2016.10.26 Ticket
Principal conductor and artistic director of the Orchestre de Paris, Daniel Harding, above, who took the position last month, is coming to Seoul for a concert at the Seoul Arts Center next month. It’s the orchestra’s fourth concert in Seoul in five years, but the first with maestro Harding. See MUSIC, left. [VINCERO]
DANIEL HARDING & ORCHESTRE DE PARIS
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Nov. 16: Ever since its establishment in 1967 in Paris, the Orchestre de Paris has developed into not only the best orchestra in France, but also a world-renowned group of musicians, scouting the first-class conductors of the time as its music director or principal conductor.
This performance is to be led by the orchestra’s current principal conductor, Daniel Harding, and accompanied by soloist Joshua Bell, one of the most celebrated violinists of his era. Along with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Bell is known as the soloist who sells the most tickets for his shows in the United States, whether it be with major orchestras or local bands.
The program consists of three pieces; “Pelleas Suite” by Debussy, “Violin Concerto” by Mendelssohn, and “Romeo et Juliette” by Berlioz. Bell will play “Violin Concerto” with the orchestra in the show. This marks Bell’s seventh musical visit to Korea, and classical-lovers are waiting for his creativity to spark in this year’s show as well.
The concert starts at 8 p.m. Tickets range from 60,000 won to 300,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5.
VIENNA PHILHARMONIC & CHUNG MYUNG-WHUN
Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
Nov. 2: Chung Myung-whun, former principal conductor and an artistic director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, is joining the 174-year old Vienna Philharmonic as a guest conductor for this year’s performance in Seoul.
Chung’s collaboration with the orchestra dates back to 1995, when they recorded the album “Rossini: Stabat Mater,” but this is their first time giving a performance together in Asia, exciting many classical music lovers.
The program consists of “Symphony No. 6 F major ‘Pastorale’ Op. 68” by Beethoven, and “Symphony No. 4 e minor Op. 98” by Brahms. The latter piece is known to have been composed while Brahms was imagining the Vienna Philharmonic’s tone of music.
The performance starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 70,000 won ($61.73) to 380,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5.
Kumho Art Hall
Nov. 3: “Robert & Johannes” is a series centered on Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms, aimed at shedding new light on their classic repertoire. As a finale of the series, Quartet K (Quartet Knecht), a string quartet consisted of violinists Lim Ka-jin and Kim Duk-woo, violist Lee Soo-min and cellist Joo Yeon-son, is joining the series.
The quartet will perform pieces well suited for late autumn. In the first part, it will play “String Quartet No. 2 in a minor, Op.51/2” by Brahms, which is known for its elegant and lyrical melody. The second will consist of “String Quartet No. 1 in a minor, Op.41/1” by Schumann. The quartet was formed in 2013 and it has made itself more and more well known through its high quality performances, including its first official recital, “Death and the Maiden,” in 2014. Getting its name from the character Josef Knecht in Hermann Hesse’s novel “The Glass Bead Game,” who symbolizes a utopian intellect full of artistic capacity and creativity, the quartet strives to realize Hesse’s musical world described in the novel.
The performance starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets cost 40,000 won.
Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 7.
CLARA-JUMI KANG & SON YEOL-EUM DUO CONCERT
Mapo Art Center, Art Hall Mac
Nov. 10: After a sensational recital together in 2013, violinist Clara-Jumi Kang and pianist Son Yeol-eum return with another concert, this time centered on their recent album recorded in March at Beethoven Hall in Hanover, Germany.
Kang is a gold medal laureate of the 2010 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. Son garnered attention when she performed as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic in 2004. In 2011, she won silver at the International Tchaikovsky Competition.
The concert program includes the music of Johannes Brahms, Clara Wieck Schumann and Robert Schumann.
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 30,000 won ($26.54) to 50,000 won.
Daeheung Station, line No. 6, exit 2.
SIGUR ROS
Jamsil Indoor Stadium
Nov. 22: The Hyundai Card Culture Project invites Sigur Ros, the Icelandic post-rock band on par with being a national treasure, to Seoul.
When our ears meet their dreamy melodies, the vast Icelandic fields open up in our minds. Sigur Ros’ ingenious and original style has attracted numerous directors of famous films and TV shows, leading their mood to the peak of the main scenes of “Vanilla Sky (2001),” “127 Hours” (2010), and “We Bought a Zoo (2011),” to name a few.
The lead single of its most popular album, “Takk,” released in 2005, “Hoppipolla,” was played in an advertisement for the blockbuster BBC nature series ”Planet Earth,” leaving an impression in the hearts of many.
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 88,000 won to 132,000 won.
Sports Complex Station, line No. 2, exits 6 and 7.
PIERRE-LAURENT AIMARD “KURTAG & MESSIAEN”
LG Arts Center
Nov. 24: Pierre-Laurent Aimard, a world-renowned French pianist known for performing a wide spectrum of classical and contemporary music, is making his second visit to Korea.
This year’s concert will focus on the composers who heavily influenced Aimard in his musical career: Gyorgy Kurtag (1926-) and Olivier Messiaen (1908-92).
