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anywaythewinds · 1 year

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[Translation] INTERVIEW: Sing for My Music: The Phantom of the Opera’s Kim Ju Taek

Interviewed by Ahn Se Young From the March 2023 issue of The Musical Translated by @anywaythewinds, edited by sigye

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Translator's note: Thanks to sigye for their help reviewing and editing this. Please message me if you find any mistakes. Please do not quote without credit (link to this post).

Just like the first scene of The Phantom of the Opera when we see time turned back through a fallen chandelier pulled back to its place hanging from the ceiling, let’s turn back the clock to 2009. The year The Phantom of the Opera returned for its second season in Korea, Korean baritone Kim Ju Taek made his opera debut as Figaro in The Barber of Seville in faraway Italy. He then traveled all over the world, performing as an opera singer, until 2017 when he suddenly appeared on musical competition TV show Phantom Singer 2 and took on a new challenge as a part of crossover musical group, Miraclass. Now, in 2023, Kim Ju Taek of Phantom Singer 2 is about to transform into a real Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, returning for its first Korean production in 13 years. Opera star Kim Ju Taek receives the spotlight of the stage, while the Phantom hides in the dark basement of an opera house. These two characters that live in seemingly different worlds become one through a common desire to share their music with the world.

“I knew I couldn’t pass on this opportunity”

You were actively performing in Italy, the birthplace of opera, when you decided to appear on Phantom Singer 2, and there was a lot of talk about you. I heard that some of your family and friends even discouraged you from doing TV. How did they react when they heard you would be making your musical theatre debut? When I told my mother I was going to be on Phantom Singer 2, she had to go lie down from shock. To be honest, I was afraid she would react similarly this time as well so I kept Phantom a secret from my mother until just before the cast was announced. But when she heard the casting news, her reaction was completely different from the past. Instead of opposing it, she even asked me this and that about the musical with interest. Genre aside, perhaps she saw that I was appearing alongside distinguished actors such as Jo Seung Woo, Choi Jae Rim, and Jeon Dongseok, and thought, “My son must be doing something amazing!” (laughs) The Miraclass members were also very happy for me. Musical actor Park Kang Hyun sunbaenim [senior] told me that it was a role that I would fit very well and congratulated me. (laughs)

I heard that you went to see pretty much every musical that actor Park Kang Hyun appeared in. When did you start becoming interested in musicals? Before I appeared on Phantom Singer 2, I honestly thought that classical music was the only type of music for me. Like a racehorse with its eyes covered, my view was too narrow. But through Phantom Singer I met so many skilled musicians that performed in other genres, and I discovered there was a whole other world I was unaware of. It was a wakeup call. “I was too proud just because I sing a bit of opera!” I thought, and I realized I had the wrong view before. From that time, my eyes were opened, and I became interested in a variety of genres. Through the competition, I became a member of the same team as musical actor Kang Hyun, and I started learning about musicals when I went to support him in the musicals he appeared in. I’ve pretty much seen all of the musicals he’s been in from when he was at Daehakro in 2017 doing Evil Dead to the present day in grand theatres.

As a member of the audience, what did you think of musicals? I went to study abroad in Italy in my last year of high school, so I didn’t have any opportunity to learn about musicals. Musicals aren’t performed much in Italy, the birthplace of opera. I discovered musicals late, once I returned to Korea, and it was overwhelming. The stage direction was awesome, and the actors’ singing was powerful to my ears - a completely different appeal from opera, which doesn’t use mics. I’ve never learned acting, but I thought that I would like to try performing in sung-through musicals such as Les Miserables and Hadestown. I also wanted to try singing the songs that An Jung-geun sings in Hero. I sometimes imagined what appearing in a certain musical would feel like. One of the musicals that I vaguely dreamed of was The Phantom of the Opera.

When the cast was announced, you said, “I have thought that if I ever were to be in a musical, the musical that would best express my music would be The Phantom of the Opera.” What was the reason that made you decide to appear in Phantom? Even amongst classical singers, The Phantom of the Opera is a well known musical. It’s set in an opera house in Paris, and many opera singers have appeared in the show as well. I’ve never seen the show in person, but I’ve sung Raoul and Christine’s duet, “All I Ask of You,” at a concert before. From then, I’ve thought that the show had very beautiful music. I was also curious what the secret was behind Broadway’s longest running musical. I wanted to figure out the reason for its success through performing in the musical myself. More than anything, it’s also the first time in 13 years that The Phantom of the Opera is being produced in Korea! We don’t know when the next production after this will be, so I knew I couldn’t pass on this opportunity.

