National Chorus of Korea to Perform Mozart's "Vespers for the Confessor" and "C Minor Mass"

May 13 at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall

The National Chorus of Korea announced on April 23 that it will hold its 207th regular concert, "Mozart C Minor Mass," at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. on May 13.

The concert will present two of Mozart's monumental vocal works—"Vespers for the Confessor" and the "C Minor Mass"—together on a single stage. The performance will be conducted by Min Inki, Artistic Director and President of the National Chorus of Korea. The featured soloists are soprano Hwang Soomi and Han Kyungseong, mezzo-soprano Kim Sunjung, tenor Park Seungjoo, baritone Ahn Daehyun, and organist Yang Hayoung. The Gangnam Symphony Orchestra will join as a collaborator.

The two choral pieces are emotionally distinct. "Vespers for the Confessor" embodies a pure and orderly spirit of praise, while the "C Minor Mass" takes the form of a grand and profound confession. Through these two works, the audience can appreciate the diverse structures and compositional mastery characteristic of classical music.

"Vespers for the Confessor" is based on the "Vespere" text, which refers to evening prayers offered at sunset. The piece unfolds within a clear formal structure for chorus and orchestra. It consists of six movements—"Dixit" ("He Said"), "Confitebor" ("I Will Praise"), "Beatus vir" ("Blessed is the Man"), among others—and each movement features solo, ensemble, and choral passages developed independently. Particularly, the fifth movement, "Laudate Dominum" ("Praise the Lord"), will be performed as a soprano solo by Han Kyungseong, who is expected to deliver a calm and focused melody.

The "C Minor Mass" is a large-scale mass composed by Mozart between 1782 and 1783 in Vienna. It is designed for two soprano soloists, tenor, baritone, chorus, and orchestra, with a grand arrangement. The work is notable for its blend of classical balance with operatic vocal techniques and dramatic harmonic contrasts.

Notably, this piece remains unfinished, which adds to its musical poignancy. Much of the "Credo" movement is missing after "Et incarnatus est" ("He Became Man"), and the final movement, "Agnus Dei," was never composed. In this concert, soprano Hwang Soomi will perform "Kyrie" and "Et incarnatus est." Hwang Soomi, Han Kyungseong, Park Seungjoo, and Ahn Daehyun will sing "Benedictus qui venit" ("Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord") as a quartet. The combination of organist Yang Hayoung, the National Chorus of Korea’s precise ensemble, and the Gangnam Symphony Orchestra’s orchestration will vividly recreate the grand scale of the work.

Before the main concert, the National Chorus of Korea will offer a pre-lecture to enhance the audience’s understanding and appreciation. Pianist and writer An Inmo will give a talk titled "Unfinished, the Earnest Prayer: Mozart C Minor Mass (Gratitude and Hope Through Music)" at 6:00 p.m. on May 8 in the National Chorus of Korea’s rehearsal room at the National Performing Arts Group Practice Center (N Studio).

Tickets for the 207th regular concert of the National Chorus of Korea can be purchased on the websites of the Seoul Arts Center and Nol Ticket. Various discounts are available for senior citizens, holders of the Culture Nuri Card, youth born in 2006–2007 with the Youth Culture and Arts Pass, elementary, middle, high school, and university students, paid members of the National Chorus of Korea, as well as employees of organizations with Culture Relay or Leisure-Friendly Certification.

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