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Busan Metropolitan City Extends the Term of Conductor Chung Myung-whun as Artistic Director of Classic Busan

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, announced that it has signed an agreement extending the term of Artistic Director Chung Myung-whun and will work with him to establish the long-term operational strategy for Busan Opera House, which is scheduled to open in September 2027, as well as to jointly plan its opening festival.

Since his appointment in July 2023 as the inaugural Artistic Director of Classic Busan, which oversees both Busan Concert Hall and Busan Opera House, Chung Myung-whun has successfully led the opening of Busan Concert Hall in June last year and its rapid establishment as one of the city's premier performance venues.

With this reappointment, continuity in artistic leadership connecting Busan's two flagship performing arts venues has been secured.

The extension of his term is particularly significant as it coincides with the opening of Busan Opera House. By maintaining a consistent artistic vision from the preparation phase through the planning of major productions, the "Opera City Busan" project is expected to gain further momentum.

Regarding the proposed invitation of Teatro alla Scala to present an opera as part of the opening festival, Busan Metropolitan City and related parties agreed to continue gathering a broad range of opinions and engage in further in-depth discussions before making a final decision.

Mayor Chun Jae-soo said, "Building a world-class performance venue is important, but what matters just as much is ensuring that the space becomes part of citizens' everyday lives. Busan Opera House should not be an exclusive venue for a select few, but an open cultural space where all citizens can enjoy the arts.

"We will make every effort to ensure that preparations for the opening proceed smoothly so that it will become a new landmark of the global maritime city of Busan and a place that citizens are proud to call their own."