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Mary Finsterer and Tom Wright's Opera, The Rising World, Premieres at the Seoul Arts Center

May. 30, 2025

The Rising World, an opera by composer Mary Finsterer and librettist Tom Wright, was premiered at the Seoul Arts Center on May 25 with additional performances on May 27, 29, and 31. The performance, featuring mezzo-soprano Kim Jung-mi, soprano Hwang Su-mi, and tenor Robin Tritschler, was led by director Stephen Carr and conductor Steven Osgood.

The Rising World is a fable of a kingdom assailed by a malign force. Nature seems at war with order – floods rise up from the earth, hailstorms and blizzards come from clear skies, and vents of steam erupt from dark corners. All this is due to the possession of the young heir to the throne by a water ghost, a chthonic spirit that has risen from a well and will not leave the princess’ body. After conventional attempts to exorcise the princess fail, an artisan from the provinces is brought to the palace – she is a maker of water clocks, and has a detailed understanding of the compression, regulation and training of water. The artisan builds a strange device – is it a clock? Is it a trap? And will the water ghost leave history, and enter into a new sense of time? 

The Seoul Arts Center invited Finsterer to compose The Rising World. It is the the first English opera world premiere presented by the Center.


Trailer: The Rising World

To learn more about Mary Finsterer, visit schott-music.com.

Mary Finsterer
The Rising World (2024-2025)
an opera
libretto (Eng) by Tom Wright
pic.1.afl.2.eh.2.bcl.2.cbn-4.3.2.basspos.0-timp-2perc-electro acoustics-hp-pno-str

Cast: The Princess, later Queen · Soprano - The Artisan · Mezzo-soprano - The Apprentice · Tenor - The King · Baritone - Ancestor Ghost · Countertenor (cameo role) · The Palace Archivist · Baritone - The Royal Governess · Contralto - Chancellor · Bass - The Royal Physician · Tenor - A Villager · Soprano - First Courtier · Tenor - Second Courtier · Alto - Third Courtier · Baritone - Fourth Courtier · Bass - First Emissary · Tenor - Second Emissary · Baritone - Third Emissary · Bass - Master Builder · Baritone - Chorus (SATB)

Duration: 130'

Preview the score

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