[Arts calendar] Musicals, exhibitions, concerts and more

“Jekyll and Hyde Musical”: Inviting the original Broadway cast members, the Jekyll and Hyde Musical will be hitting stages across the country next March including Seoul, Daegu, Busan and Gwangju. The musical horror-drama is based on the internationally acclaimed novel “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson and is a tale of the struggles of good and evil. The upcoming production will star Kyle Dean Massey, Bradley Dean, Diana DeGarmo and Lindsey Bliven. The musical’s Seoul performances will be held from March 10 to 19 at the Blue Square Theater. Ticket prices range from 50,000 won to 150,000 won. For more information, call 1588-5212.

“The Bodyguard”: Based on the eponymous Blockbuster film starring Kevin Costner and the late Whitney Houston, “The Bodyguard” musical is gearing up to hit Asia stage for the first time. The 2012 stage musical written by Alexander Dinelaris features songs recorded by Whitney Houston including “One Moment in Time”, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and her inarguably the diva’s greatest hit single, her cover of Dolly Parton‘s “I Will Always Love You.” The Korean rendition musical will star Jeong Sun-ah, Sohn Seung-yeon and Park Sung-woong. “The Bodyguard” will be staged at the LG Arts Center in Seoul from Thursday until March 5 with ticket prices ranging from 60,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, (02) 2005-0114.

“Aida”: The legendary musical reaching 574 performances in Korea and grossing more than 35 billion won thus far and seen by 49 Million theatergoers, the theater brain child of Elton John and Tim Rice is returning to the Seoul stage. The Grammy Award and five-time Tony Award winning musical is based on eponymous opera by Giuseppe Verdi and stand as one of Broadway’s most successful productions. This year’s musical will star leads Yoon Gong-ju, Jang Eun-ah, Kim Woo-hyung and Min Woo-hyuk. “Aida” will be staged at Charlotte Theater until Mar. 11. Ticket prices range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, call (02) 1644-0078.

“Phantom”: Not to be confused with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Broadway smash hit production “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Phantom” is a musical with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and based on the novel by Arthur Kopit. The musical’s storyline is often billed as the “hidden and untold” story of the infamous opera ghost. The Korean rendition of the musical will star Park Eun-tae, Park Hyo-shin and Jeon Dong-suk. “Phantom” will be staged at the Blue Square theater in Seoul until Feb. 26. Ticket prices range from 60,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, call 1577-6478.

“Monte Cristo”: Edmund Dantes, a promising young sailor, is awaiting his wedding with the beautiful Mercedes until he is suddenly falsely accused and arrested for conspiracy by the dastardly Mondeo, who is secretly in love with the fair Mercedes. The musical rendition of the famed literary tale of “Monte Cristo” will be held at the Chungmu Art Hall’s Grand Theater in Seoul until Feb. 12. It will star Ryu Jeong-han, Um Ki-jun, Kai, Shin Sung-rok. Ticket prices range from 50,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, call 1577-6478.

Classical Music

“Richard Yongjae O'Neill: British & Romantic”: Popular Korean-American violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill will be returning to Korea in February, performing a romance-inspired repertoire on Valentine’s Day. The concert will be split between British composers and composer of the Romantic Era. O’Neill will bring to life the sounds of Benjamin Britten, York Bowen, Bach and Dvorak, among others. The violist will be performing at the Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall on Feb. 14 with ticket prices ranging from 30,000 won to 100,000 won. For more information, call 02-580-1300.

"Vienna Boys Choir": The Vienna Boys Choir was founded in 1498 and still stands today as one of the best known choirs in the world. The Vienna Boys Choir will be performing across the country, slated to hold recitals in Busan, Iksan, North Jeolla Province, and Jeju Island before concluding their tour in Seoul. The choir will be performing a wide range of pieces, from classic choral music to songs from movie soundtrack including “The Jungle Book” and “Singin’ In The Rain.” The Vienna Boys Choir will be performing at the Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall on Jan. 22. Ticket prices range from 50,000 won to 100,000 won. For more information, call 1577-5266.

"Strauss Festival Orchestra of Vienna": The Strauss Festival Orchestra will be making its way to the Seoul stage next year, bringing along its trademark whimsical style. Bringing the life to the sounds of the ballet under the baton of conductor Willy Buchler, the orchestra’s upcoming concert will include pieces by Vladimir Snizek, Marta Karacsonya, Igor Blumberg and Beate Gramer. The concert will be held at the Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall on Jan. 19. Tickets prices are listed at 25,000 and 120,000 won. For more information, visit www.sac.or.kr.

