‘Romeo and Juliet’ taken to new level in opera

Tragedy, absolute obsession with love and the feeling that love is worth dying for. This sums up the theme of the Korea National Opera’s upcoming production of Charles Gounod’s operatic adaptation of the Shakespearean love story, “Romeo and Juliet,” to be staged at Seoul Arts Center next month.

Directing it is Briton Elijah Moshinsky, who says he “loves Shakespeare” and has worked on many of his plays.

“Shakespeare is all about feelings and destiny,” said the director, who works with top opera houses all over the world, including the Royal Opera in London and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. “This is also about the opera.”

Set against Gounod’s romantic, atmospheric and perfumed music, the opera is on a higher level of art than the play itself or any other adaptations, he touts.

“The music is absolutely amazing. It is French style, but keeps the Shakespearean image,” Moshinsky said.

Gounod’s opera “Romeo et Juliette” is frequently performed around the world. With its story so widely known, the opera is considered a good starter for those who are not familiar with this particular art form.

“It’s not a realistic production. It does not try for reality. It tries for poetry,” Moshinsky said. “This is not about sex. I’ve seen some productions which sex up the opera. It isn’t right for the music. It’s something more delicate and poetic,” he said. 

“Focus is on love. Love is beautiful ― that’s our theme.”

For the state-run KNO, it is its most ambitious undertaking this year.

“With the best director, creative team and singers on board, we’re pouring all our resources and all our know-how into this production, trying to bring this beautiful story to life,” said KNO official Choi Young-suk.

Renowned tenor Francesco Demuro will sing opposite Russian soprano Irina Lungu as Romeo and Juliet, with the other pair being Korean singers Kang Jung-woo and Anna Sohn. Julian Kovatchev will conduct the Korean Symphony Orchestra.

The Korea National Opera production of “Romeo et Juliette” opens on Oct. 2 for four performances at Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. For more information, visit www.nationalopera.org

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)