2011.2.1 TICKET
Country pop princess Taylor Swift will be performing her first concert in Korea at Olympic Gymnastics Arena in southeastern Seoul on Feb. 11. See MUSIC. Provided by the organizers
MUSIC
TAYLOR SWIFT
Olympic Gymnastics Arena
Feb. 11: Country pop princess Taylor Swift is gearing up to perform her first concert in Korea. Swift, the winner of seven American Music Awards and four Grammy Awards, will perform a number of songs from her latest album, “Speak,” which was released on Oct. 25.
She will also perform hits from her previous albums, including songs such as “Teardrops on My Guitar,” “Love Story” and “You Belong with Me.”
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 88,000 won ($78.47) to 132,000 won.
Olympic Park Station, line No. 5, exit 3
(02) 3141-3488, www.interpark.co.kr
LOVE OF THE CENTURY
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Feb. 13: This concert aims to create a harmonic relationship among the worlds of art, literature and music, using both visual and audio elements. In one piece, for example, the work of French novelist George Sand is portrayed through the music of Chopin.
This concert will be divided into two parts: classic and popular music. The show starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 80,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5
(02) 541-3183, www.sac.or.kr
WORLD DIVA ROSE JANG’S NOUVEAU-CLASSIC CONCERT
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Feb. 17: Rose Jang is a Korean-American singer who made a name for herself internationally by mixing operatic arias with classic pop hits and songs from musicals. One of Jang’s most famous pieces is her rendition of the song “Memory” from the musical “Cats.”
During her concert in Korea, Jang will sing songs in a variety of genres, from rock to opera. The lineup will include “All I Ask of You” from the musical “The Phantom of the Opera,” “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion, and “Doraji,” a traditional Korean opera.
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 40,000 won to 200,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5
(02) 541-3183, www.sac.or.kr
ERIC CLAPTON
Olympic Gymnastics Arena
Feb. 20: English blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Eric Clapton is returning to Korea for the third time since 2007.
Clapton has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times and was ranked fourth in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 top guitarists of all time.
He will perform songs from his newest album, “Clapton,” as well as previous hits including “Layla,” “Tears in Heaven” and “Crossroads.”
The concert starts at 7 p.m.
Tickets range from 60,000 won to 180,000 won.
Olympic Park Station, line No. 5, exit 3
(02) 1544-1555, www.ticket.interpark.com/global
ANDRAS SCHIFF PIANO RECITAL
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Feb. 23: Hungarian-born British classical pianist Andras Schiff will take the stage to perform his second concert in Korea since 2008.
Schiff won a Grammy Award for best instrumental soloist performance in 1990 for his version of Bach’s “English Suites,” and in 2007 he won the Royal Academy of Music Bach Prize.
Schiff is one of the most renowned interpreters of Bach, Mozart, Schubert and Schumann.
In this concert, however, Schiff will focus solely on pieces by Beethoven, including Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 209; Sonata No. 31 in A Flat major, Op. 110; and Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111.
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 50,000 won to 130,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5
(02) 541-3183, www.sac.or.kr
TENOR FRANCISCO ARAIZA OPERA CONCERT
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Feb. 26: Mexican operatic tenor Francisco Araiza has twice won the Orphee d’Or by the Academie Nationale du Disque Lyrique Paris. In this concert, he will be performing pieces from Mozart, Veber and Verdi.
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 33,000 won to 165,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5
(02) 541-3183, www.sac.or.kr
SANTANA
Olympic Gymnastics Arena
March 9: With Latin percussion, a groovy organ and West Coast soul, Santana became a major hit in 1966. Since then, the band - and the man it revolves around - has become the stuff of legend.
At the concert, the band will play songs from its 2010 album “Supernatural,” including “Smooth” and “Maria Maria,” as well as its hits from the past 40 years.
Carlos Santana will also perform songs from his recently released album “Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time,” which features remakes of some of the most highly praised rock songs in the history of the genre.
The concert starts at 7 p.m.
Tickets range from 132,000 won to 165,000 won.
Olympic Park Station, line No. 5, exit 3
(02) 1544-1555, www.ticket.interpark.com/global
CORINNE BAILEY RAE
AX-Korea
March 10: British R&B singer-songwriter and guitarist Corinne Bailey Rae is the fourth female British act in history to have her first album debut at No. 1.
By 2008, she was on top of the music industry when her husband, musician Jason Rae, died.
