Novecento is an original Korean musical inspired by the film The Legend of 1900. It's a one-man music play based on the 1994 monologue by Italian literary master Alessandro Baricco.
What does "Novecento" mean?
"Novecento" is Italian for "1900" — also the name of the main character, known as "1900" in the original story.
This musical version builds on Baricco’s play and the film adaptation, The Legend of 1900.
I was curious to see what kind of stage could be created by just one actor and one pianist.
It turned out to be a powerful and intimate performance where I could feel the beauty of jazz piano and the depth of various characters played by a single actor on a stage with zero distance from the audience.


1. Basic Info About the Musical
- Performance period: March 19 – June 8, 2025
- Concept: A one-man show with live piano
- Synopsis:
Novecento tells the story of a genius pianist discovered as a baby aboard a transatlantic ship called the SS Virginian. Raised entirely on the ship, he never sets foot on land. The story is told by his friend and trumpet player, Tim Tooney.
🎺 One Actor, Eleven Characters
The performance begins with actor Yoo Seung-hyun appearing on stage and actually playing the trumpet — I was impressed to learn he had trained to play it for the role.
He then greets the audience warmly, even making eye contact with individual viewers. This show is very interactive — the actor asks the audience questions and engages with us directly. There are moments for laughter and applause throughout.
Playing Tim Tooney, he narrates the story while portraying a total of 11 characters. It was my first time experiencing a true one-man play like this, and I was completely absorbed — like reading a novel that vividly comes to life.
I remembered scenes from The Legend of 1900, which I watched long ago. And I couldn’t help but wonder: how did he memorize all these lines on his own?
🎹 Why It's Called a Music Play – Live Piano
As a "music play," Novecento features live piano performed throughout. On the day I attended, pianist Cho Young-hoon played beautifully — it felt like I was at a piano recital.
The piano battle scene with jazz legend Jelly Roll Morton was especially thrilling and perfectly executed.
🛳️ Set Design – A Ship That Looks Like a Piano, A Space That Feels Like Life
The stage design is another highlight of Novecento. The entire set resembles a grand piano, visually reinforcing the idea that the character is living inside music itself.
The iron curtain on stage added a sense of elegance. Within the story, there’s even an explanation of why there’s no fabric left on the ship — a powerful metaphor that reflects the contrast between poverty and wealth aboard the ship, and perhaps Novecento's inner world too.


✨ Memorable Lines
“Land has an end. And when I stand before something that has an end, I just... stop.”
“This ship has 88 keys. And in those, I could feel infinity.”
These lines stayed with me long after the show.
Novecento’s fear of land represents a completely different way of seeing the world. As an artist, and as a human being, he chose his own version of infinity.
In the end, the ship Novecento lived on felt like a metaphor for my own life — or the boundary that I too fear to cross.
음악극 노베첸토 관람 후기 (+예스24스테이지 2관 시야 후기)
음악극 〈노베첸토〉 평점9.8기간2025.03.19(수)~2025.06.08(일)장소서울 종로구 동숭동, 예스24스테이지 2관출연오만석, 주민진, 유승현, 강찬 음악극 는 HJ가 2025년에 무대 위에 올리는 초연 작품입니
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