Q1. What is the motivation
for you to produce the world first POPERA?
I witnessed 9-11 attacks while I was studying
in New York. It didn’t seem real to me because
it was very terrible and like a fiction story. After
several days, I got to realize the reality. Since
New York had attacks, the vivid and active city
with various colors of artistic performances had
faded its life. The city was getting more tensed
from fear of terrors. Also people in New York started
being vigilant against one and another. Especially,
they looked out people from other countries. Then
the development of Nuclear Bomb in North Korea put
gas in the fire of tension. It brought a dangerous
image to both of Koreas. Along these happenings,
I would like to get back the peace we had lost and
express it through music. So I decided to perform
the message with POPERA RAIN.
Q2. We heard famous American musicians
are participating in POPERA RAIN. Who are they
and what made them decide to work on it?
Yes, that is right. We are working with
those people. Among them, it is Ted Taylor who
is a conductor in New York City Opera. I got to
know him by accident and he listened to the meaningful
purpose for our project. Then he was willing to
take my offer and work together with us. And we
have Thomas Cultice who is teaching at Brooklyn
College and Mannes College and Laura Alley, a
Staging Director. Except for these, there are
20 more musicians who are currently working as
professional musicians in New York.
Q3. What is ILOU and how does the Korea
Times sponsor your project?
ILOU is the company planning and producing
stage performances. It is a brand new company
and POPERA RAIN is going to be the first production.
We are going to produce the meaningful works and
preparing for LA, Chicago and Korea tours of performances.
And I met one of the reporters working at The
Korea Times to answer the interviews when I edited
‘The Completion of Opera, Aria’ 2
years ago. After that, I told her about my plan
to produce POPERA RAIN. She told me that The Korea
Times should sponsor the significant project and
promised to support us. Also Korean Consulate
gave its words to help us with the production
as I explained that the Peace Performance Project
would be led by Koreans in New York.
Q4. Could you tell us more about the
recommendation letters from many of Non-profit
Peace Organizations in details?
Many of Non-profit Peace Organizations
have given us a lot of hands. One of the UN umbrella
organizations, ANSWER and 7 other ones have promised
to send us recommendation letters and help us
with our production. We have been encouraged by
them because it means that it is a beginning from
and for not only Korean communities but also all
different communities in the world. We will make
more efforts to become a louder voice to send
out the peace message being allied with more organizations
like those.
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