Theater
”Cats“: The international production
of the Broadway classic “Cats” is having its Seoul run from April 10 to May 10. The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2011, is the second longest-running show in Broadway history. It tells the story of the Jellicles, a tribe of cats who assemble for their annual junkyard gathering when one is chosen to be reborn for a new life. One-by-one the kittens take center stage to make their case for rebirth, singing and dancing. “Cats” will play at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. Ticket prices range from 70,000 won to 140,000 won. For more information, call 1577-3363.
“This Boy”: French playwright Joel Pommerant’s contemporary play “This Boy” will be staged in Korea for the first time, helmed by Cathy Rapin, a stage director and a French professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. The play inspects the meaning of parenthood and family through a series of 10 short scenes centering on parent-child conundrums. “This Boy” will be staged at Seondol Theater in Daehangno, Seoul through March 29. Tickets cost 25,000 won. For details, call 02-3676-3678.
“Tuesdays with Morrie”: Based on Mitch Albom’s bestselling memoir, “Tuesdays with Morrie” recounts the author’s time spent with his 78-year-old professor Morrie Schwartz, who was dying from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Every Tuesday they meet and talk about different topics, including love, values, life, death, happiness, culture and sports until Morrie passes away. The play runs from April 4-19 at Jayu Theater at Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. Tickets are 35,000 won or 50,000 won. For details, call (02) 580-1300 or visit www.sacticket.co.kr.
“The Caucasian Chalk Circle”: The National Changgeuk Company of Korea is staging a “changgeuk” version of the play “The Caucasian Chalk Circle,” written by German playwright Bertolt Brecht. Korean-Japanese playwright and stage director Jung Eui-shin will direct the changgeuk -- traditional Korean opera based on pansori, or lyrical singing -- to tell a parable about the peasant girl Grusha, who rescues a baby abandoned by his wealthy mother Natella during the war. The changgeuk performance will be staged at Haeoreum Theater of the National Theater of Korea in Seoul from March 21-28. Ticket prices run from 20,000 won to 70,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2280-4114.
“Kyung-sook, Kyung-sook’s Father”: Set in the period after the Korean War, the award-winning play centers on a family consisting of a father who leaves the family at the outbreak of the war; a mother who both loves and hates her husband; and their daughter Kyung-sook. The heartwarming narrative, helmed by award-winning director Park Geun-hyung, was also broadcast as a four-episode TV drama six years ago. The play runs from March 6 to April 26 at the Soohyunjae Theater in Daehangno, Seoul. Tickets are 40,000 won for adults and 25,000 won for students. For more information, call (02) 766-6506.
“Phantom”: An American musical based on Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel “Phantom of the Opera,” is getting a Korean premiere in April, with singer Park Hyo-shin and international soprano Im Sun-hae in the lead roles. Produced by Seoul-based EMK Musical Company, the Korean rendition of “Phantom” will kick off on April 28 at Chungmu Art Hall in Seoul. It will continue through Aug. 2. Tickets cost 50,000 won to 140,000 won. For details, call (02) 577-6478.
“Dreamgirls”: Korea-U.S. joint production musical “Dreamgirls” is back for its second run in Seoul since 2009. The musical has been adjusted from the original 1981 Broadway version to include famous melodies such as “Listen,” which was also in the 2006 eponymous cinema hit starring Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson. It is the story of a young African-American singing trio in the 1960s who reach stardom and overcome obstacles. “Dreamgirls” runs through May 25 at the Charlotte Theater in Seoul. Tickets range from 60,000 won to 14,000 won. For more information, call 1588-5212.
“Das Musical: Robin Hood”: The story of Robin Hood, one of the most popular English folk heroes, will be staged as a musical in Korea. Based on the original German production by Andrea Friedrich and Hans Holzbecher, Korean director Wang Yong-beum helms the star-studded musical, including actor Yoo Joon-sang, Yoseob of K-pop idol group Beast, Kyuhyun from Super Junior and musical actor Um Ki-joon. The Korean rendition runs through March 29 at D-Cube Arts Center, which is connected to Sindorim Station. Ticket prices range from 60,000 won to 130,000 won. For more information, call (02) 764-7857.