Considering that this is the first license production in so long, the casting competition must have been fierce. Do you have any stories from the audition process? The auditions were held when people couldn’t freely enter and leave the country due to COVID-19, so the director, Rainer Fried, couldn’t come to Korea himself and ended up video calling into the auditions. The audition song was “All I Ask of You (Reprise),” when the Phantom peers at Christine and Raoul’s secret rendezvous and sings of his feeling of betrayal. I was so nervous that I don’t even remember how I sang the song. But after I sang, the director asked me to focus more on the Phantom’s emotions and sing it once more, so I had a hunch it was going well, since it meant that he was interested in me. The first time I sang in front of the director was during rehearsals, and he said that now that he was hearing me in person, it was a hundred times more thrilling than during the video call auditions. The producer that was at the auditions also said that I was memorable. They said that they usually just keep their eyes on their laptop screen, but for the first time at any audition, they looked up after I sang my first line. To be honest I don’t remember anything except being super nervous, but I was a little shy hearing such praise.

Were you really that nervous? Even though musical theatre is a new genre to you, you’re skilled in singing so I thought you would be confident. I definitely wasn’t confident at first! First of all, Phantom’s songs have a lot of high notes. In opera, the highest notes a baritone has to sing is around F# or G, but Phantom has to sing G#s and even A. I also have to use falsetto for some parts, which opera singers usually don’t need to do, since opera singers have to sing powerfully enough to cut through the orchestra and be heard without mics. But since musical vocalization is different from opera, I felt some pressure there. I debated a lot about how to sing in the show, and I ended up mixing in just the right amount of opera vocalization during rehearsal. Thankfully everyone seemed to think it was okay. (laughs) From that point, I gained some confidence.

“I want to break the stereotypes about opera singers”

Did you find any big differences between musical theatre and opera while rehearsing? As I said before, since opera singers don’t use mics, if you sing softly your sound is completely buried by the orchestra. It’s really embarrassing if you’re an opera singer and a conductor says your voice is soft. But in musical theatre, through the mic, even the smallest whispers and breaths from an actor is perfectly conveyed to the audience. So compared to opera, a much more subtle expression is possible. On Phantom Singer 2, Kang Hyun nicknamed me “tyrannosaurus” so a lot of people remember me as just having a powerful voice, but I actually enjoy more subtle singing, with expressiveness. In that sense, I think musical theatre fits me well.

In the past, you sang mostly in Italian when performing in operas. This time, you’ll be performing in front of a Korean audience singing in Korean - it must be a new feeling. You might think that it’s easier for me to sing in Korean, but that’s not the case. First of all, during rehearsals, the Korean lyrics were constantly being edited, so I would confuse the lyrics with the version I’d previously memorized. However, opera lyrics never change, and it’s required to arrive at rehearsals with the score memorized, so I’m still getting used to the rehearsal process for Phantom. The Korean language doesn’t have distinct accents or intonation, which is also an obstacle. European languages all have set rules for pitch and intonation, so you can sing according to those rules, but Korean doesn’t have those rules. So classical singers find Korean songs harder than Italian, German, or English language songs. But it’s fun, since a song sounds completely different based on the points that the singer chooses to emphasize in their interpretation.

Do you feel nervous about the acting? I would’ve been nervous if there were a lot of spoken lines, but The Phantom of the Opera is a sung-through musical. Putting emotions into my singing is something I’ve already been doing from my opera days, so it’s not too hard, comparatively. A lot of people have this misconception that opera singers wait for their turn, sing their song, and then get off stage, but operas are also just like musicals and require acting skill. I want to break that stereotype about opera singers by doing well as the Phantom.

The role of Christine is played by Son Ji Soo and Song Eun Hye, who are also opera singers. How did you feel performing with them during rehearsals? Even before Phantom, I knew both of them well. Soprano Ji Soo and I are both graduates of Seonhwa Arts High School and we’ve run into each other before at competitions. Popera singer Eun Hye and I performed together at a concert before. The fact that the two of them are also a part of this is a source of strength for me, since we can talk about our troubles together as classical singers doing musical theatre. The two Christines must feel a lot of pressure regarding acting since the role has so much stage time, but the others playing the Phantom role are all musical actors so they’ve been taking the lead during rehearsal, and now we have a great time practicing together. I’ve been enjoying rehearsals because each of the Christines have their own personalities. Since Ji Soo has her share of experience on the opera stage, she gives off the vibe of a respectable prima donna; Eun Hye, on the other hand, brings out a more young and innocent side of Christine, one that’s just about to become a big star.

Imagine yourself finally standing on stage after all the rehearsals - which scene do you anticipate the most? The scene where the Phantom sings “The Music of the Night.” After starting rehearsals, we pretty much rehearsed this song for ten days straight, but I understand why we poured our heart and soul into rehearsing it. In just a few minutes, I have to fully express what kind of person the Phantom is. To the Phantom, music is his entire life. He’s devoted his entire being into his music. And one day, someone appears that can transform the music he’s been dreaming about into reality. That someone is Christine. Right before the Phantom sings “The Music of the Night,” he sings this to Christine: The only reason I’ve brought you here is so that you can sing my song. If I don’t properly convey the Phantom’s mentality in this passage, the Phantom could be just a villain in the audience’s eyes. So I’m very nervous about this scene, but I’m also excited for it. It feels like time stops when I’m singing this song.

