2010.12.1 TICKET
Performers dance at a press preview of “The Snowman” at Hoam Art Hall last week. The musical, based on the book by Raymond Briggs, is about the adventures of a boy and his snowman. The Korean language version of the musical will run through Dec. 31. See THEATER, below. [NEWSIS]
MUSIC
SOPRANO INESSA GARANTE
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Today: Inessa Garante, who is originally from Latvia, became famous after her debut in 1995 with Giulio Caccini’s “Ave Maria.”
In this performance, Garante will sing “Lascia ch’io pianga,” from Friedrich Handel’s opera “Rinaldo” and “Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore” from Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Tosca,” among others.
Pop singer Kai will join Garante for a duet of “Libiamo” and “Time to Say Goodbye” from Giupseppe Verdi’s opera “La Traviata.”
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 30,000 won ($25.80) to 90,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5
(02) 1544-1555, www.sac.or.kr
RICHARD CLAYDERMAN
Goyang AramNuri Arts Center and other venues
Friday to Dec. 10: Pianist Richard Clayderman brings his renditions of classical and pop songs to Korea in a seven-city tour to Busan, Ilsan, Daegu, Jeonju, Changwon, Seoul, and Jinju. Clayderman’s album “Ballade Pour Adeline” has sold more than 22,000 copies. His repertoire includes Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” Vangelis’ “Chariots of Fire” and classic Korean pop songs like “To J” (originally recorded by Shin Seon-hee) and “Invisible Love” (originally recorded by Shin Seung-hun).
Clayderman performs in Seoul at 8 p.m. on Dec. 4 at Goyang AramNuri Arts Center and on Dec. 9 at Kyunghee University’s Pyunghwa Theater.
Tickets range from 40,000 won to 120,000 won.
(02) 1688-2026, www.clayderman.co.kr
CELLIST YANG SUNG-WON
Gunpo Culture and Art Center, Grand
Performance Hall
Dec. 4: Cellist Yang Sung-won and the Prime Philharmonic Orchestra will play pieces by Dvorak and Tchaikovsky in this year-end concert. The program includes Dvorak’s Slavonic Dance No. 1, Op. 46-1, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64.
The concert starts at 7 p.m.
Tickets are 10,000 won.
Geumjeong Station, line No. 1, exit 6, then transfer to bus No. 15
(031) 392-6429, www.gunpoart.net
CHANGWOO WORLD INSTRUMENT FESTIVAL
Bukchon Changwoo Theater
Dec. 7 to 10: Traditional music performers from Japan, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, India and other Asian countries have been invited to perform their native traditional music. The festival program also includes performances by well-known artists like Taiko drummer Shuichi Hidano and sitar and surbahar player Jagdeep Singh Bedi from India.
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are 20,000 won.
Anguk Station, line No. 3, exit 3. Walk straight until you see Changdeok Palace’s stone wall. Turn left and pass Wonseo Park. The theater is located in the left alley.
(02) 747-3809, www.bcchangwoo.com
HANDEL’S ‘MESSIAH’
Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Grand Theatre
Dec. 7: Handel’s “Messiah,” one of the most well-known religious works in the Western choral canon is the centerpiece of this concert.
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets range from 10,000 won to 50,000 won.
Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 1 or 8
(02) 541-4533, www.sejongpac.or.kr
ADIEU 2010! YEAR-END CONCERT
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Dec. 14: The Korean Chamber Orchestra presents its 45th Anniversary Concert featuring pianist Ulrich Meining, violinist and Kyunghee University professor Yang Ko-woon and cellist and Yonsei University professor Yang Sung-won. Kim Min conducts.
The program features pieces by Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959), including “Concertino for Piano Trio and Strings.” The program also includes Felix Mendelssohn’s String Octet, Op. 20, and Arnold Schonberg’s “Verklarte Nacht.”
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 20,000 won to 100,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5
(02) 592-5728, www.sac.or.kr
2000-2010 KUMHO ART HALL HIGHLIGHT
Kumho Art Hall
To Dec. 23: To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Kumho Art Hall is presenting a series featuring previous performers, including pianist Choe Hui-yeon (Dec. 2); gayageum player Ji Aeri (Dec. 9); the Chamber Music Society featuring Kim Dae-jin, Oh Yun-ju, David Kim and others (Dec. 16); and the Kumho Asiana Soloists (Dec. 23).
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 8,000 won to 30,000 won. Tickets for the Dec. 16 concert are 30,000 won.
Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 7
(02) 6303-7700, www.kumhoarthall.com
ROCK LEGEND SHIN JOONG-HYUN
Daehangno Small Theater
Dec. 10 to Jan. 15: The legendary 72-year-old guitarist known in Korea as the godfather of rock presents a month of concerts. He chose Daehangno Small Theater because it was where he performed in 1960 at the height of his career. He will perform his hits “Lover in the Rain,” “One Cup of Coffee,” “My Love,” “Beauty” and more.
Last December, Shin became the first Asian musician to have a tribute guitar made for him by Fender Musical Instruments Corp. He will play the tribute guitar, which was named the “Shin Joong-hyun Tribute Stratocaster,” at the concert.
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. There are no performances on Mondays.