"The Little Singers of Paris": Internationally renowned all-male youth choir the Little Singers of Paris is returning to Korea with a nationwide tour. Just in time to celebrate the Christmas holiday season, the young choir will be performing across the nation throughout December with concerts in Busan, Yongin, Ulsan, Gimpo and Seoul. The Little Singers of Paris will also hold two performances in Seoul on Dec. 17 and 18 at the Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall. Ticket prices range from 33,000 won to 110,000 won. For more information, call (02) 597-9870.

Dance

“A Dream of Angels”: The Little Angels Performing Arts Company will be performing “A Dream of Angels” at the Universal Arts Center in Seoul on Saturday and Sunday at 4 p.m. Founded in 1962, the Little Angels aims to preserve Korean culture and introduce it to the world. The group will showcase a wide range of traditional Korean dances, including talchum (mask dance), buchaechum (a fan dance), janggochum (drum dance) and others. Tickets range from 10,000 won to 70,000 won, and are available at ticket.interpark.com. For inquiries, call 070-7124-1762.

“Macbeth”: UBIN Dance will be presenting the Shakespearean classic “Macbeth” at the National Theater of Korea in Jangchung-dong, Seoul, on Monday and Tuesday. Divided into three acts, the company will be presenting its rendition of the timeless tragedy that reveals much about the human greed for power. The performance will begin at 4 p.m. on both days. Tickets range from 30,000 won to 50,000 won, and can be reserved at ticket.interpark.com. For inquiries, call 010-3129-4243.

“The Nutcracker”: The Universal Ballet will be performing the holiday classic “The Nutcracker” at the Universal Arts Center in Seoul from Dec. 16-31. Originally choreographed by Petipa and Ivanov, the two-act ballet boasts a score by Tchaikovsky. Tickets range from 10,000 won to 100,000 won, and are available at ticket.interpark.com. For inquiries, call 1544-1555.

“Vortex”: The National Dance Company of Korea will be presenting “Vortex” at the National Theater of Korea from March 30 to April 1, 2017. The company’s first collaborative production with a foreign choreographer, “Vortex” draws upon history and tradition to create new and modern movements. The performances will be held at 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets range from 20,000 won to 70,000 won, and are available at ticket.interpark.com. For inquiries, call (02) 2280-4114. 

Pop Music

Passenger: Michael David Rosenberg, and English singer-songwriter who goes by the stage name Passenger, is coming to Korea for his first-ever concert on Jan. 7 at 6 p.m. at the Blue Square Samsung Card Hall. He was previously the main vocalist of a band of the same name, which dissolved in 2009. Passenger’s most successful release, “Let Her Go,” released July 2012, topped charts in many countries. The song was nominated for the Brit Award for British single of the year in 2014. Passenger also received the British Academy’s Ivor Novello Award for most performed work in 2014. His songs focus on the folk rock and indie folk genre. Tickets are priced at 132,000 won and can be reserved at ticket.interpark.com.

“g.o.d to Men”: The 17-year-old boy band, whose name stands for “groove overdose,” is holding a concert from Jan. 6-8 at the Jamsil Arena. Formed in 1999, g.o.d, achieved national fame and popularity with hit songs such as “Dear Mother,” “Lies” and “Road,” and is widely regarded as one of K-pop’s iconic first-generation boy bands alongside Shinhwa, H.O.T and Sechs Kies. After a hiatus that lasted from 2005 to 2014, the boy band regrouped to released its eight album, “Chapter 8.” Concert ticket prices range from 99,000 won to 154,000 won. Tickets can be reserved at ticket.interpark.com. 

Kim Gun-mo: Iconic Korean singer Kim Gun-mo is set for a nationwide tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of his singing career starting Dec. 24 in Gwangju at the Yeomju Gymnasium. He will be performing in Seoul on Dec. 31 at Jamsil Arena, at Busan’s KBS Busan Hall on Jan. 7, and at Daegu’s EXCO Convention Hall on Jan. 14. The 48-year-old singer-songwriter has gained iconic status in Korea since his 1992 debut. He holds the record for the biggest selling album in Korea with his third studio album. Hit songs include “Excuse” and “Wrongful Encounter.” Ticket prices range from 77,000 won to 143,000 won. Tickets can be reserved at ticket.interpark.com.

