Photo of Orfeo ed Euridice: Courtesy of Korea Opera Festival

The First Korea Opera Festival has kicked off in Seoul with the Korea National Opera's rendition of Orfeo ed Euridice.

The inaugural festival aims to introduce the country's top opera ensembles and bring the genre closer to the general public. It will run until 7 July 2010 at Seoul Arts Centre.

Organized by the Korea National Opera and the Opera Society of Korea, the festival features the KNO and four troupes chosen from the 85 that are part of the Opera Society:

• Gloria Opera Ensemble
• Sol'Opera
• Seoul Opera Ensemble
• Beseto Opera

The KNO opened the festivities with Orfeo ed Euridice which was staged in Seoul Art Centre's Towol Theatre. Counter tenors David Dong-qyu Lee and Stephen Wallace shared the lead role of Orfeo while soprano Park Mi-ja played Euridice.

Other productions include:

• Rigoletto by the Gloria Opera Company
• Aida by Sol'Opera 
• La Traviata by The Seoul Opera Ensemble 
• Carmen by Beseto Opera

Tickets cost from 30,000 to 250,000 won. For more information, call (02) 580-1300.