“Once”: The Korean production of “Once” is being staged at Seoul Arts Center. Based on the 2006 film of the same title, the original Broadway musical won eight Tony Awards in 2012, including best musical of the year. For its Korean version, veteran rocker Yoon Do-hyun will share the lead role. He will play Guy, an Irish street musician and vacuum cleaner repairman who falls in love with Girl, a Czech flower seller. Both Yoon and musical actor Lee Chang-hee will play the role, while two emerging musical actresses, Jeon Mi-do and Park Ji-yeon, will play Girl. “Once” continues through March 29 at the 1,000-seat CJ Towol Theater at Seoul Arts Center. Ticket prices range from 60,000 won to 120,000 won. For details, call (02) 577-1987.
Pop Music
“Live Club Day”: The second “Live Club Day” event will take place on March 27. With one ticket, audiences can enter 10 different clubs that will stage live performances featuring various genres of music such as indie rock, jazz and acoustic. Tickets are priced at 20,000 won and can be reserved at the Xindie ticket lounge on Hongdae’s main street from March 20 to 26. Tickets will also be sold at each venue on the day of the event. Thirty-six bands, including Jang Kiha and the Faces, DickPunks, Gate Flowers and Kim Ji-soo, will perform. A timetable of the shows and more information can be found at
www.facebook.com/liveclubday.
“Toy - Da Capo”: Veteran singer-songwriter-pianist You Hee-yeol will host his first solo concerts in more than seven years, commemorating his seventh full-length album, “Da Capo.” The recent album marked a monster comeback for You, with all of the album’s 13 tracks dominating the top spots on most major online Korean music charts. You, who performs under the stage name Toy, will put on three concerts at Seoul Olympic Park’s Gymnastics Stadium from April 2 to 4. Ticket prices range from 77,000 won to 121,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.
“The Script:” Irish pop-rock band the Script will make their way to Seoul in April. Led by main vocalist Danny O’Donoghue, the Irish group released its eponymous debut album in August 2008, featuring the breakout singles, “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” and “Breakeven (Falling to Pieces).” The album went on to reach the top of the charts in both Ireland and the U.K. Last year the bandmates released their latest album, “No Sound Without Silence,” featuring the singles “Superheroes” and “No Good in Goodbye.” The Script will be performing live at Seoul Olympic Park’s Olympic Hall on April 15. Ticket prices range from 77,000 won to 99,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.
“Paul McCartney Out There”: One of the rock world’s most legendary figures, Paul McCartney, will perform his first show in Korea on May 2. McCartney needs no introduction, with the ex-Beatle solidifying himself as one of the most recognized musicians in the world. The 73-year-old rock icon, who was originally slated to perform his show in Seoul last May, canceled after falling ill. The musician is now picking off where he left off and will be making his way to Korea as part of the Hyundai Card Super Concert series. McCartney will be performing live at the Jamsil Sports Complex Olympic Stadium. Ticket prices range from 55,000 won to 300,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.
“Seoul Jazz Festival 2015”: The annual three-day Seoul Jazz Festival will kick off its ninth year with an all-star line-up including jazz icons Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock, Gregory Porter, the Cardigans, Basement Jaxx, Caro Emerald, Owl City, Jeff Bernat, Dirty Loops, Mika and many more. The upcoming music festival will also include a number of popular Korean acts, including acoustic duo 10cm, Roy Kim, the Peppertones, Epik High and Daybreak. This year’s Seoul Jazz Festival will be held at Seoul Olympic Park from May 23-25. Ticket prices range from 123,000 won (early bird) to 287,000 won and vary based on one-, two- or three-day passes. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.
Classical Music
Benjamin Grosvenor solo recital: British classical pianist Benjamin Grosvenor will hold his first solo recital in Seoul on April 22 at Seoul Arts Center’s IBK Chamber Hall. Grosvenor first gained international spotlight in 2004 when he, at age 11, won the prestigious BBC Young Musician of the Year award in the keyboard section. The pianist joined the famous music label Decca Records in 2011 and won two Grammy awards with his debut album the following year. Grosvenor is scheduled to perform Bach-Busoni’s Chaconne in D Minor and Chopin’s Mazurkas and Barcarolle Op. 60, among others, during his upcoming concert in Seoul. Ticket prices range from 40,000 to 80,000 won. For details, call 02) 2106-2019.
