▲ Director Ji Eun-ju

Daejeon Opera Company boasts 30 years of history promoting opera in Daejeon since its establishment in 1988 by An Dong-min, Choi Nam-in and Yu Young-gil. The company announced its existence by organizing the Korean opera Chunhyangjeon and the Verdi’s La Traviata in September the same year at the Daejeon Citizen’s Hall. 

The 10th performance was held at the Expo Art Hall in 1997 and the company gave its top notch performance of Rigoletto with the Russian Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre in 2003 when the Daejeon Arts Center opened. 

The current director of the Daejeon Opera Company Ji Eun-ju took the steering wheel 10 years ago and has poured her energy in building effective operation system and performance. The year 2018 in particular has been busy for organizing an Opera Galla Concert of International Music Concert in August followed by itinerant performance in remote areas during September and October as well as the monthly regular meet-up ‘Tasty Opera’. 

Ji studied voice in the Netherlands and Germany and obtained a master’s degree in economics when back in Korea and currently is taking a doctoral course in accounting. “The reason I’m studying economics is because I want to find a way to help artists financially and to draw more public interest in classical art. The regular meeting called Tasty Opera is part of this effort” says her. 

Tasty Opera offers delicious snacks according to each subject of the meeting. For example, rice rolls or sandwiches are offered under the subject of magical harmony or various kinds of teas on the subject of Love Potion (L’elisir d’amore). The meet-up has been taken place in the designated place but it will be a form of itinerant-based from next year to draw more participation.

As part of promoting opera in the daily life of the people, Ji also established the Citizen’s Opera Choir and it is receiving explosive response from both the participant citizens and audience citizens; one good example was the opera Tosca performed in November this year at the Hanbat National University Art Hall. 

“The Puccini’s works are characterized with grandiose stage. Yet the relatively small stage at the university art hall narrowed down the gap between the singers and the audience and it draw more attention and concentration as a result.” 

Alongside the director’s role of the Daejeon Opera Company, Ji is serving as a member of the Korea Culture and Art Cooperative and the 5th alumni head of the Korea Forest Academy as well as the director of the headquarters of People Life. 

“The history of the Daejeong Opera Company restarts now I have to say. I will bring back our share of the centralized culture and art events to the region and we will prove our excellence at the 2020 Korea Opera Festival.”