2015.12.16 THEATER Ticket
The Korea National Ballet is staging its annual Christmas performance of “The Nutcracker” for families and couples to enjoy at the Seoul Arts Center. Using choreographer Yury Grigorovich’s version of the ballet, the performance will run for 10 days. [KROEA NATIONAL BALLET]
THE NUTCRACKER
Seoul Arts Center (Friday to Dec. 27)
Universal Arts Center (Friday to Dec. 30)
Celebrate the winter holiday season with a classic performance of “The Nutcracker.” With a musical score by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, the two-act ballet tells the story of a girl, Clara, and her peculiar Christmas gift, the Nutcracker. There are two productions running this season: one by the Korea National Ballet and the other by the Universal Ballet.
The National Ballet show is at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays; and 2 and 6 p.m. on weekends.
The Universal Ballet has no shows on Mondays. Shows start at 4 and 8 p.m. on weekdays; 3 and 7 p.m. on Saturdays; and 2 and 6 p.m. on Sundays.
Tickets for the National Ballet show range from 5,000 won to 90,000 won. Universal Ballet tickets range from 10,000 won to 100,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5.
Achasan Station, line No. 5, exit 4.
[THE SWAN LAKE BALLET]
THE SWAN LAKE BALLET
National Museum of Korea, Theater Yong
Jan. 8 to 31: This family-friendly doll production of “Swan Lake” is filled with all sorts of adorable animals live in action. The production centers on a girl, Ye-sul, who ventures into a fantasy world hidden in the woods along with her animal friends. But in the middle of her adventure, she is turned into a swan, and to break the curse, she must wait to earn the fox’s true love.
Cast members include Cha Shin-yeob, a judge from the dance competition show “Dancing 9.”
There are no shows on Mondays. Shows start at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 50,000 won.
Ichon Station, line No. 4, exit 2.
THE ORCHESTRA PIT
LG Arts Center
Friday to Feb. 28: After five years of preproduction, the Korean version of “The Orchestra Pit” is finally hitting the stage. This meta-comedy sketch, which originally debuted in Japan in 2000, provides a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of musicians in a pit orchestra. The production features several prominent silver screen actors, including Hwang Jung-min, who most recently starred in the mega-hit film “Veteran.”
There are no shows on Mondays. The show starts at 8 p.m. on weekdays; 3 and 8 p.m. on Wednesdays; and 2 and 7 p.m. on weekends.
Tickets range from 50,000 won to 140,000 won.
Yeoksam Station, line No. 2, exit 7.
FAMILY OPERA: HANSEL AND GRETEL
Seongnam Arts Center, Theater Ensemble
Saturday to Dec. 27: As part of its 10th anniversary celebration, as well as for the holiday season, the Seongnam Arts Center presents its production of “Hansel and Gretel.”
This opera traces all the way back to 1893, when it was performed for the first time in Weimar, Germany. Based on the fairy tale by the Grimm brothers, “Hansel and Gretel” chronicles the siblings’ adventure into the woods that leads them to a mysterious gingerbread house occupied by a sinister witch.
There is no show on Monday. The show starts at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday to Thursday; and 4 p.m. Friday to Sunday.
Tickets range from 20,000 won to 40,000 won.
Imae Station, Bundang line, exit 1.
CARMEN
Sejong Center, Main Auditorium
Dec. 25 to 27: The Sejong Center is showcasing its production of “Carmen,” in collaboration with the Teatro Giuseppe Verdi opera house in Busseto, Italy. French composer Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” depicts the fatal attraction of Don Jose, a corporal whose love for Carmen, a gypsy girl, as deep and genuine as it is, becomes a threat to Carmen’s independent and free lifestyle. As Don Jose is driven by love and jealously, the lines between reality and fiction, love and hate, sanity and madness are blurred.
The performance starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 250,000 won.
Jonggak Station, line No. 1, exit 1.
GONE WITH THE WIND
Charlotte Theater
To Jan. 31: After last year’s Korean premiere at the Seoul Arts Center, “Gone With the Wind” is returning. This timeless tale centers on the tangled, turbulent love triangle between southern belle Scarlett O’Hara, charming gent Rhett Butler and the sweet yet unattainable Ashley Wilkes, while touching on the themes of slavery, war, belonging and displacement.
Bada, a former member of girl group S.E.S., and Kim Bum-lae will reprise the roles of O’Hara and Butler, and veteran theater actor Jung Sang-yoon will play Wilkes.
There are no shows on Mondays. The show starts at 8 p.m. on weekdays; 3 and 8 p.m. on Wednesdays; and 2and 7 p.m. on weekends.
Tickets range from 50,000 won to 140,000 won.
Jamsil Station, line No. 2 or 8, exit 3.
FRANKENSTEIN
Chungmu Art Hall
To Feb. 28: “Frankenstein” took Seoul by storm when it premiered last year. It won nine awards, including Musical of the Year, out of 10 nominations it received for the 2014 The Musical Awards.
Loosely based from the legendary story by Mary Shelley, it tells the tale of scientist Victor Frankenstein, who, at the height of the Napoleonic Wars, befriends Henry Durpres. Together they attempt to create “an immortal soldier,” but the experiment goes awry, and a monster is born. Actor-singer Yoo Jun-sang, who won the award for Best Male Leading Actor in 2014, will reprise the role of Frankenstein.
There are no shows on Mondays. The show starts at 8 p.m. on weekdays; 3 and 8 p.m. on Wednesdays; 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays; and 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sundays.
Tickets range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won.
Sindang Station, line No. 2 and No. 6, exit 9.
LES MISERABLES
Blue Square Samsung Card Hall
To Mar. 6: The all-time favorite musical, celebrating its 30th year since its original Broadway debut, is returning. Based on the novel by French writer Victor Hugo, the story of Jean Valjean and his quest for redemption in the midst of a national revolution has spawned several adaptations.
The latest Korean production is giving the show an upgrade, breaking away from the traditional stage setting in favor of a hanamichi stage, which gives the audience a better view of the action.
There are no shows on Mondays. The show starts at 8 p.m. on weekdays; 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Wednesdays; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays; and 3 p.m. on Sundays.
Tickets range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won.
Olympic Park Station, line No. 5, exit 3.
*Event information collected from the Korea Tourism Organization. Tickets available at ticket.interpark.com/global or by calling 1544-1555.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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