Tokyo audiences praise joint Korea-Japan opera production

The Korean Opera Troupe participated in a joint production with the Tokyo Chamber Opera Theater at the Tokyo New National Theater on Jan. 19 and 20. The bilingual presentation was heartily received by audiences, who reserved special praise for one of the three performances, which was performed in both Korean and Japanese.

The Korean group presented "Spring, spring and spring," based on a short story by Lee Hyo-Sok, which was composed by Lee Kon-Yong and choreographed by Oh Hyun-Myung. The comic opera focuses on Kil-Bo, who starts working for an old man based on a promise that he will be able to marry his daughter. But the old man breaks his promise.

Audiences praised the work, which has a rural setting, for capturing the joyous and optimistic bent of Koreans and giving free play to the musical scale and rhythms of traditional Korean music. Kim Kwan-Dong, Choi Jin-Ho and Shin Ae-Kyong and Chu Hui-Myong were among the cast members.

The surreal Japanese opera Howoljeon tells the story of a failed poet and government official who ends up being transformed into a tiger. The opera is in the tradition of Japan's "No" theater.

The two groups will present the same program on Feb. 22-25 at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul as part of the 3rd Seoul international indoor opera festival, part of efforts to boost cultural exchanges between Korea and Japan.