On March 13, the Seoul Donhwamun Traditional Theater (KOR, ENG) announced its flagship brand performance, the "2026 Sanjo Festival." Built in 2016, exclusively for gugak (traditional Korean music performances), the theater takes its name from the gate of Seoul's Changdeokgung Palace, which it faces. The Sanjo Festival will run for three weeks, starting April 2.

Launched in 2021 and held annually since, the Sanjo Festival has intensely spotlighted the depth and aesthetics of sanjo. While sanjo is rooted in the same deep well of Korean folk and shamanistic tradition as pansori, it differs in fundamental ways: Sanjo emerged in the late 19th century after pansori and is purely musical and expressive, organized by rhythmic cycles – that progressively unfold from the slow Jinyang-jo to the fast Hwimori – rather than through a vocalized narrative. While pansori can last hours, sanjo performances are normally 30 to 60 minutes long and feature one melodic instrument like a stringed gayageum accompanied by a janggu drum.

Since its opening, the Seoul Donhwamun Traditional Theater has documented the present state of sanjo by simultaneously preserving tradition and offering contemporary interpretations. The theater blends traditional and modern architecture, with an indoor theater located underground and a gugak yard for outdoor performances inside the madang (courtyard) within the one-story Hanok structure above ground. "Audiences can experience the charm of Korean traditional music here, breathing in unison with the performers," festival organizers said.

This year, to mark the theater's 10th anniversary, its main stage has been expanded. Both venues offer a natural acoustic performance environment for traditional arts.

Notably, the Sanjo Festival has established itself as a brand symbolizing the venue's identity, building a cumulative archive of performers and audience base over the past six years. Also to mark the theater's 10th anniversary, the Sanjo Festival's scope has been expanded accordingly. Performances run for three weeks starting April 2nd, every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Thursday and Friday shows begin at 7:30 pm, while Saturday and Sunday shows start at 4:00 pm. As a commemorative year, the festival both intensively showcases the accumulated achievements of the past decade and explores sanjo's potential through musical and social expansion.

This year's Artistic Director is Chonnam National University Professor Kim Sang-yeon. Artistic Director Kim described sanjo as "music where a single performer builds their own breath and time atop the rhythm," stating, "This Sanjo Festival will continue our attempt to broaden 'relationships and forms' based on the spirit of sanjo."

Director Kim made "Expansion" the theme of the "2026 Sanjo Festival." While maintaining solo stages for acclaimed sanjo performers, he also curated special stage performances under such keywords as "Master," "Youth," "Citizen," and "Creation." The Sanjo Festival begins with "Master" and "Master Homage."

The "Master Performance" features Lee Saeng-gang and Ji Sun-ja, who have profoundly led the major currents of sanjo. Their sanjo rhythms will be accompanied by Jeong Hwa-young and Lee Tae-baek, respectively. This stage will highlight the close rapport and deep communion between masters and accompanists.

A special lecture/performance "Homage to Masters – Daegeum Edition" will unpack the artistic worlds of legendary masters who created sanjo schools through discussion, aiding audience understanding. Promising sanjo performers in their 20s will then reinterpret those masters' sanjo pieces on stage using their own unique musical language. This demonstrates that inheriting tradition is not mere reproduction, but an "expansion of interpretation."

The grand finale of the Sanjo Festival features "Citizen Sanjo" and "New Sanjo Duet." In Citizen Sanjo, citizens directly participate as performers to connect the stories of sanjo with their lives, expanding sanjo into "music for the masses." This symbolic project transforms an audience base, cultivated over ten years of performances, into the main subjects of the stage.

Furthermore, moving beyond the traditional solo-centric format of past Sanjo Festivals, "New Sanjo Ensemble – One Harmony, One Rhythm" features past performers and combines the characteristics of sanjo ensemble and sinawi (collective improvisation). The past decade of performances and festivals has built the kind of network and trust among traditional musicians to make such a performance possible.

Tickets and detailed information are available by searching "sanjo" on the Performance page of the Seoul Donhwamun Traditional Theater website.

----------------------------------------------------------------

(Press Release translated by AI, edited by David Kendall)