Performance set for Tuesday at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall

Tenor Lee Yong-hoon to take on role of Manrico for first time in Korea

Seo Seon-young, Lee Dong-hwan, Lee Dan-bi among cast members

Foundation has staged annual opera concerts since 2015 in honor of late chairman

A poster for Verdi's opera "Il Trovatore," to be staged by the Seah Lee Woon-hyung Cultural Foundation at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 17. Tenor Lee Yong-hoon will perform the role of Manrico on a Korean stage for the first time. [Seah Lee Woon-hyung Cultural Foundation]
A poster for Verdi's opera "Il Trovatore," to be staged by the Seah Lee Woon-hyung Cultural Foundation at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 17. Tenor Lee Yong-hoon will perform the role of Manrico on a Korean stage for the first time. [Seah Lee Woon-hyung Cultural Foundation]

The Seah Lee Woon-hyung Cultural Foundation will stage Verdi's opera "Il Trovatore" at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday. Tenor Lee Yong-hoon, who has performed lead roles at major opera houses around the world, will take on the role of Manrico on a Korean stage for the first time.

The foundation announced Wednesday that it had selected "Il Trovatore" as its second regular concert of the year.

The performance is dedicated to the memory of the late Lee Woon-hyung, chairman of Seah Group, who was a devoted patron of opera during his lifetime. The foundation has held annual concerts since 2015, introducing a range of opera works to Korean audiences.

"Il Trovatore" is considered one of Verdi's three great middle-period masterpieces, alongside "Rigoletto" and "La Traviata."

Set in 15th-century Spain, the opera is a tragedy of love, jealousy and revenge. It is known for its grand choruses — including the celebrated "Anvil Chorus," depicting blacksmiths at work — as well as dramatic orchestration and technically demanding arias.

The spotlight of this production falls on Lee Yong-hoon in the lead role of Manrico. Lee has performed at the world's foremost opera venues, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Royal Opera House in London and La Scala in Milan. This marks his first time performing the role of Manrico in Korea.

Soprano Seo Seon-young, a winner of the Tchaikovsky International Competition, will play the female lead Leonora.

The cast also includes baritone Lee Dong-hwan and mezzo-soprano Lee Dan-bi, both active on major European stages, along with bass Kim Dong-ho, mezzo-soprano Kim Ga-young and tenor Kim Jin-hoon.

Director Pyo Hyeon-jin will helm the production. Kim Gwang-hyeon, music director of the Classic Busan Orchestra, will conduct, with the Gangnam Symphony Orchestra and the Neue Opera Chorus providing orchestral and choral accompaniment.

The Seah Lee Woon-hyung Cultural Foundation continues the mission that the late Chairman Lee championed in his lifetime: supporting classical performing arts. The foundation focuses on introducing traditional opera — a genre with limited exposure to general audiences — while also supporting the careers of Korean vocalists.

Earlier this year, the foundation staged Donizetti's opera "Roberto Devereux" at Seoul Arts Center in March. Vocalists supported through the foundation's opera talent sponsorship program took on major roles in that production.

Beyond the arts, Seah Group also maintains a scholarship program. In March, the Seah Haeam Academic Scholarship Foundation selected its 34th cohort of future science and technology scholars, continuing its efforts to nurture talent in science and engineering.

"Il Trovatore" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall, with all seats available by invitation only.

A foundation official said the event would bring together "world-class vocalists who have shared the foundation's vision, showcasing their overwhelming artistry on one stage." The official expressed hope that "the intense music and tragic narrative unique to Verdi's opera will offer audiences a special moment of deep emotion and comfort in their daily lives."


kwater@heraldcorp.com