Jo Byung-gyu's 'Opera' - The Elegant Harmony of French Genius Artists (Comprehensive)

The press call for "Opera" was held on the 30th, with performances until October 18th."It will make you look back on 'the most brilliant moments'."Actors Moon Tae-yu, Jo Byung-gyu, Baek In-tae, Jo Hwan-ji, Im Kang-sung, Kang Jung-woo, Jung A-in, and Baek Seo-jin (from left) attended the press call for the musical "Opera" at Samsung Hall, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 30th, and shared various stories. /Reporter Moon Chae-young[THE FACT | Reporter Moon Chae-young] The musical "Opera," which captures the happy times of French King Louis XIV, the legendary artists Molière and Jean-Baptiste Lully, is set to unveil. It is expected to touch the hearts of the audience with its elegant and splendid musical melodies. As director Choo Jeong-hwa has put a lot of effort into it for a long time, expectations are high as to whether it can leave a deep impression on the audience.The press call for the musical "Opera" was held at Samsung Hall, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 30th. Choo Jeong-hwa, the writer and director, Huh Soo-hyun, the music director, Kim Byung-jin, the choreography director, and actors Moon Tae-yu, Jo Byung-gyu, Baek In-tae, Jo Hwan-ji, Im Kang-sung, Kang Jung-woo, Jung A-in, and Baek Seo-jin attended the event. After showcasing parts of the performance, they answered questions from reporters and shared various stories."Opera" shows what is lost when art is possessed as mere decoration of power through the relationship between Louis XIV, the symbol of French absolute monarchy, and the two artists, Molière and Jean-Baptiste Lully. Based on the actual relationship between the three figures, it depicts the process of art being co-opted by power and corrupted by human desire.Choo Jeong-hwa, who is the writer and director of "Opera," which is premiering this time, said, "The fact that Louis XIV, Molière, and Lully lived in the same era and created works together was fascinating." She introduced the work by saying, "It started with the question, 'What kind of story was there between these three people?'"The musical "Opera" will be performed at Samsung Hall, Ewha Womans University until October 18th. /Orchard C&CFirst, Moon Tae-yu and Jo Byung-gyu play the role of the Sun King Louis, who tries to prove himself through art. They both said they strived to express Louis's 'loneliness' and 'deficiency.' Moon Tae-yu explained, "I brought out the various faces of Louis, who was not recognized as king for a long time." Jo Byung-gyu also revealed, "I tried to incorporate Louis's trauma well into the lines."Baek In-tae and Jo Hwan-ji portray Lully, an artist who dedicates his music to the king's love. Baek In-tae said, "Lully is a character in an environment where he cannot fully display his excellent talent," adding, "He has a desperation not to let go of Louis, his only hope." Therefore, Jo Hwan-ji said, "He is the character the audience can empathize with the most," and "He will be the most pitiable."Im Kang-sung and Kang Jung-woo play Molière, an artist who reflects the truth. Im Kang-sung said, "As an actor and creator, I envied Molière," and "His life, with his works passed down to later generations, seemed glorious." Kang Jung-woo explained, "I wanted to express Molière's humor well," and "I brought out my quirky side."Jung A-in and Baek Seo-jin were cast as Armande, who steadfastly protects the theater troupe. Jung A-in emphasized Armande as "a character who shows courage for love," and "The most important emotion for him is 'love'." Baek Seo-jin also said, "Armande is a woman with unwavering conviction," and "She is Molière's comrade who protects art amidst conflict and anguish."The musical "Opera" is based on the actual relationship between French King Louis XIV and artists Molière and Jean-Baptiste Lully. /Reporter Moon Chae-youngIn this "Opera," 'music' is particularly noteworthy. As the title suggests, beautiful opera melodies will be featured in the work presented by talented artists.Huh Soo-hyun, the music director, said, "At first, it was very difficult due to the weight of the title," and "I put a lot of effort into the instrumentation. We tried to arrange it with all classical instruments, but it was practically impossible, so we added string and percussion instruments to the band instruments."He added, "Lully was the best composer at the time," and "I listened to a lot of songs with a similar atmosphere to the Baroque music of the 17th century to compose the overall tone." Furthermore, he confidently stated, "As the characters create an opera in the latter part of the play, various musical colors are revealed compared to other musicals."Finally, Choo Jeong-hwa, the writer and director who prepared the work for a long time, revealed the points to watch in "Opera." She said, "'Opera' is a work that tells the story of the lives of Louis, Lully, and Molière," and "It will convey the message that 'nothing is more important than happiness in life' and at the same time make you look back on 'the most brilliant moments'."The musical "Opera" will be performed from October 1st to 18th at Samsung Hall, Ewha Womans University.mcy21@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]