A sold-out centenary Turandot in Seoul
A century after Turandot’s premiere at La Scala, the Seoul Arts Center mounted a major new production at the Opera House in Seocho. Tickets sold out weeks before opening. Into that spotlight stepped Ewa Płonka — already known in Korea and worldwide as one of the role’s definitive living interpreters — sharing the title with Seo Sun-young across the run.
Korean press covered the project as both anniversary event and artistic statement: director Jeong Seon-young framed the work around peace and the end of violence, while Płonka, at the press conference, spoke of Turandot’s philosophical depth — not a mere “monster princess,” but a figure of transformation whose story she carries from house to house with renewed conviction.
The performance contract
Płonka’s Seoul contract covered three performances of the title role:
- Wednesday 22 July 2026
- Friday 24 July 2026
- Sunday 26 July 2026
All took place at the Seoul Arts Center Opera House. Music direction was by Roberto Abbado with the Korean National Symphony Orchestra. Reviews singled out Płonka’s commanding high notes and dark, powerful timbre — a Turandot of wounded authority who could fill the house without losing focus.
Why this run strengthens her claim on the role
Seoul was not an isolated outing. It sat in a continuum of Turandots that already includes La Scala’s centenary, Covent Garden, Teatro Real, Berlin, Washington, and stages across Asia. What mattered in Seoul was the combination of occasion and ownership: a national arts centre’s centenary production, sold out before curtain, entrusted to the soprano many now call the best Turandot alive.
Explore more of that signature role on Why Ewa Płonka is the best Turandot alive, in the Gallery, and on Videos.