Soprano Angela Gheorghiu disrupts performance, causing confusion

World-renowned soprano Angela Gheorghiu caused an unusual incident during a performance of Puccini's "Tosca" in Seoul as she complained about her co-star, who was singing an encore, and the conductor, delaying the performance. Some audience members demanded refunds. Gheorghiu, who played the lead role in Puccini's opera Tosca, performed on Monday at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, suddenly appeared on stage while tenor Kim Jae-hyung, who portrayed Cavaradossi, was singing and openly voiced her complaints.

After Kim Jae-hyung sang Act 3's E lucevan le stelle and then repeated the aria amidst continued applause, Gheorghiu, who was supposed to appear after the aria, suddenly came on stage, waved her hands, pointed at her watch, and complained. At the end of Kim’s song, in a voice audible to the audience, she protested to the conductor, Jee Joong-bae, saying, “This is a performance, not a recital. Please respect me.”

The trouble continued during the curtain call after the opera ended. Gheorghiu did not appear when it was her turn, and after a brief appearance at the edge of the stage, she waved and walked away. After the performance, social media was flooded with complaints that it had “ruined the experience.” While it’s not common for opera performers to be called back for an encore, it does happen. In an apology statement released on Monday, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts said, “We are planning to ask Gheorghiu to apologize to the Korean audience along with a formal complaint.”

“Gheorghiu was not satisfied with her performance, and it seemed that her pride was hurt when Kim Jae-hyung’s aria received applause,” Music critic Jang Il-Beom commented. “It is unreasonable for some audience members to demand a refund, as the entire performance was completed.”


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