2011.2.9 TICKET
A scene from the musical “Tears of Heaven.” See THEATER, below. [NEWSIS]
MUSIC
TAYLOR SWIFT
Olympic Gymnastics Arena
Friday: 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) to 132,000 won.
Olympic Park Station, line No. 5, exit 3
(02) 3141-3488, www.interpark.co.kr
WHITE FESTIVAL BEST SERIES
Alpensia Concert Hall
Saturday to Feb. 19: During this one week series, celloist Jung Myung-hwa, American pianist Sergei Babayan and violinists Clara Kang and Wei-hwang Hong will play a variety of pieces from different genres such as old pop, classic, songs from musicals and current pop music.
Songs will include Johann Pachelbel’s Canon, “Fly to the Sky,” “Sukdaemuri” and others.
The concert starts at 7 p.m.
Tickets are all 10,000 won per day.
Take any bus from the eastern Seoul Terminal that goes to Hoenggye.
(033) 249-3374 , www.clubbalcony.com
LOVE OF THE CENTURY
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Sunday: 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 Frederic 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
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 on 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
THE MASTERS SERIES OF THE KBS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Feb. 25: The KBS Symphony Orchestra will present pieces by Mendelssohn with violinist Stefan Jackiw. Jackiw is an American classical violinist who has played Mendelssohn pieces on the European stage since 2000 and is now performing here.
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 22,000 won to 55,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5
(02) 781-2241, www.sac.or.kr
FRANCISCO ARAIZA
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.”
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
THEATER
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 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 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
DANCING GRANDMA
Doosan Art Center, Yonkang Hall
Feb. 18 to Feb. 20: Who says age determines whether you can dance or not?
In this performance, grandmas dance around to traditional Korean music, as well as more modern pop songs, to try to revive their young spirit.
Performances will be held at 8 p.m. on Friday, and 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 40,000 won.
Jongro 5-ga Station, line No. 1, exit 1
(02) 708-5001, www.doosanartcenter.com
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 p.m. 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
TEARS OF HEAVEN
The National Theater of Korea, Main Hall Hae
To Mar. 19: This play is about a love triangle between a Vietnamese singer, a Korean private and an American Colonel during the Vietnam War’s Tet Offensive in 1968.
Xiah Junsu from the Korean idol group TVXQ will perform in the play.
Performances are held at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Wednesday, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 130,000 won.
To get there, go to Dongguk University Station, line No. 3, exit 2, then take the shuttle in front of Taegeukdang.
(02) 501-7888, www.ntok.go.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 make a decision 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 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays and at 2 p.m. 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
FESTIVALS
KOREA GALLERIES ART FAIR
Coex Hall C
Friday to Feb. 14: The 29th Korea Galleries Art Fair that started in 1979 is back to give a boost to the art market and encourage local emerging artists.
This fair will provide unique opportunities for lovers of art to add to their collections - while others will have the opportunity to simply enjoy the art and learn more about Korea’s current art industry.
Festival programs run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Admission ranges from 8,000 to 10,000 won
Samseong Station, line No. 2, exit 6
(02) 766-3703, www.seoulartfair.net
PYEONGCHANG TROUT FESTIVAL
Pyeongchang, Gangwon
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.
THE 19TH DAEGWALLYEONG SNOW FESTIVAL
Pyeongchang, Gangwon
Saturday to Feb. 20: This festival is separated into five different sections, each providing a different activity or opportunity for visitors to enjoy themselves, including snow sports and snow sculptures.
Festival programs run from 10 in the morning to 6 in the evening.
Take any bus from the eastern Seoul Terminal that goes to Hoenggye.
(033) 336-6112 , www.snowfestival.net
THE 8TH ANNUAL ANYANG FULL MOON FESTIVAL
Anyang, Gyeonggi
Feb. 17: Celebrate the full moon with traditional Korean performances like “Minyo,” “Daebuk” and others.
There will also be games, dance competitions and food.
Festival programs run from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Anyang Station, Line 1, exit 1
(031) 469-1999
Event information is culled from the Korea Tourism Organization and other online sources.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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