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November 04, 2009
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| MUSIC SEOUL ARTS CENTER, Concert Hall Tomorrow: “Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra Concert.” Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra from Bulgaria is visiting Seoul as part of a global concert tour. This orchestra began in 1928 under the aegis of the Music Academy and the initiative of the violinist Sasha Popov, chiefly employing staff and students of the Academy, the latter later forming part of the Royal Military Symphony Orchestra. In 1945 the orchestra was re-formed as the State Symphony Orchestra, known from 1949 under its present title. Yavor Dimitrov is the present chief conductor along with 120 musicians. The guest conductor, Lee Young-chil, is a Korean-American who quickly became known as a conductor who actively promotes appreciation and education of symphonic orchestral music and combines Eastern and Western musical expressions. The orchestra will be playing music pieces including Reinecke’s Flute Concerto in D major, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64. The concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center. Tickets range from 50,000 won ($42.20) to 200,000 won. Nambu Bus Terminal, line No. 3, exit 5 (02) 577-1987, www.sac.or.kr KUMHO ART HALL Tomorrow to Nov. 26: “The Schubertiade.” As part of its regular Thursday night concert program, Kumho Art Hall will be presenting the music of Franz Schubert over four weeks from tomorrow for a month. This is the third special program focused on Baroque-era composers, music from Brahms and Bach having been featured previously. Entitled “The Schubertiade,” this program will feature symphonies and solo recitals performed by talented musicians and vocalists who have come all the way from Europe for the performance. Schubert, who died at the early age of 31, left behind a total of 998 pieces. In this four-week program dedicated to the renowned composer, audiences will encounter the distinguished work of Schubert in its most authentic form. The concerts start at 9 p.m. on Thursdays. Tickets range from 20,000 won to 30,000 won. Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 7 (02) 6303-7700, www.kumhoarthall.com SEJONG CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, M Theatre Friday and Saturday: “Walking Slow.” Yang Hee-eun is holding a special concert for the convenience of her middle-aged fans, who don’t tend to go out too often. She’s already held a concert in Gangnam District in October, and this month she is performing for fans in Gangbuk District. A beloved heroine of folk music, Yang Hee-eun has had many hit songs and steady sellers such as “Morning Dew,” “Love, About Its Loneliness,” “Evergreen,” “White Magnolia” and “At My Age Forty.” Fans yearn for her songs even more when the weather gets cold, and she will no doubt warm up her audiences with her unique voice. The concert starts at 8 p.m. on Friday and 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 8 Tickets range from 66,000 won to 88,000 won. (02) 522-9933, www.sejongpac.or.kr GOYANG OULIM NURI ARTS CENTER, Oulim Theater Saturday: “Jazz Concert by Patricia Barber.” Patricia Barber, an American jazz musician who has been touted as having one of the most prominent styles around, is going to perform in Korea for the first time on Saturday. Her music is centered on her singing, a traditional blues-jazz style that features her deep, husky vocals. She also accompanies her singing with piano. The concert starts at 7 p.m. Tickets range from 30,000 won to 70,000 won. Wondang Station, line No. 3, exit 4 (031) 960-0058, www.artgy.or.kr SEJONG CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, M Theater Sunday: “Jazz 7080.” Ronn Branton, an American jazz pianist and composer known for his poetic musical sensibility, will perform a concert titled “Jazz 7080” this weekend from 3 p.m. Branton has long worked on arrangements for children’s songs and folk songs from Korea and has given them a jazz flavor. In this concert, Branton will give a jazzy interpretation to classic hit songs from the ’70s and ’80s such as “Morning Dew,” “In the Flower Garden,” “Fire Fly,” “One-sided Love,” “Bobbed Hair” and “Desert Island.” He will also present popular Korean songs from the ’70s through the ’90s. Branton’s music is known for its contemplative nature, very much in the manner of musicians such as Keith Jarrett or Bill Evans, who is often referred to in jazz circles as the “Chopin of jazz piano.” Tickets range from 20,000 won to 50,000 won. Gwanghwamun Station, line No. 5, exit 8 (02) 888-2698, www.sejongpac.or.kr THEATER SEOUL ARTS CENTER, Towol Theater Tomorrow to Nov. 16: “Choi Jeong-won’s Piaf.” Korean musical actor Choi Jeong-won performs in a musical called “Piaf,” a play by Pam Gems that focuses on the life and career of the legendary French chanteuse Edith Piaf. This biographical drama with music portrays the singer in a most unflattering light. She is presented as a self-destructive, promiscuous, alcoholic junkie who, in one controversial scene, urinates in public. Piaf was a French singer and cultural icon who is almost universally regarded as France’s greatest popular singer, despite the public urination. Among her more well-known songs are “La Vie en Rose,” “Hymne a l’amour,” “Milord” and “La Foule.” The show’s star, Choi Jeong-won, has performed in numerous musicals ranging from “Chicago” to “Mamma Mia!” The show begins at 8 p.m. on weekdays, 3 and 7 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 