Musical performances and shows in Seoul to add to your must-see list

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Published: 14 Dec. 2023, 14:39

Musical performances and shows in Seoul to add to your must-see list

SHEKU & ISATA KANNEH-MASON DUO RECITAL

Lotte Concert Hall

Isata and Sheku Kanneh-Mason [UNIVERSAL MUSIC]

Dec. 17: Two siblings of the Kanneh-Masons family — Isata and Sheku — are visiting Korea for the first time to hold a duo recital on Dec. 17 at the Lotte Concert Hall in southern Seoul.

The two will perform Bridge’s “Sonata for Cello and Piano in d minor, H. 125,” Chopin’s “Sonata for Cello and Piano in g minor, Op. 65,” and Rachmaninoff’s “Cello Sonata in g minor, Op. 19.”

Isata’s first album with Decca debuted at the top of the UK Official Classical Artist Chart, and Sheka had performed at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

The performance begins at 5 p.m.

Tickets range from 50,000 won ($38) to 90,000 won.

Jamsil Station, line No. 2, exit 1 or 2

THE NUTCRACKER

*Universal Ballet: Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Grand Theater

Dec. 21 – 31: Universal Ballet Company is presenting “The Nutcracker,” choreographed by Vasili Vainonen from Mariinsky Theatre. The ballet company premiered the Christmas classic back in 1986 on home soil and has been staging the show every year since then.

Clara will be performed by dancers Kang Mi-sun, Hong Hyang-ki, Son You-hee, Elizaveta Cheprasova, Han Sang-yi and Lee You-rim, while the Prince will be performed by Konstantin Novoselov, Rhee Hyon-jun, Lee Dong-tak, Kang Min-woo and Dmitry Diachkov.

The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on weekends and public holidays.

Tickets range from 20,000 won to 130,000 won.

Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 8

*Korean National Ballet: Seoul Arts Center, Opera Theater

Through Dec. 25: It’s that time of the year again, when the Seoul Arts Center stages the Korean National Ballet’s “The Nutcracker.” Composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and first staged in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia, the ballet has become a holiday tradition that has been performed around the world for the past 127 years.

The Korean National Ballet’s performance uses choreographer Yuri Grigorovich’s version. The Russian dancer and choreographer Grigorovich worked as the art director for Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater from 1964 to 1995.

Marie is performed by dancers Kwak Hwa-kyung, Sim Hyun-hee, Joung Eun-yeong, Park Seul-ki, Cho Yeon-jae and Jung Eun-ji. Prince is performed by Kwak Dong-hyeon, Ha Ji-seok, Kim Ki-wan, Kim Myung-kyu, Heo Seo-myeong, Lee Jae-woo and Park Jong-suk.

The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 2:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on weekends. There are no performances on Mondays.

Ticket prices range from 5,000 won to 100,000 won.

Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5

CHUNG MYUNG-WHUN & ONE KOREA ORCHESTRA

Lotte Concert Hall

Dec. 31: Conductor Chung Myung-whun will be presenting Beethoven’s “Symphony No.9 in D minor Op. 125 ‘Choral’” with One Korea Orchestra. This will be Lotte Concert Hall’s New Year’s Eve concert.

One Korea Orchestra is a symphony orchestra founded by the maestro in 2017 in an attempt to “unite Korea through music.”

Soprano Hwang Sumi, mezzo soprano Kim Sun-jung, tenor Yosep Kang and baritone Carlo Kang will accompany the orchestra and the National Chorus of Korea and Anyang Civic Chorale for this concert.

The performance begins at 5 p.m.

Ticket prices range from 50,000 won to 170,000 won.

Jamsil Station, line No. 2, exit 1 or 2

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: LUZIA

Jamsil Sports Complex, Big Top Arena

Through Dec. 31: Cirque du Soleil is back in Seoul with a thrilling water show.

Luzia's theme is Mexican culture, incorporating Latin American musical scores, and Aztec and Mayan-inspired stage design.

It is the only Cirque du Soleil show that uses water. Various acts throughout the show, such as trapeze and aerial performances, involve the circular pool in center stage or the rain "curtain" that sprays water from the ceiling.

The Cirque this year is performing in Busan for the first time as well. Luzia is slated to open at Shinsegae Department Store, Centum City's big top, next year from Jan. 13 to Feb. 4.

The Seoul show begins at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday; and 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Sunday and national holidays.

Tickets range from 70,000 won to 290,000 won.

Sports Complex Station, line No.2, exit 6 or 7

SCHOOL OF ROCK WORLD TOUR

Seoul Arts Center, Opera Theater

Jan. 12 – Mar. 24: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical “School of Rock,” which has been rocking the world, is arriving in Seoul next month at the Seoul Arts Center. Based on the hit movie of the same name that starred Jack Black, the musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who poses as a substitute teacher at a prep school to earn a few bucks. After discovering musical talents in his straight-A students, he forms a rock band with them to win the upcoming Battle of the Bands contest.

