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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Jeonju Sori Festival to open Aug. 12 with focus on audience participation

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The Jeonju International Sori Festival will open on August 12-16 with the theme 'Breath of Sound, Gathered into a Stage.'
  • The festival aims for audience participation, moving beyond traditional opening and closing performances.
  • Programs include 'Five Great Pansori,' 'Young Pansori,' and collaborations with world music artists.

The Jeonju International Sori Festival is set to open from August 12 to 16 in Jeonbuk Province, marking its 25th anniversary. This year's festival, themed 'Breath of Sound, Gathered into a Stage,' signals a shift towards a more participatory experience for attendees.

The festival organizing committee announced the program details, emphasizing a move away from conventional opening and closing ceremonies. The focus is on creating open stages where artists and audiences can engage together, embodying the spirit of 'pan', a gathering where traditional Korean music meets diverse genres and world music.

Key programs like 'Five Great Pansori' will be reimagined. Instead of focusing solely on complete performances, the festival will present 'pan-nor-eum,' a format incorporating elements like tightrope walking, lion dances, and 'pangut' (traditional percussion performances), fostering a shared experience with the audience. Renowned pansori singers are slated to participate.

The 25th Sori Festival will present diverse programs that combine the authenticity of pansori with modern sensibilities and a global perspective.

— Choi CheolFestival organizing committee chairman, expressing expectations for the event.

Further offerings include 'Young Pansori,' 'Sori Frontier,' 'Night of Sanjo' featuring masters Park Dae-seong and Park Beom-hoon, 'Today's Sori,' and 'Pansori X Cinema.' Domestic performances will feature the Namwon City Musical Orchestra's 'Father's Liberation Diary,' 'Women's Nongak - Annyeong Peace Gut,' and others. Musical performances by Shim Soo-bong and Urban Zakapa are also planned.

The festival is also strengthening its world music component, re-staging 'Chopin & Arirang' and featuring collaborations between Canadian folk bands and Korean singers, as well as artists from India, Africa, and the Middle East. Community-focused programs, including 'Visiting Sori Festival' in various Jeonbuk cities, 'Sori Fringe' for local artists, and a children's festival, are also part of the lineup.

We focused on a festival that citizens can enjoy together. We hope it becomes a time for healing, returning to the sound stages and play stages where pansori was born.

— Kim Jeong-sooExecutive committee chairman, highlighting the community-focused aspect of the festival.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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