Soprano Angela Gheorghiu (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – A performance of Puccini’s “Tosca” at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts took an unexpected turn on September 8 when world-renowned soprano Angela Gheorghiu disrupted the show, igniting a heated debate about artistic etiquette and cultural expectations in the classical music world.
The incident occurred during the third act when tenor Kim Jaehyung, after finishing the aria “E lucevan le stelle,” spontaneously began an encore.
Gheorghiu, playing the title role, stormed onto the stage, gesturing at her wrist to indicate time constraints and expressing visible frustration towards both Kim and conductor Ji Jung-bae.
As the encore concluded, Gheorghiu approached the conductor, halted the music, and declared, “This is an opera, not a recital. Respect me.”
The soprano’s actions have since sparked outrage among audience members and intense discussion within South Korea’s classical music community.
“It’s one thing to voice concerns backstage, but stopping a performance mid-show? That’s unheard of,” one attendee posted on social media.
Another wrote, “Her behavior was inexcusably rude. How little must she think of Korean audiences to act this way?”
Soprano Angela Gheorghiu during a performance of Puccini’s “Tosca” (Image courtesy of the Seoul Metropolitan Opera)
Some patrons, who paid up to 200,000 won for VIP seats, are now demanding refunds. The Sejong Center has confirmed it is discussing the matter internally.
While impromptu encores are not common in opera, they are not without precedent. A veteran opera performer, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted, “Encores can happen based on audience reaction. It’s debatable, but not unheard of. Gheorghiu seemed to believe it would disrupt the flow for the next performer.”
This is not Gheorghiu’s first controversy related to encores. In 2016, she refused to return to the stage during a “Tosca” performance in Vienna when her co-star performed an encore.
The incident has also sparked a broader discussion about cultural differences and expectations in international performances.
Some argue that while Gheorghiu’s actions were inappropriate, the audience’s response — including shouting “Go home!” during curtain call — was equally unacceptable.
The Sejong Center has requested that Gheorghiu issue an apology to the audience. As of September 9, the soprano had not responded to this request.
A representative from the Sejong Center stated, “We understand that Ms. Gheorghiu may need time to collect herself after last night’s events. We expect she will address the situation in due course.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