Tickets are 50,000 won.
Hyehwa Station, line No. 4, exit 1
(02) 764-4444
THEATER
THE SNOWMAN
Hoam Art Hall
To Dec. 31: The Korean language version of “The Snowman,” a musical based on the children’s book of the same name by English author Raymond Briggs, returns for an encore performance after its premiere here in March 2009. The musical is a classic tale about the adventures of a boy and his snowman. Created in 1986 in London, the musical has been a popular holiday favorite ever since.
Performances are at 11 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday, 1 and 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets range from 35,000 won to 55,000 won.
City Hall Station, line No. 1 or 2, exit 9
(02) 751-9607~10, www.hoamarthall.org
LOVE LETTER
Sejong Center for the Performing Arts,
Grand Theatre
Today to Saturday: This performance tells the history of Seoul through the story of two young lovers. The story begins during the Joseon Dynasty, when the city was known as Hanyang, and moves to the Japanese colonial period, when the city was renamed Kyungsung. Eventually the performance gets to the present day.
The production is directed by Park Sae-won, a former opera singer who was awarded the Okguan Cultural badge by the government in 1985.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. from Wednesday to Friday and at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Tickets range from 10,000 won to 70,000 won.
Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 1 or 8
(02) 399-1114~6, www.sejongpac.or.kr
SWAN LAKE
Seoul Arts Center, Opera Theater
Dec. 7 to 12: The Korea National Ballet Company presents “Swan Lake” with special guest star Choi Yoo-hee, first soloist of London’s Royal Ballet. This will be Choi’s first performance in Korea.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets range from 5,000 won to 100,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5
(02) 399-1114~6, www.sac.or.kr
ANNIE
Sejong Center for the Performing Arts,
Grand Theatre
Dec. 16 to 28: The Seoul Metropolitan Musical Theater presents an encore production of “Annie,” three years after it was first shown in Korea.
The 2007 production received the Best Foreign Musical Award at the Korea Musical Awards.
Performances are at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and at 3 and 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 50,000 won.
Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 1 or 8
(02) 399-1772, www.sejongpac.or.kr
POET YI SANG DEC. 12
Hwaseong Art Hall
Dec. 18 to 26: Actor Bae Su-bin (SBS’s “Shining Inheritance” and MBC’s “Jumong”) stars in this show about the life of legendary poet Yi Sang.
Yi, who died at the age of 27, is one of Korea’s most celebrated post-modern poets and this year marks the 100th anniversary of his birth. He experimented with new literary forms and undertook an exploration of his identity at a time when most other writers were writing about the political issues of the time.
Performances are at 8 p.m. Tuesday to Friday and at 3 and 7 p.m. on weekends. Performances are at 7 p.m. on Dec. 18 and at 3 p.m. on Dec. 19. The performance is open for people ages 16 and up.
Tickets range from 20,000 won to 30,000 won.
Byeongjeom Station, line No. 1, exit 1 or 8
(031) 267-8888, http://hcf.or.kr
BILLY ELLIOT
LG Arts Center
Open run: Based on the movie of the same name, and with music by Elton John, this musical has been a mega-hit worldwide. This is the first non-English language production of the show, which was previously produced in Britain, Australia and the United States. Four men will alternate in the title role, including Im Sun-woo, who is the youngest person ever to play the character. It was nominated in 15 categories at the 2009 Tony Awards and ended up winning 10 of the major awards, including best musical.
Performances are at 8 p.m. from Tuesdays to Fridays and at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Tickets range from 50,000 won to 130,000 won.
Yeoksam Station, line No. 2, exit 7
(02) 3446-9630, www.musicalbillyelliot.co.kr
TRADITIONAL KOREAN PERFORMANCE
NATIONAL CHANGGEUK COMPANY OF KOREA
National Theater of Korea, KB Haneul Youth Theater
Friday: The National Changgeuk Company of Korea’s Midday Pansori Singing series aims to convey the beauty of pansori (narrative singing) through a program of accessible folk songs.
As part of the program, company members Yu Su-jeong and Kim Cha-gyeong will sing the folk song “Boryeom”; Wang Gi-seok, Pak Ae-ri, and Kim Hak-yong perform a scene from a changgeuk opera (traditional Korean opera); and Ahn Sook-sun will sing part of “Cheong,” which is based on “Simcheongga,” one of the five surviving stories in the pansori tradition.
The concert starts at 11 a.m.
Tickets are 10,000 won.
Dongkuk University Station, line No. 3, exit 2; From there, take the shuttle bus in front of Taegeukdang.
(02) 2280-4115~6, www.ntok.go.kr
FESTIVALS
CHEONGDAM ART FAIR
Cheongdam-dong
To Saturday: Begun in 1991 as a platform for work by emerging and established artists, the art fair features 400 works by 70 artists and the participation of 18 galleries in the Cheong-dam area. Some of the galleries involved include the PKM Trinity Gallery, Gallery Mee, Gallery Seorim and Park Ryu Sook Gallery. Restaurants and designer shops will also hold exhibitions.
Cheongdam Station, line No. 7
(02) 542-3004, www.gallerymee.com
*Event information is culled from the Korea Tourism Organization and other online sources.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)