The Korea Herald

New York City Opera announces musician lockout

Jan 9, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) ― A bitter contract dispute has led to a lockout of musicians at the New York City Opera, a possible “death knell’’ for a company that’s nurtured such singers as Renee Fleming, Placido Domingo and Beverly Sills.On Sunday, hours after talks broke down, the cash-strapped company canceled Monday rehearsals for a Feb. 12 opening production of Verdi’s “La Traviata’’ in Brooklyn.“This is a very sad day for what once was a spectacular cultural icon and for the people who performed its mus
Reformed Van Halen performs intimate NYC gig

Jan 8, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) -- They‘ll be playing arenas when they tour next month, but on Thursday night, a regrouped Van Halen provided thrills in a tiny club where a VIP crowd stood elbow to elbow as the storied band played some of their greatest hits including ``Jump’‘ and ``Panama.’‘``Welcome to Occupy Van Halen, ladies and gentleman!’‘ frontman David Lee Roth yelled just before the band launched into ``You Really Got Me,’‘ the first in an approximately hour-long, high energy set.The show was at the fame
Calendar

Jan 6, 2012

Classical Music“2012 Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra & Thomanerchor”: The Gewandhaus Orchestra and Thomanerchor will visit Korea for the third time to perform Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion. The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra is one of the oldest symphony orchestras in the world, named after the concert hall based in Leipzig. The Thomanerchor, or St. Thomas Choir of Leipzig, is a boys’ choir founded in 1212. At present, the choir consists of 92 boys, 9 to 18 years of age. The orchestra will be conducte
Mariah Carey asks fans to pray for sick husband

Jan 5, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Singer Mariah Carey asked fans Wednesday to pray for her rap artist and actor husband Nick Cannon after he was admitted to hospital suffering from mild kidney failure.Tweeting a picture of her cuddled up with Cannon in his hospital bed, feeding him a drink through a straw, the Grammy-winning artist said the situation was “serious” but said he was fighting to recover.“Please pray for Nick as he’s fighting to recover from a mild kidney failure,” she said in a Twitter message.Th
T-ara reel in the years in retro musical

Jan 5, 2012

Girl group’s hit single ‘Roly Poly’ taken to musical theaterPopular girl group T-ara’s 2011 retro-heavy hit single “Roly Poly” is back ― only this time as a stage musical with the same nostalgic flash of the 1970s and ‘80s.Three members of the girl group ― Jiyeon, Hyomin and Soyeon ― are starring as reckless teenagers in Korea’s 1980s in upcoming musical “Roly Poly,” teamed up with older-generation heavyweights including popular musical actress Park Hae-mi and “Nagasu” star singer Jang Hye-jin.
Broadway’s ‘Spider-Man’ musical earns new record

Jan 4, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) ― Look who’s got a big smile behind his mask on Broadway ― none other than the once-mocked Spider-Man.The Broadway League reported Tuesday that “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark’’ took in a whopping $2,941,790 over nine performances last week, which is the highest single-week gross of any show in Broadway history.The Spider-Man show shatters the old record held by “Wicked,’’ which last January recorded the then-highest one-week take on Broadway with a $2,228,235 haul, though over eigh
Bonnie Raitt prepares first album in 7 years

Jan 4, 2012

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) ― Bonnie Raitt is releasing a new album in 2012, her first in seven years.“Slipstream,’’ out April 10, follows a long break from studio work for the Grammy-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member. She lost her parents, her brother and her best friend.“I hadn’t stopped moving in a very long time, so I really wanted to take a total break and not concentrate on making a new record or what I was going to do next,’’ Raitt said. “So that was really valuable because I waited
Jackman on Broadway translates into cold cash

Jan 3, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) ― Hugh Jackman has left Broadway with a lot of broken hearts ― and records.The hunky Australian actor’s one-man Broadway concert show closed last weekend at the Broadhurst Theatre after having earned $2,057,354 in its final week, the highest weekly gross recorded by the Shubert Organization, which owns the Broadhurst and 16 other Broadway theaters.Over its 10-week run, Jackman earned a whopping $14,638,428, producers said. He now owns 10 of the 11 top grossing weeks at the Broadhur
Aretha Franklin is engaged to longtime friend

Jan 3, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) — Aretha Franklin is engaged to longtime friend William "Willie" Wilkerson.The Grammy-winning singer told The Associated Press in a statement Monday that she and Wilkerson are considering a summer wedding, perhaps in Miami Beach, Fla. The Queen of Soul wants to follow the ceremon
Elton John wants Timberlake to play him in biopic

Jan 2, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Elton John is working on a biopic about himself and would like Justin Timberlake to take on the lead role, he said in an interview published Sunday.The British veteran star also spoke about his and partner David Furnish’s love for their son Zachary ― whose first birthday was on Christmas Day ― saying the child was the “light of our lives.”An announcement about the biopic is due very soon, the 64-year-old told the Los Angeles Times newspaper.“That’s very much in the works. We’
[Herald Interview] ‘Songs just happen like acorns falling from a tree’

Jan 2, 2012

Irish musician Rice is Jan. 11 concert soldoutWith Guinness and Westlife among the very few Irish things that have made it to Korea, and the singer’s face rarely shown on TV, a fan of Irish singer Damien Rice may pride him/herself on being “a classy minority.” Minor fandom, however, is hardly a suitable term for a musician who sold out some 1,600 seats in just a few hours, despite modest promotion activities and relatively expensive tickets priced at 132,000 to 165,000 won (about $150).In an e-m
[Herald Review] French plays charm Seoul

Jan 1, 2012

After Emile Zola play ‘Therese Raquin,’ black comedy ‘God of Carnage’ takes stage Following last month’s Korean adaptation of Emile Zola’s novel-based play “Therese Raquin,” another French play is on stage to charm Seoulites, this time a contemporary black comedy titled “God of Carnage.”Based on Zola’s 1867 novel, the play “Therese Raquin” was shown in Korea for the second time last month. It tells the story of Therese, a young woman married to her sickly first cousin, who has an affair with her
Music industry working on global database

Jan 1, 2012
Intel hires will.i.am as innovation director

Jan 1, 2012
Lady Gaga’s new single compared to Madonna’s

Jan 1, 2012