The concert’s first half will focus on Kurtag, whose music Aimard loved so much that he flew off to Hungary to learn composing from the artist. Aimard will play “Passio sine Nomine,” a piece dedicated to the French pianist written by Kurtag himself in celebration of Kurtag’s 90th birthday, along with the Hungarian composer’s “Jatekok” and “Szalkak.”
The second half is dedicated to Messiaen, who taught Aimard and was awed by his talent.
The concert starts at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from 40,000 won to 80,000 won.
Yeoksam Station, line No. 2, exit 7.
[THEATER]
DORIAN GRAY
Seongnam Arts Center, Opera House
To Oct. 29: As the only full-length novel Oscar Wilde wrote, “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” alongside the novelist, represents the aestheticism of the 19th century.
The story “Dorian Gray,” ever since its publication in 1890, has been much loved by the public for its shocking yet sensual story. Gray is a man of perfection, having good looks, wealth, a kind heart, and everything else one can dream of.
The lead role is played by singer Kim Jun-su, a member of the K-pop trio JYJ. Kim made his debut as a musical actor in 2010, by taking the lead role in “Mozart.”
Ever since, he has appeared in a number of musicals and has been acclaimed for his talented portrayals of characters and flawless singing.
Performances start at 8 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays.
There are no shows on Sundays.
Tickets range from 50,000 won to 140,000 won.
Imae Station, Bundang line, exit 1.
ROMEO AND JULIET
Seoul Arts Center, Opera Theater
To Oct. 29: Next month, the Universal Ballet will perform the Kenneth MacMillan (1929-92) version of “Romeo and Juliet.”
Completed in 1965, it was the choreographer’s first three-act ballet. MacMillan’s version of “Romeo and Juliet” is well known for its flamboyant choreography.
Alessandra Ferri, former principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, and Herman Cornejo, current principal dancer, will be coming to Korea to take the stage on Oct. 23 and 26.
Performances start at 8 p.m. on weekdays; 7 p.m. on Saturday; and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday.
The performance on Oct. 29 starts at 3 p.m.
There are no shows on Mondays.
Tickets range from 10,000 won to 120,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5.
THE JOURNEY TO GEUMGANG
LG Arts Center
Oct. 26 to Nov. 6: Director Jang Woo-jae is back with a new theatre piece, “The Journey to Geumgang,” inspired by the trip of two discharged scholars, Gyeong-sook and Gi-ji, to Mount Geumgang during the Joseon Dynasty. The play is bound to deliver invaluable life wisdom through the various encounters Gyeong-sook and Gi-ji make during their journey.
Known for his unique plots, Jang once again tells an absorbing story full of deep contemplations on life. He made his theatrical debut in 1994 with “20 Meters from the Ground,” which was performed in Daehak-ro, the cradle of the Korean theatre world. Directing “This is Home,” released in 2013, marked his most glorious period, leading him to the award for best play at the 6th Korea Theatre Awards.
Performances start at 8 p.m. on weekdays, 3 p.m. on Saturdays and 5 p.m. on Sundays.
There is no show on Monday.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 50,000 won.
Yeoksam Station, line No. 2, exit 7.
Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Grand Theater
Nov. 8-13: One of the most well-known pieces by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), “La Traviata” is based on a novel by French writer Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870), “The Lady of the Camellias.” It was made into an opera in1853, and was first performed that same year in Venice, Italy.
“La Traviata,” literally meaning “the woman who had gone bad,” refers to the story’s main female character, Violetta Valery. Violetta is a courtesan, working for rich, high-class men and also popular among them.
She spends endless nights of pleasure in Paris, until she gets caught up with a lung disease from too much drinking. There is, however, one man who sincerely loves her, Alfredo Germont, but his love doesn’t find its way easily, getting tangled up in all sorts of obstacles.
Performances start at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends.
There is no performance on Monday.
Tickets range from 30,000 won to 280,000 won.
Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 8.
[TRADITIONAL PERFORMANCE]
GUGAK DRAMA “SONG OF STRINGS”
National Gugak Center, Yeak-dang
Nov. 10-20: Author Kim Hoon’s novel “Song of Strings” is reiterated as a gugak drama. Kim Hoon’s novels are well-known for telling stories through connotative words, and hence the show is drawing in interest on how it would put the words into traditional music.
The story revolves around the creation of a Korean instrument, gayageum, believed to have been created in Gaya around the sixth century, while it was in the middle of its 200-year-long war with Silla. Through various developments made over centuries after centuries, we now have the current gayageum, one of the most representative instruments of traditional Korean music.
As many readers of the novel have claimed the story lures them into listening to the sound of gayageum, the performance is expected to quench the readers’ thirst for a musical realization of the novel.
Performances start at 8 p.m. on weekdays and 3 p.m. on weekends.
Tickets range from 10,000 won to 50,000 won.
Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5.
*Event information collected from the Korea Tourism Organization. Tickets are available at ticket.interpark.com/global or by calling 1544-1555.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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