The P'ansori Experience in Europe: Invitation, Promotion, Commission, and Collaboration

Korean p 'amori singers have been performing in Europe since at least the 1960s. In this paper, I explore the reception of this singing/storytelling art in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom and analyze the diversification ofperformance formats, the expansion of audiences, and the agents that shape this process. Based on performance programs and publicity, as well as press coverage, I distinguish the various purposes that p 'ansori in Europe has served, from political agendas and nation branding to individual aspirations and artistic exchange. Complementing earlier research on the globalization of traditional Korean music, I attempt a sketch of local responses to p 'ansori in Europe that includes the contexts and audiences of performances, means of mediation, and the conditions of creative cooperation.