“The Music of the Night” requires a detailed portrayal, but the Phantom’s face is covered so it must be difficult to convey emotion in this song. That’s right. My face is half covered by the mask, so however intensely stare, there’s a limit to what the audience will take away. Instead, I use my hand movements to convey emotion. In “The Music of the Night,” the Phantom’s motions are gentle and careful as if he’s lulling a baby. Because Christine is that precious to him. But strength must coexist with that gentleness - only then can the audience see that Christine is overpowered by the Phantom. The director said that I have to act with “the feeling of pulling Christine’s backbone.” It’s a bit of an extreme expression, but that’s how I have to portray the Phantom’s invisible power that’s able to captivate Christine. As rehearsals continue, I’m realizing just how exquisitely and systematically this musical was put together. I can’t carelessly pass over any single breath, look, gesture, or word. I think the reason why The Phantom of the Opera has been so loved all over the world for 35 years is because of this meticulous attention to detail.

“If all you do is think, nothing will happen”

With the guidance of the Phantom, Christine emerges as the prima donna. In real life, do you have a mentor like the Phantom? Though I’ve never met him, there’s someone that held on to me so that I could make it to this point without losing my passion for singing - Italy’s legendary baritone Piero Cappuccilli. Cappuccilli was famous for his ability to sing up to the tenor range, even though he was a baritone, and his long, uninterrupted phrases. I especially love his legato [the method of singing multiple notes in a smooth, continuous fashion]. There’s an aria from the opera Don Carlo called “Io Morro, Ma Lieto In Core” that Rodrigo sings before he dies. In this aria, Cappuccilli sings four phrases without a single breath in between for about 20 seconds. When I heard him sing this, I was floored. I wanted to copy him so at night I would go to the park when it was empty and walk while practicing singing. In this way, I was able to sing for longer on a single breath. That’s how I grew as a singer while listening to Cappuccilli. He’s my idol and mentor. Whenever I want to go back to the basics, I watch videos of Cappuccilli. If the Phantom reached out to Christine through the mirror to guide her, Cappuccilli did the same thing to me, through the computer screen.

The Phantom is a musical genius, but due to his hideous appearance he leads a lonely life hidden in the basement of an opera house. Though you’re known for having an optimistic personality, do you find any similarities between you and the Phantom? For any character I portray, I start with finding the similarities between my experiences and the character’s in the story. For example, if the role is a father who has lost a wandering son, then I’ll recall the feeling of when one of my favorite juniors lost their way to portray that role. While I was carefully considering where to find the commonalities between myself and the Phantom, my slump in Italy came to mind. After 4-5 years studying abroad, due to my family’s circumstances, it became difficult for my parents to support me. To make matters worse, I was deeply betrayed by someone in my life. As a twenty something year old living alone far from home, I struggled to get through these hardships one after another. I wanted to give up on the music that had been my everything up until then. I even had the extreme thought of giving up on life. I’m going to try and place those feelings into my Phantom. The Phantom’s solitude, his feelings when Christine, who he believed would give his music wings, betrays him - I think my experiences will help me portray those emotions.

How did you get out of that slump back then? Ironically, it was music that pulled me out of my slump in the end. At the time, my final exam to graduate from the Verdi Music Conservatory in Milan was approaching, but I had lost myself to a state of despair and I even stopped attending my classes. But then, a teacher of mine came to look for me, and even brought me to their villa to cheer me up. They also helped me enter a competition, and it was at that competition that I met the casting director that cast me in my debut opera. It’s dramatic, right? After that, while preparing for the opera, I forgot about all of the hard times. I also graduated from school as the fourth student in the conservatory’s history to receive unanimous votes. I almost gave up on life because of music, but it was also thanks to music that I hung on to life.

I always thought you had a continuous upward trajectory as an opera star - I’m surprised that you also had setbacks in your career. I’m not sure how I appear to others, but my life has been a continuous cycle of new endeavors and failures. After debuting as an opera star, while I was actively performing, I hit another slump. It was difficult to always sing in the same theatre, with the same people, with the same orchestra and the same repertoire. This question kept ringing in my head: “Is this really the future I dreamed of?” Around this time, I was in Korea for a bit, and coincidentally it was when Phantom Singer 1 was airing. While watching the show, I couldn’t get the thought out of my head, “What if I had appeared on this show?” So when the applications for Phantom Singer 2 opened I immediately applied. Because I had gotten tired of constantly doing the same things in the same way and wanted a refresh.

