'Overseas Turandot 120th Performance' Tenor Lee Yong-hoon... Debut Stage in Homeland After 20 Years

First Opera Debut in Korea, First Performance Draws 2,178 Audience Members

On the evening of the 26th, tenor Lee Yong-hoon stepped onto the stage of his homeland's opera 'Turandot' for the first time in about 20 years. Performing his domestic debut at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Grand Theater (3,022 seats), the largest stage for opera appreciation in Korea, Lee roamed the vast stage as if he had been waiting for this day, showcasing his presence.

Live performance of the Seoul Opera Company's opera 'Turandot.' Tenor Lee Yong-hoon is giving a passionate performance.
[Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts]

Playing the role of Calaf, Lee Yong-hoon has performed on world-class stages with a 'Lirico spinto' voice that combines a lyrical tone with powerful intensity. Last season, he delivered impressive performances in the same role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Royal Opera House in London. Especially, Calaf’s aria 'Nessun dorma' (Let no one sleep), enriched by his deeply emotive voice, became a uniquely popular piece.

Right after the performance, tenor Lee Yong-hoon said, “This was the debut stage I had waited for 20 years. Due to overseas schedules, I was still adjusting to the time difference, so there were many shortcomings and it was tough, but I was deeply moved by the love and warm welcome. Tonight’s performance was more nerve-wracking and thrilling than any foreign stage. However, meeting my beloved Korean fans in person made me very happy, excited, and proud.”

Afterwards, to fans and junior vocalists waiting in the lobby, Lee said, “It is true that classical music like opera has passed its golden age and is losing popular appeal. Being Asian made it even more difficult, and there were many obstacles and challenges to overcome. But if you truly love music, you can go all the way. I didn’t pursue this for my own success, but because I believe being an opera singer is my mission, so I couldn’t give up. If you approach it with your own mission, even when you face a rough path, you can find another way.”

The opera Turandot, produced by the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and the Seoul Opera Company, will continue its run until the 29th. Directed by theater master Son Jin-chaek, the cast includes Lee Yoon-jung and Kim Ra-hee as Turandot, Lee Yong-hoon, Shin Sang-geun, and Park Ji-woong as Calaf, Seo Sun-young and Park So-young as Liu, and Yang Hee-jun and Choi Gong-seok as Timur, promising a musical feast.

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