Have you ever seen an opera? As soon as you hear the word of "opera", you may think it is somewhat difficult and the high class culture. Many people have been unwilling to see opera. In the situation, The National Opera Company of Korea(NOCK) throws itself into the matter with eagerness. The NOCK has projected "Opera Family" since last September.
"Opera Family" is a group that members can see all opera sponsored by the NOCK at a discount of 20~30% off the regular ticket price. In fact, there are many membership system like this. But "Opera Family" has no membership fee. These news has been acknowledged from mouth to mouth, now the opera family has about 1100 members.
What kind of the company is the NOCK? It is the oldest opera company established in 1969 and has regular public performance 100 times until now. It has tried to product creative operas based on Korean traditional culture for 40 years. And the open audition has been held regularly to pick out capable young actors.
It has tried to contribute to activate opera through developing opera matched Korean expression and sense. In order to give a chance to appreciate opera to young music devotees and potential audiences, the company hold some festivals performed in small theater opera. "Opera Family" is in the same significance.
Kal Woo-suck, Staff Production Team of the NOCK said that "Opera Family" gave various benefits to its members. If you become a member of it, you can not only watch the opera at cheap price, but also have an opportunity in a opera preview. Besides you can see process of producing opera participating in seminar about opera.
As stated previously, the number of members is about 1100. Mr. Kal said that these members are somewhat different from an simple internet community of like-minded persons. Staff Production Team gathered the members in off-line. So to speak, when an opera was played in a theater, the team gave the audiences the joining application of "Opera Family". So they invite people who are really interested in opera. Actually many people join in an internet community with membership fee, they don't go to see any opera actively or frequently.
In contrast with this, "Opera Family" has true essential members. The team will let these kind of people know the family continuously. In addition to, the website of the NOCK will be built up remodeled and redecorated. In these days, the operation is under way for more than 50% and will be completed soon. Then more people will be able to participate in the family easily through internet.
In the beginning step of this project, "Opera Family", the NOCK is preparing plenty of equipments as well as publicizing to many people. The company bought projectors showed on a screen, other instruments or machineries to give a preview and a seminar of opera.
Although the NOCK is the national company, you would like to ask whether this project has a balanced income and outgo in the market economy. "It is our duty that the more public people can see a lot of opera without burden." said Mr. Kal, "The NOCK is not the perfect national-governed company. We didn't have financial supports fully by the government. Company has been run by supports of many private businesses, tickets selling income etc.
Now "Opera Family" is the principal project of the NOCK. But the company has a good deal of plans to approach the public people nearly. Above all, the first plan is to make a tour through local cities. Generally, opera was performed to whole area of Seoul and Kyung-gi do. Touring local provinces was already began last year and it will be maintained in the future.
Moreover, the company is projecting "Opera with explanation" performed from next year. Even though Korean subtitles was given during opera played in foreign language, most of audiences can't understand content of it perfectly. "Opera with explanation" will be planned to perform once or twice a year.
Kim Mun-sik, the Managing Director of the NOCK said, "Opera is not the difficult genre but before seeing it, audiences must know well the contents of it to appreciate easily." In that point, the company is preparing a libretto handbook translated into Korean. Now the translating operation is in the step of collecting famous operas published to handbook, they are estimated about 40 works. Although the operation is in the beginning level, probably you will be able to buy these books in the bookstore next year.
Opera is not difficult genre to understand. If you are aware of contents of an opera a little, you can appreciate it lightly and excitingly. First of all, why don't you join in "Opera Family"? If you become a member of it, you will be shared in the benefits of culture in various aspects. Let's jump into the world of opera.

Opera Family
If you want to join us, you must write the application and send us.

Address: 5th floor, Opera House, Seoul-Art-Center, 700, Socho-Dong, Socho-Gu
Tel: 02-586-5282
Fax: 02-586-5686
Website(not yet):
http://www.nati-onalopera.org