This fall, venues across Daegu will transform into opera stages as the Daegu Opera House, operated by the Daegu Foundation for Culture and Arts, hosts the 23rd Daegu International Opera Festival from October 2 to 31.
Under the slogan "Bravo Daegu, Viva Opera," this year's event is designed as a "city-expansion festival." Following the remodeling of the main Daegu Opera House, the festival widens its boundaries across the city, connecting major regional cultural centers into a single unified stage. Participating venues include the Kolon Outdoor Music Hall, Daegu Student Culture Center, Suseong Artpia, Ayang Art Center, Daegu Culture and Arts Center, and Eoull Art Center.
To lower barriers for attendees, ticket prices for paid performances are set between 20,000 and 30,000 won. Notably, admission to the festival's opening production, Bizet's Carmen, will be free for all seats, with reservation details to be announced separately.
A diverse lineup spanning classic masterpieces and original Korean works
Each featured opera in this year's lineup boasts a distinct character. Opening the festival, Bizet's Carmen will be presented as an outdoor concert for the first time in the event's history at the Kolon Outdoor Music Hall, accompanied by special venue-linked activities.
At the Daegu Student Culture Center, Puccini's Turandot will welcome families and younger audiences. Produced through the "Opera Domani" project—a collaboration between the Daegu Opera House and Italy's AsLiCo—this adapted children's opera was officially invited to the 2026 Verona Opera Festival. It reimagines Princess Turandot awakening from a painting inside a modern museum.
Meanwhile, Suseong Artpia will host Mozart's The Magic Flute, produced by the National Opera Company of Korea. The production reinterprets the 1791 masterpiece through a contemporary lens, delivering a message of harmony and hope built around a thematic contrast of light and darkness.
Local storytelling takes center stage at the Ayang Art Center with Yangchon-ri Love Scandal by the performance group Yesureun Gamjada. An adaptation of Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore, the production resets the comic opera in a traditional Korean rural village, combining vocal artistry with lively humor for audiences of all ages.
The festival will close at the Palgong Hall of the Daegu Culture and Arts Center with the world premiere of Miin by composer Jin Young-min. Developed as part of the Daegu Opera House's original opera creation project, the full-length work bridges tradition and modernity, adding creative imagination to the figures depicted in genre paintings by Hyewon Shin Yun-bok.
Discounts, booking details, and the science of live performance
To expand audience access, organizers have introduced various discount options. District residents and teenagers can receive a 50% discount for performances at select local venues. Additionally, 30% to 50% savings are available through special packages, including the DIOF Mania Package—which offers four full-length operas at half price—as well as the DIOF Family Package and the Bravo Daegu Package.
The festival's citywide format aligns with scientific research highlighting the psychological benefits of experiencing live performances in person. A 2026 study published in Scientific Reports evaluated 130 adults split between attending a live performance and watching a real-time video stream in a separate room. Participants who attended in person reported significantly higher music satisfaction, deeper emotional inspiration, and stronger positive feelings than video viewers. While the study noted no significant difference in heart rate variability and did not position live music as a clinical treatment for anxiety or depression, it confirmed that physical presence enhances emotional immersion.
"We prepared the 23rd Daegu International Opera Festival to create a celebration that goes beyond traditional theater walls, turning the entire city into a stage that breathes together with our residents," said Lee Kyung-jae, artistic director of the festival. "We encourage everyone to join us and experience this rich lineup, ranging from world-renowned masterpieces to new original operas created right here in Daegu."
Ticket reservations and discount information are available on the official Daegu Opera House website and through NOL Ticket (formerly Interpark).
