By Kim Tae Won and Sohn JiAe

Musicians from Korea and Russia have collaborated on one stage, together hoping for success in February’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

The Korean Cultural Center in Russia hosted the Gala Concert of Classical Music, an event that brought together musicians from the two countries from across symphonies, opera and traditional music, on Jan. 26 at the Dom Muziki in Moscow.

Amid around 1,600 representatives from the political, sports and art circles of the two countries, including Olga Epifanova, deputy chairperson of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the concert began with a rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture” by the State Symphony Capella of Russia. Korean pianist Kim Jeong-won joined the orchestra to play Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.

One of the most-exclaimed Korean sopranos, Sumi Jo, jointly performed “O Soave Fanciulla,” part of Puccini’s “La boheme,” along with Russian tenor Aleksey Tatarintsev.

After the performance, the soprano spoke of her hope that the PyeongChang Olympic Games would bring together the two Koreas. She then sang two touching encores, “Here As One,” in the hope of sending a message of unity and peace, and “Longing for Mt. Geumgang,” a song about the suffering of a divided country.

twkim0717@korea.kr