After his death, Bailey Rae went on a spiritual hiatus for nearly two years and finally returned last year with her second album, “The Sea,” in January 2010. At the concert, she will perform songs from “The Sea” and her eponymous first album, including hits such as “Like a Star” and “Put Your Records On.”
The show starts at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets range from 44,000 won to 99,000 won
Gwangnaru Station, line No. 5, exit 2
1544-1555, www.ax-korea.com or http://ticket.interpark.com
PERFORMANCE
BILLY ELLIOT
LG Arts Center
To Feb. 27: 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 young 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 major awards, including best musical.
Performances are at 8 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays and at 2 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
GISELLE
Seoul Arts Center, Opera Hall
To Feb. 27: The Korea National Ballet is presenting the Paris Opera Ballet’s version of “Giselle” for the first time in Korea.
The ballet tells the story of a peasant girl named Giselle who dies but comes back as a ghost to protect her lover, Albert, from a group of evil female spirits.
The ballet was first presented in 1841, and the choreography is based on the original French version from the 19th century.
Performances are held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and 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) 587-6181, www.sac.or.kr
AIDA
Seongnam Arts Center, Opera House
To March 27: “Aida” returns to Korea after a five-year absence.
This story of Ethiopian princess Aida is one of forbidden love.
Aida is captured and sold into slavery in Egypt, where Egyptian military commander Radames falls in love with her.
As the military commander of Egypt, Radames is not allowed to love a woman from a different country, and he struggles to choose between her and his service to the Pharaoh.
To make matters worse, the Pharaoh’s daughter, Amneris, is in love with him. Will Radames chose love or success?
The role of Aida is played by Ock Joo-hyun, a former member of girl group Fin.K.L.
Performances are at 8 p.m. from Monday to Friday, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays and at 2 and 6:30 p.m. on Sundays.
Tickets range from 40,000 won to 120,000 won.
Imae Station, Bundang line, exit 1
(02) 1544-1555,
www.snart.or.kr
TRADITIONAL KOREAN PERFORMANCE
TOKKIJEON
National Theater of Korea
Thursday: To celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, the National Theater of Korea is performing a play about a clever rabbit’s adventures in an underwater world.
The Miru performance team restructured one of its most popular plays into more of a family musical that incorporates traditional Korean orchestra music and folk songs.
The theater will also host the New Year’s Day Festival on Thursday at its Cultural Plaza. The festival will offer visitors the chance to participate in a treasure hunt and a variety of popular winter events, such as kite-flying and yutnori, a traditional board game.
“Tokkijeon” starts at 4 p.m., while the festival runs from noon to 6 p.m.
Tickets for the performance range from 5,000 won to 10,000 won and admission to the festival is free of charge.
(02) 2280-4115~6, www.ntok.go.kr.
NEW YEAR’S NEW MUSIC
National Gugak Center
Thursday to Saturday: This performance at the National Gugak Center will feature new music composed in traditional styles.
The music selections were chosen via a competition that started last May to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the center’s opening.
The lineup varies each day. On Thursday, the performance will be focused on songs about rabbits, while on Friday and Saturday the lineup will feature pieces selected from the competition.
The performance on Friday will also open with a song composed by Belgian composer and violinist Baudouin de Jaer.
Performances are held at 4 p.m. Tickets range from 8,000 won to 10,000 won. Anyone who was born in the Year of Rabbit between 1939 to 1999 can enter free of charge.
(02) 580-3300, www.gugak.go.kr
FESTIVALS
CHEONGPYEONG TROUT FESTIVAL
Cheongpyeong, Gyeonggi
To Feb. 7: Cheongpyeong, located about an hour east of Seoul in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi, is a popular winter destination for Koreans.
It is situated on the banks of a beautiful lake with dramatic mountains in the surrounding area and is populated by resorts focusing on water sports.
During this festival, visitors can enjoy trout fishing and various winter sports like snowmobile riding.
(031) 585-9449, www.cpfestival.net
PYEONGCHANG TROUT FESTIVAL
Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province
To Feb. 17: Pyeongchang originally postponed the start of its annual trout festival from late December to early January because of concerns about foot-and-mouth disease. But the festival is in full swing now, offering plenty of snow, ice and trout fishing.
Festival programs run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends.
(033) 336-4000, www.festival700.or.kr.
*Event information is culled from the Korea Tourism Organization and other online sources.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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