A new performance format that lowers the threshold of classical music while expanding theatrical storytelling is set to meet audiences. What began as an experimental convergence of music and drama now arrives as a fully realized festival.
Presented by Orpheum and Klang Art Company, the “Music Theatre Festival” condenses the trajectory of Lied Play, first launched in 2019. The performances run from April 30 to May 3 at the Daloreum Theater of the National Theater of Korea. Moving away from operatic conventions, the productions reinterpret classical vocal works through narrative-driven composition.
Lied Play merges the German art song Lied with theatrical performance, placing the entire work on a single vocalist responsible for both singing and acting. With no additional actors or dancers, the stage is sustained by a lone performer. The format originated from a full-cycle staging of Schubert’s Winterreise in 2019 and has since drawn attention for its distinctive method of narrativizing classical song.
The program features four works: La Callas, revisiting the life of legendary diva Maria Callas; Winterreise, a dramatic reworking of Schubert’s cycle; Aria of Dreams, tracing the tension between artistic ideals and reality; and Die schöne Magelone, a Brahms song cycle reimagined through puppetry. Each piece is presented on separate days, allowing for concentrated engagement with each narrative.
The staging departs from traditional classical formats, combining minimalist contemporary sets, symbolic props, and heightened physical expression by vocalists. The focus extends beyond musical appreciation, guiding audiences through the emotional trajectories of each character.
Soprano Jung Hee-kyung and a group of emerging vocalists participate in the production, offering contemporary reinterpretations of classical repertoire. “We aimed to translate classical music into stories that anyone can connect with,” the production team stated.
After drawing audience response in Gwacheon and Daegu, the Seoul run will continue into a nationwide tour, with stops planned in Busan and Hwaseong.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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