국립오페라단 헨젤과 그레텔 10월 9일~13일 무대에 오른다

This week, the Korea National Opera is putting on the well-known German fairytale "Hansel and Gretel.
Though it was composed in the late 19th century,... it appeals to both newcomers to the genre and connoisseurs alike.
Yoon Jung-min takes us behind the scenes, during a rehearsal.
The fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel" by the Brothers Grimm has been adapted into an opera.

Organized by Korea National Opera, the performance will be staged throughout this week until Saturday at the Seoul Arts Center.

Young British conductor Finnegan Downie Dear leads the orchestra and many top theatre directors and renowned sopranos are helping bring the fairytale to the stage.

In the original tale, a young brother and sister, Hansel and Gretel, are kidnapped by a witch living deep in the forest in a house made of cake, candy and confectionery.
They escape from the house by outsmarting the witch.

The opera portrays the journey of escape as the maturing of the children. Hansel and Gretel become more spiritually mature as they overcome the nightmare in the story.

"Hansel and Gretel is a famous story known to almost everyone. Even if it is your first time watching an opera, you will enjoy it. The music is also very beautiful and both children and adults can enjoy the performance."

"The nice thing about conducting, but also the thing that requires the most time to learn is that you are responsible for the sound but you don't actually make any sound. And it's really a privilege to work with musicians of this caliber..."

The opera Hansel and Gretel invites children and families to enter the world of fairytales. The Korea National Opera says it hopes the audience can feel the essence and beauty of the opera.
Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.