mezzo-soprano Kim Soon-hee as Lucienne, tenor Kang Do-ho as Victorin, and tenor Wi Jung-min as Count Alvar will shine on the stage, while Lim Jae-heon will play the role of Gaston. The National Opera also presents the vivid impression of the on-site performance online.