Seoul Opera Ensemble's Viva Puccini gala marks the Turandot centenary on 2 October
Seoul Opera Ensemble presents the gala Viva Puccini at 19:30 on 2 October in Jangcheon Hall at Gwanglim Arts Center, marking the centenary of Turandot's premiere and the founding of the Korea Puccini Society. Tickets start at 50,000 won.
PUBLICAi Editorial2 min read
At a glance
- Period
- Oct 2, 2026
- Venue
- 광림아트센터
Contents8
Key points
- Seoul Opera Ensemble presents the gala Viva Puccini at 19:30 on 2 October in Jangcheon Hall at Gwanglim Arts Center, Seoul.
- The evening marks the centenary of the premiere of Turandot, Puccini's unfinished last opera, and the founding of the Korea Puccini Society.
- Three married couples of singers take the leading roles in Madama Butterfly, Tosca and Turandot.
Seoul Opera Ensemble presents Viva Puccini, a gala that sets Giacomo Puccini's life beside the women of his operas, at 19:30 on 2 October in Jangcheon Hall at Gwanglim Arts Center. The evening marks both the centenary of the premiere of Turandot — the unfinished last opera, first staged at La Scala in Milan in 1926 — and the founding of the Korea Puccini Society.
The programme follows on from Viva Puccini!!, which the ensemble staged in 2024 for the centenary of the composer's death, this time giving Turandot a larger share alongside scenes from La Bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly. Rather than lining up famous arias and ensembles, the staging has baritone Jang Cheol appear as Puccini himself, narrating and drawing the connections between the composer's own life and the women he wrote.
Three couples who have long performed opera together take the leads. Soprano Jeong Si-yeong and tenor Kim Jung-il sing Cio-Cio-San and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly; soprano Jo Hyun-ae and tenor Yoo Hyun-wook sing Tosca and Cavaradossi. In Turandot, soprano Kang Hyo-jin takes the title role opposite tenor Kim Yoon-kyu as Calaf, in the confrontation between the prince solving the riddles and the princess who has refused love. The cast listed by the ticket seller also includes sopranos Jeong Kkot-nim, Kim Gi-ryeong and Kim Mun-jin, tenor Seok Seung-gwon, baritone Choi Byung-hyuk and bass Kim Sang-min, with Jang Su-dong as artistic director and Kim Bo-mi as music coach.
The concert is also the Korea Puccini Society's first event. The society was founded on the view that while Puccini's operas are produced often in Korea, Korean productions rarely reach the opera market abroad, and it aims to build routes and production structures for taking them there.
Concert details
| Concert | 푸치니 오페라갈라 Viva Puccini |
| Date and time | Friday 2 October 2026, 19:30 |
| Venue | Jangcheon Hall, Gwanglim Arts Center, Gangnam-gu, Seoul |
| Capacity | 613 seats (Jangcheon Hall, as registered with KOPIS) |
| Running time | 120 minutes, including a 15-minute interval |
| Age rating | 7 and over |
| Booking | Yes24 Ticket |
| Presented by | Seoul Opera Ensemble |
| Artistic director | Jang Su-dong |
Ticket prices
| Seat grade | Price |
|---|---|
| R | 100,000 won |
| S | 70,000 won |
| A | 50,000 won |
When and where is Viva Puccini?
A single performance at 19:30 on Friday 2 October 2026, in Jangcheon Hall at Gwanglim Arts Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. It runs 120 minutes including a 15-minute interval.
How much are tickets?
R seats are 100,000 won, S seats 70,000 won and A seats 50,000 won, sold through Yes24 Ticket.
What is the evening marking?
Two things: the centenary of the premiere of Turandot, first staged at La Scala in Milan in 1926, and the founding of the Korea Puccini Society, for which this is the inaugural event.
Which operas are represented?
Scenes from La Bohème, Tosca and Madama Butterfly, with an expanded share for Turandot. Instead of a straight run of arias and ensembles, baritone Jang Cheol appears as Puccini and links the composer's life to the women of his operas.
What is the minimum age?
Seven and over; the ticket seller lists it as elementary-school age and above.