Is there anything else you want to challenge in the future? After Phantom of the Opera, if possible, I want to keep doing musicals. I intend to grow as a musical actor one step at a time. Later on, I want to be a conductor or a music director. I want the job of seeing the forest instead of the trees - painting the big picture. My childhood dream was to become a conductor. While traveling around the world and performing with conductor Jeong Myung Hoon, I saw his overflowing charisma while conducting and my childhood dream that I had carefully tucked away came back to life. After all, it’s part of my personality that I can’t stay in one place for too long. Just like how 19 year old Kim Ju Taek set off for Italy, I love taking on new challenges. And I’ll do that for the rest of my life.

In the world, there are more people that are afraid and hesitant in front of new challenges than those that enjoy it. What do you want to say to the people that are afraid? I often tell my juniors to not just think of doing something but to actually attempt it. If all you do is think, nothing will happen. However, with anything you attempt, even if you fail, the experience remains. That experience keeps building up and then it becomes your skills. Sometimes, when I’m giving advice to my juniors, they respond with, “I’m not ready yet.” I get sad when I hear those words. If you do nothing and just wait for your big break, when your chance actually appears you won’t be able to take it because you don’t have the skills. You have to remember that no matter if you succeed or fail, the experience you build is preparation so you’re able to take the opportunity when it comes. So if you’re thinking about trying something right now, go for it. It takes ten hits to chop down a tree. If all you do is think about something ten times, nothing will come out of it.

#kim ju taek #김주택 #the phantom of the opera #오페라의 유령 #korean musicals #translation #i love that even though he's a musical theatre rookie he's bringing such a wealth of experience of performing to the role #like you can feel just how much he loves music and that's why this role is perfect for him

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kimsaena88 · 2 years

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There is something I want to address today that I have been sitting on for a while. I have allowed myself time to observe and digest the growing debate surrounding BTS and their possible exemption from their mandatory military service before speaking on it. Although this is a very sensitive subject, I wanted to share my thoughts on the issue not just as K-ARMY, but as a Korean in general. I know that many I-ARMY wish for BTS to be exempt from the military, solely based on the basis of the opinion that “they deserve it,” but it’s not that simple. When considering the duty of mandatory military service, one must keep in mind what it truly means to Korea to serve. It has been considered almost a right of passage to manhood for Korean men, as well as a reminder of pride in country, and all that is still at stake for the nation. It may not seem like it, but the two Koreas are still at war, as no peace treaty was ever signed. It should come as no surprise that the South wants to be prepared, because as we’ve seen with the war in Ukraine, anything can happen in the blink of an eye.

The national debate on mandatory military service and exemptions has been going on for decades, and the word “sensitive” is an understatement to the enormity of it all. Since the Alternative Military Act was first established for artists, athletes, and industry experts in order to promote national prestige and cultural development in 1973, Koreans have been divided on the fairness of alternative service. It has been a hot button issue in recent times due to the low birth rate in Korea, resulting in low numbers of soldiers. To make matters worse, the men who once would have been exempted for poor health are now forced to enlist. To top it all off, the persisting poor treatment and pay for enlisted soldiers has compounded the dissension.

Right now, BTS is at the forefront of the debate. As unfortunate as it is that BTS has to be surrounded by such controversy, it has forced the government to really heed the concerns of the nation and its continued conscription of the country’s men. To better explain the debate, it’s best to first understand the history of exemptions, and how BTS may be the catalyst for yet another change in the law. About two weeks ago, I read an in depth article that puts this into perspective. I will share the article, since I believe it would be insightful into understanding why exemptions exist, how it’s determined, and why BTS is being considered.

The debate surrounding the possible exemption of BTS took off in 2018, but it boiled over last month. As many know, the Communications Chief of HYBE had made some controversial statements that rubbed the public the wrong way. K-ARMY were upset with the CCO for seemingly putting Jin and the rest of BTS on the chopping block for the media to tear into, whereas many of the public were left with conflicting opinions on the matter and how it was being handled by BTS, HYBE, and the government. Since then, other public figures have added to the voices on either side of the isle. I will share a link that focuses on the current state of the debate, and how it has led to the military service system to be revisited and discussed.

What’s important to note is what significant changes are being discussed due to the growing debate, that of which could have a lasting positive effect on Korea. I’ve seen mentions of establishing a recruitment system, open to both men and women, that pays a respectable salary. This in turn could provide many job opportunities within the military for countless young people, who are struggling as a result of the highly competitive job market. I’ve seen it referred to as the “4th Industrial Revolution” of Korea.

Although I cannot speak for everyone, I believe that whatever conclusion is reached concerning BTS, it must be respected. However, I really do hope that the debate ends well, in favor of the betterment of the nation, not just for BTS. Only time will tell.

#방탄소년단 #bts #kim namjoon #kim seokjin #min yoongi #jung hoseok #park jimin #kim taehyung #jeon jungkook #jikook

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