National Opera Company’s 'Manon' Switched to Audience-Free Online Performance

Scene from the National Opera Company's performance of 'Manon'
Photo by National Opera Company

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The National Opera Company announced on the 18th that it will convert Jules Massenet's opera 'Manon,' scheduled to be performed from the 25th to the 28th, into a no-audience online performance.

This is a measure to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The National Opera Company will live stream 'Manon' twice (at 7:30 PM on the 25th and 3 PM on the 28th) online via Naver TV and V Live channels. Additionally, in collaboration with KBS, the performance will be recorded and broadcast on July 22nd on 'KBS Joonggyeseok.'

Park Hyung-sik, director of the National Opera Company, said, "Although this 'Manon' will be without an audience, it will be remembered as the world's first full-length opera performed in the post-COVID-19 era. We ask for much support and interest so that the National Opera Company can play a leading role in establishing South Korea as a country that leads culture and arts within a stable COVID-19 prevention system."

The opera 'Manon' is based on the autobiographical work 'The Story of the Chevalier des Grieux and Manon Lescaut' by French novelist Abb? Pr?vost. It depicts the passionate encounter and love between the noble-born Chevalier des Grieux and the commoner girl Manon. Manon is a young and enchanting woman who longs for luxury, pleasure, and a glamorous life, constantly desiring only love and amusement. The opera 'Manon' exquisitely blends her short and passionate life and her ever-changing psychological conflicts with Massenet's characteristic delicate, splendid, and sensual music.

National Opera Company 'Manon' Performance Scene [Photo by National Opera Company]

The National Opera Company's 'Manon' was a work that attracted attention as a new production in 2018. At the time, it was praised for its sophisticated and sensuous direction, showing the pinnacle of French opera aesthetics.

The direction is by Vincent Boussard, a renowned French director who gained attention for directing the 2016 co-production of 'Manon' by the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Opera, and Israeli National Opera. Boussard also directed the National Opera Company's 'The Tales of Hoffmann' last year, presenting another fantastic stage. Alongside Boussard, stage designer Vincent Lemaire and costume designer Clara Peluffo Valentini join to showcase a refined French-style mise-en-sc?ne that is both splendid and restrained. The conductor is Hong Seok-won, a next-generation conductor who is the first Korean to serve as principal conductor at the Tirol State Theatre in Innsbruck, Austria, and is making a name for himself in the European and Asian classical music scenes.

The lead role of Manon will be passionately performed by sopranos Son Ji-hye and Eom Jin-hee. Son Ji-hye previously played Manon in the 2018 production with great acclaim. In 2017, she appeared as Violetta in the National Opera Company's outdoor opera 'Dongbaekkkot Agassi - La Traviata.' The pure-hearted Chevalier des Grieux, who falls into a fiery love with Manon, will be played by tenor Guk Yoon-jong, who has performed leading roles at the Vienna Volksoper and stood out in the same role in the 2018 National Opera Company's 'Manon,' and tenor Kwon Jae-hee, discovered by La Scala Theatre and who performed the prince role in the 2016 National Opera Company's domestic premiere of 'Rusalka.' The role of Lescaut will be performed by baritone Gong Byung-woo, and Count des Grieux by bass Kim Cheol-jun. Top vocalists including sopranos Shin Hyo-jin and Lee Ji-hye, mezzo-soprano Kim Yoon-hee, tenor Noh Kyung-beom, bass-baritones Woo Kyung-sik and Yoon Kyu-seop will also appear.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.