Bass Yeon Kwang-cheol to shine in the Vocal Masters Series at Seoul Arts Center

The second star of the Seoul Arts Centre's "Vocal Masters Series" is bass Yeon Kwang-cheol. Known for his extensive performances at the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth, Germany, where he has appeared over 150 times, Yeon was also honored with the title of 'court singer' by the Berlin State Opera. He will perform on the Seoul Arts Centre Opera House stage on July 26, accompanied by the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Hong Seok-won.

In this recital, titled "A Journey of Legends," Yeon will commence with two arias from Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro," including "I shall fly no more." The performance will culminate with two arias from Verdi, including "She never loved me" from "Don Carlo," and four arias from Wagner's "Parsifal," featuring "Titurel, der fromme Held (Titurel, the godly hero)."

During an interview at the Seoul Arts Centre on Tuesday, Yeon highlighted the rarity of Wagner's arias in Korea. "They can be perceived as tedious," he noted, "because the music seems endless without a clear conclusion, but that's part of my journey on stage." He also remarked on German culture, saying, "When you think of Germany, you might think of beer and sausages; we encourage you to come prepared and reflect on what you’re about to hear."

Yeon expressed concerns about the music industry in Korea. "There is more supply than demand," he lamented. "People study voice and perform opera, then suddenly engage in musical theatre and even sing trot. Someone who should be honing their craft further is often treated like a star in a different field and packaged as exceptional. The media and audiences need to make an effort to discover truly talented singers so that the deserving ones can thrive."

The final performance of the Vocal Masters series is scheduled for November 16, featuring bass-baritone Samuel Yoon. He will perform a music theatre piece themed 'The Wanderer.' For further information, call 1668-1352 or 1544-1555.


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