The musical had its Broadway premiere in 2015 and its West End debut in 2016. The international tour began in 2018 with shows in Australia, China, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Japan.

The show will be staged in English with Korean subtitles.

Dewey Finn will be played by actors Conner Gillooly and Reuben Browne.

The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; at 2:30 and 7:30 on Fridays; at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays and at 3 p.m. on Sundays. There are no performances on Mondays.

Tickets range from 60,000 won to 170,000 won.

Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5

A scene from the movie ″The Dark Knight″ (2008) [WARNER BROS. KOREA]

HANS ZIMMER FILM MUSIC CONCERT WITH LA POEM

Lotte Concert Hall

Jan. 13 – Jan. 14: German film score composer and music producer Hans Zimmer’s film scores will be performed by vocal group La Poem, maestro Kim Jae-won and WE Philharmonic Orchestra.

Zimmer wrote music for numerous films like “First Step” in “Interstellar”; “Time” in “Inception”; the main theme for “The Dark Knight”; “Circle of Life” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” in “The Lion King”; “Maestro” in “The Holiday”; and “Tennessee” and “There You’ll Be” in “Pearl Harbor,” among others, which the orchestra together with La Poem will perform.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won.

Jamsil Station, line No. 2, exit 1 or 2

The Korean production of ″Notre Dame de Paris″ will begin its run on Jan. 24 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. [JOONGANG ILBO]

NOTRE DAME DE PARIS

Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Grand Theater

Jan. 24 – Mar. 24: The Korean production of the famed musical “Notre Dame de Paris” is back for the first time in six years.

The musical is based on the 1831 French novel by Victor Hugo. Set in the 15th century, “Notre Dame” follows several characters including Quasimodo, the deformed bell ringer of the Notre-Dame Cathedral who is in love with a beautiful dancer named Esmeralda.

Musical actors Chung Sung-hwa, Yang Joon-mo and Yoon Hyeong-ryeol will alternate the role of Quasimodo. Esmeralda, the captivating gypsy protagonist, will be played by musical actors Yuria and Jung Yoo-ji and Solar of girl group Mamamoo.

The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays; 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays and public holidays and 2 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets range from 70,000 won to 170,000 won.

Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 8

SISTER ACT

D-Cube Arts Center

Through Feb. 11: This international tour production of “Sister Act” is Korean musical production company EMK Musical’s latest work. Directed by Robert Johanson, the show is a “totally new version of ‘Sister Act’ with a different tone and look,” Johanson said during a press conference for the show.

Johanson and choreographer Jayme Mcdaniel are among those newly stepping into "Sister Act," while music director BA Huffman has worked on the musical since its initial Broadway production alongside composer Alan Menken.

Actors like Nicole Vanessa Ortiz playing the lead Deloris and Kim So-hyang playing Mary Robert have been part of the Korean production of "Sister Act" productions, and others, including Mary Gutzi playing Mother Superior and six other Korean actors who have been cast in the show's ensemble, are joining the team for the first time.

The show will be staged in English.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays and public holidays; and at 3 p.m. on Sundays. There are no shows on Mondays.

Tickets range from 80,000 won to 170,000 won.

Sindorim Station, lines No. 1 and 2, exit 1 or 5

LES MISÉRABLES

Blue Square, Shinhan Card Hall

Through March 10: The Korean production of the masterpiece musical “Les Misérables” is being staged at the Blue Square in central Seoul. The show is based on the French novel set in 1832 and follows the life of Jean Valjean, who is sentenced to 10 years behind bars for stealing a loaf of bread.

The main protagonist Jean Valjean, a runaway prisoner who was in jail for 19 years for stealing a piece of bread, will be played alternately by Min Woo-hyuk and Choi Jae-rim.

In the 2015 production of "Les Misérables," Min played Enjolras, the leading student revolutionary; his first entry into blockbuster musicals. Today, he is best known for musical roles such as Ahn Jung-geun in "Hero," Victor Frankenstein in "Frankenstein" and Ben Hur in "Ben Hur."

Choi is a veteran musical star best known for playing Miss Trunchbull in "Matilda" and Billy Flynn in "Chicago."

Kim Woo-hyung and Kai have been cast as Inspector Javert, an uncompromising police officer who has been hunting down Jean Valjean for decades. Kim is also a familiar face of "Les Misérables," having played Enjolras in the 2013 production of "Les Misérables" and Javert in the 2015 production. His recent roles include Radames in "Aida" and Hades in "Hadestown."

The popular film adaptation was first released in 2012, starring actors such as Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe. The movie was a box-office hit in Korea, ranking as the 86th most-watched movie of all time in Korea, according to data from the Korean Film Council.

The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays; and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on weekends and public holidays. There are no shows on Mondays.

Tickets are priced from 90,000 won to 180,000 won.

Hangangjin Station, line No. 6, exit 2 or 3

*Most tickets are available at ticket.interpark.com/global or by calling 1544-1555

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]