Journey: American rock band Journey is coming to Korea for a concert at 8 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Blue Square Samsung Card Hall in Hannam-dong, Seoul. The band, formed in San Francisco in 1973, is composed of former members of bands Santana and Frumious Bandersnatch. It has a series of hit songs under its belt, including the 1981 release “Don’t Stop Believin,’” and “Open Arms.” Album sales have yielded two gold albums, eight multi-platinum albums and one diamond album. Journey is currently lined up among the nominees for induction into the 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ticket prices range from 99,000 won to 121,000 won. Tickets can be reserved at ticket.interpark.com. 

Exhibitions

“Raoul Dufy & Bernard Buffet: Two visionaries in the 20th century French art”: In celebration of the 130-year friendship between France and Korea, the Opera Gallery in Seoul is showing some 20 artworks by leading contemporary French artists, Raoul Dufy and Bernard Buffet. Highlighting the two artists’ uniquely different aesthetic visions, the exhibition, which runs until Dec. 30, aims to provide a glimpse of everyday life in modern France. For more information, visit www.operagallery.com.

“Archive of Mind”: The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea is hosting artist Kim Soo-ja’s solo show as part of its annual exhibition program sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company. The exhibition showcases latest works by Kim, including site-specific installations, videos, sculptures and photos that explore the body and the mind. The exhibition runs until Feb. 5 at Gallery 5 and in the museum’s courtyard. For more information, visit www.mmca.go.kr.

“The Parliament of Possibilities”: Danish-Icelandic installation artist Olafur Eliasson is holding a solo exhibition at Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art in Seoul. An experimental artist who works with a wide range of elements and concepts, Eliasson will be presenting a total of 22 works, from “Moss wall,” made with moss from Iceland, to “Your unpredictable path,” a glass sculpture made from more than 1,000 spheres. The exhibition runs until Feb. 26, 2017. Tickets are 8,000 won for adults, and 4,000 won for children. For more information, visit www.leeum.samsungfoundation.org.

“David LaChapelle: Inscape of Beauty”: American photographer David LaChapelle will be holding a solo exhibition at the Ara Modern Museum in Insa-dong, Seoul. Throughout his career, he has captured iconic images of global pop culture icons, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie and Kanye West. The 53-year-old photographer is also best known for his surrealist pieces that present human nature in fantasy-like environments. The exhibition will run until Feb. 26. Tickets are 12,000 won for adults, and range from 8,000 won to 10,000 won for students. For more information, visit www.aramuseum.org.

“Yoo Young-kuk”: The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Deoksugung, is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Korean artist Yoo Young-kuk. Born in 1916, Yoo paved the way for modern art in Korea. The exhibition runs until March 1. It features some of Yoo’s iconic pieces defined by his abstract interpretations of nature. Tickets cost 3,000 won. For more information, visit www.mmca.go.kr.

“Alphonse Mucha, The Pioneer of Modern Graphic Design”: The Seoul Arts Center will present the late Czech artist Alphonse Mucha’s collection until March 5. Recognized as one of the leading Art Nouveau painters of his lifetime, Mucha’s works have inspired artists across the globe throughout the past century. The exhibition will feature some of his most iconic paintings, photographs, design goods and more. Tickets range from 5,000 won to 15,000 won. For more information, visit www.sac.or.kr.

“Nick Knight:Image”: British photographer Nick Knight is holding his first Seoul exhibition at Daelim Museum. Best known for his collaborations with leading design icons, including Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and more, Knight will be showcasing some of his never-before-seen photographs and digital images from over the years. The exhibition runs until March 26. Tickets are 5,000 won for adults, and range from 2,000 won to 3,000 won for children. For more information, visit www.daelimmuseum.org.

“Le Corbusier Special Exhibition”: The Seoul Arts Center’s Hangaram Design Museum is hosting a special exhibition highlighting the work of Le Corbusier, a leading pioneer of modern architecture. Divided into eight sections, the event chronicles the architect’s life and his most representative works and designs. The exhibition runs until March 26. Tickets are 15,000 won for adults, and range from 8,000 won to 10,000 won for children. For more information, visit www.sac.or.kr.