CreatripTeam

Coloratura soprano Kathleen Kim, beloved by the Metropolitan Opera, returns to Korea to sing Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto at Seoul Arts Center from Oct 31–Nov 2, marking her first time in the role on a Korean stage since 2017. Kim praises Rigoletto’s memorable melodies (including the famous aria “Caro nome”) and highlights the emotional and technical challenge of the Act III quartet, which intertwines four different perspectives. She says Gilda’s self-giving love is relatable to her personally, and that performing the quartet now carries greater emotional weight than when she first sang it early in her career. The production is double-cast (Gilda: Kathleen Kim and Natalia Roman; Rigoletto: baritones Alberto Gazale and Kang Hyung-kyu; Duke: tenors Park Ji-min and Kim Jin-hoon), directed by Kim Sook-young with rotating stage and video mapping, and conducted by Marcello Motadelli. Kim praises tenor Park Ji-min’s clear tone and acting, noting their past collaboration in Lucia di Lammermoor and expecting strong chemistry. She emphasizes fidelity to the work and composer over self-promotion in performance.