From June 27 to July 8, 2010 the 1st Korean Opera Festival was held at Seoul Arts Centre. The soloist and the guests of the Prague State Opera (www.opera.cz) – conductor Jiří Mikula, Galia Ibragimova, Sylva Čmugrová, Klára Džuganová, Rafael Alvarez, Svatopluk Sem, Jiří Hruška and Václav Sibera – performed in the production of Bizet’s Carmen together with Korean soloists, orchestra, dancers and an excellent children’s choir. The choreographer and dancer Petr Jirsa and the guarantor of the event Milena Vraná from the international relations department of the Prague State Opera also participated in this tour.

All the soloists, and in particular Galia Ibragimova singing Carmen, received standing ovations from the local audience and the recognition of Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Republic of Korea H.E. Mr. Jaroslav Olša jr. who also attended the performance and emphasised the importance of the cultural co-operation between both countries.

The tour was organized at the invitation of Ms Kang Wha-ja, the president of Beseto Opera (www.besetoopera.or.kr), who signed an agreement on co-operation between the two opera houses on the occasion of the guest performance of the Korean soloists in the production of Carmen at the Prague State Opera in 2004. This has been the fourth visit of the Prague State Opera soloists to the Republic of Korea. In 2005 they performed in the Korean production of Mozart’s Magic Flute, in May 2006 and August 2007 in Bizet’s Carmen together with the Korean choir and soloists.

As part of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the both countries, the Korean soloists will also perform in the production of Carmen at the Prague State Opera in October 2010.