and 6 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets range from 30,000 won to 50,000 won. Nambu Bus Terminal, line No. 3, exit 5 (02) 577-1987, www.sac.or.kr SEJONG CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS Friday and Saturday: “Manwol - Full Moon.” This performance features a traditional Korean dance called ganggangsullae, which is usually performed once a year on a full-moon evening. Ganggangsullae was recently designated a piece of World Cultural Heritage by Unesco, underscoring its importance in Korean culture and art. In a typical ganggangsullae performance, dancers form a circle and spin in sync with other dancers. In the show Manwol, the audience will see various forms of the dance performed by the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theater under the lead of Lim I-jo. The performance starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets range from 20,000 won to 50,000 won. Gwanghwamum Station, line No. 5, exit 8 (02) 522-9933, www.sejongpac.or.kr BUSAN CITIZEN’S HALL, Grand Theater Saturday and Sunday: “The Three Musketeers.” The Alexandre Dumas novel “The Three Musketeers” has been turned into a musical starring Park Geon-heong, Yu Jun-sang and Shin Seong-woo. The story recounts the adventures of a young man named d’Artagnan after he leaves home to become a guard of the musketeers. D’Artagnan is not one of the musketeers of the title; those are his friends Athos, Porthos and Aramis who are inseparable friends who live by the motto “all for one, one for all.” The protagonist d’Artagnan will be played by Park Geon-heong, who gained popularity after his appearance in the movie “Dancing Princess” in 2005. The musical will be on stage at 4 and 8 p.m. on Saturday and at 3 and 7 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets range from 33,000 won to 99,000 won. 1599-8879, http://ticket.interpark.com CHUNGMU ART HALL Nov. 10 to 15: “Tango Seduccion.” World renowned tango choreographer and dancer Gustavo Russo is making his way to Seoul with his work “Tango Seduccion.” Having toured in Europe, Australia and Latin America prior to this visit, Tango Seduccion is regarded as one of the most passionate dance pieces around. Unlike other shows, Tango Seduccion is a plot-driven piece, whose three acts unfold the history of tango for the audience. The first act is somewhat comical in tone, depicting nightlife in 19th-century Buenos Aires. The second act, however, is where the stage starts to heat up with passionate tango dances, such as “La Cumparsita” (The Little Parade) and “El Choclo” (Kiss of Fire), performed by an ensemble of 20 Argentine dancers, musicians and singers. In the third act, Samantha Garcia, the female lead dancer, comes into her own, showcasing the essence of the Argentinian tango, one of the most seductive, passionate forms of dance around. The show is to be held at Chungmu Art Hall from 8 p.m. on weekdays, 5 and 7 p.m. on weekends. Sindang Station, lines No. 2 and 6, exit 9 Tickets range from 44,000 won to 88,000 won. (02) 1577-5266, www.clubbalcony.com COEX ATRIUM Nov. 14 to March 4: “Legally Blonde.” The Broadway musical based on the movie “Legally Blonde” will go on stage next week. The Korean production features an impressive cast including Honey Lee, the 2006 Miss Korea; Jessica, a member of the pop group Girls’ Generation; and actress Kim Ji-woo. Each will play Elle Woods, who enters Harvard Law School and breaks the prevailing stereotype of a dumb blonde. Through her life studying at Harvard, Elle proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style. Showtimes vary. Tickets range from 40,000 won to 90,000 won. (02) 738-8289, http://ticket.interpark.com SPORTS Korean Basketball League www.kbl.or.kr Wednesday Mobis Phoebus vs. ET Land Elephants Ulsan Dongchun, 7 p.m. LG Sakers vs. Samsung Thunders Changwon Gymnasium, 7 p.m. Thursday KT&G Kites vs. Daegu Orions Anyang Gymnasium, 7 p.m. SK Knights vs. KCC Egis Jamsil Indoor Stadium, 7 p.m Friday KT Sonic Boom vs. Dongbu Promy Sajik Indoor Gymnasium, 7 p.m. ET Land Elephants vs. LG Sakers Incheon Samsan World Gymnasium, 7 p.m. Saturday KT&G Kites vs. SK Knights Anyang Gymnasium, 3 p.m. Mobis Phoebus vs. Samsung Thunders Ulsan Dongchun, 3 p.m. KCC Egis vs. Daegu Orions Jeonju Stadium, 5 p.m. Sunday LG Sakers vs. Mobis Phoebus Changwon Gymnasium, 3 p.m. ET Land Elephants vs. KT Sonic Boom Incheon Samsan World Gymnasium, 3 p.m. Samsung Thunders vs. Dongbu Promy Jamsil Indoor Stadium, 5 p.m. Tuesday ET Land Elephants vs. Dongbu Promy Incheon Samsan World Gymnasium, 7 p.m. KCC Egis vs. LG Sakers Jeonju Stadium, 7 p.m. FESTIVALS EMERGING KOREAN ARTISTS IN THE WORLD 2009, Seoul Tomorrow to Dec. 6: “Emerging Korean Artists in the World 2009,” an annual event for artists also known as “USB 2009”, will be presented at the Seoul Arts Center beginning tomorrow. The acronym USB stands for “urban nomadism”, “species of singularity” and “becoming gestalt”, which are the main themes of this year’s festival. On display will be works of art from two dozen Korean artists, based in eight overseas countries. Audiences will likely recognize themes from Germany, England, France, Sweden, the U.S., Argentina, Japan and China. The event will take place at Hangaram Art Museum at the Seoul Arts Center from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission costs 2,000 won. Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3 (02) 580-1300, www.2009usb.com Event information is culled from the Korea Tourism Organization and other online sources. |
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