Gustavo Dudamel & LA Philharmonic: Gustavo Dudamel, one of the most sought-after conductors, will lead the LA Philharmonic Orchestra in two Seoul concerts in March. They will perform at Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall on March 25 and 26. The program consists of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 in A minor, John Adams’ “City Noir” and Antonin Dvorak’s “New World Symphony.” Ticket prices range from 50,000 won to 340,000 won. For more information, call (02) 6303-1977 or visit
www.sac.or.kr.
“Aida”: The Sugi Opera Company will stage Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida,” one of the most beloved operas in the world and one of Koreans’ favorite, at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul from April 10 to 12. The production will feature international and Korean opera signers with Romanian and Russian sopranos assuming the title role of Aida. Ticket prices range from 30,000 to 390,000 won. For more information, call (02) 542-0355 or visit www.sugiopera.com.
Dance
“Giselle”: The Korean National Ballet will kick off its 2015 season with its opening performance of one of the ballet world’s most classic and beloved tales of love and heartbreak ― “Giselle.” Bringing back the production to this year’s repertoire, “Giselle” is one of the most reprised and haunting ballet masterpieces of the Romantic era, touching on a full spectrum of human emotions, including happiness, love, heartache, pain and fiction’s ultimate example of forgiveness. Giselle is an emotionally and physically fragile village girl who falls hopelessly in love with a prince charming, but her world shatters after she finds out that she was not the only woman in her man’s life. The KNB’s production of “Giselle” will be held at the Seoul Arts Center from March 25-29. For more information, visit www.kballet.org.
“Multiplicity. Forms of Silence and Emptiness”: The Universal Ballet Korea will be staging Nacho Duato’s “Multiplicity, Forms of Silence and Emptiness” as its 2015 season opener. The 1999 ballet is one of Duato’s best-known works and landed the choreographer the prestigious Benois de la Dance prize. As homage to classical music great Johann Sebastian Bach, the two-act ballet tells the story of Bach’s music by combining both baroque music and modern choreography. The Universal Ballet Korea’s upcoming performance of “Multiplicity, Forms of Silence and Emptiness” will be held at the LG Arts Center in Seoul on March 21 and 22. For more information on the upcoming performance, visit www.universalballet.com.
“Taming of the Shrew”: One of William Shakespeare’s most iconic comedic tales of love and cunning deceit, the ballet rendition of the “Taming of the Shrew” will be staged by the Korean National Ballet as part of the company’s 2015 repertoire. The plot follows the storyline of the less-than-desirable Katherina ― “the shrew” ― who frightens away any potential romantic suitors, while her younger and far more desirable sister must halt her search for a husband until her sister is married off first. The two-act ballet based on the Shakespeare classic will be performed from April 29 to May 3 at the Seoul Arts Center. For more information, visit www.kballet.org.
“Tragedie”: The French-based troupe Ballet du Nord will stage its erotic production of “Tragedie” in Korea for the first time in April. By the French choreographer Oliver Dubois, “Tragedie” is a contemporary yet provocative three-act ballet with a cast of 18 nude men and women. The age-restricted show ― 19 and up ― centers on the theme of social restriction and the rediscovery of humanity. “Tragedie” will be performed for two days on April 10 and 11 at the Seongnam Arts Center’s Opera House. Ticket prices range from 20,000 won to 70,000 won. For more information, visit www.snart.or.kr.
Exhibitions
“Tracing Shadows”: Plateau, Samsung Museum of Art, presents an exhibition of 12 artists with different unique painting subjects and styles. The exhibition attempts to examine the traditional art medium ― painting ― in today’s contemporary art world dominated by installations and media art. Participating artists include those in late 30s to early 40s from diverse backgrounds such as the Korea, U.K., the U.S., China, Poland and Romania. Highlights include latest works by young American painter Hernan Bas, referenced from literature, art history and pop culture, and everyday life scenes of Romania by Serban Savu. The exhibition runs through June 7 at Plateau, Samsung Museum of Art. For more information, visit www.plateau.or.kr.
“Novello Finotti: Buon Giorno”: Seoul Museum is holding the first solo exhibition of Italian sculptor Novello Finotti until May 17. The exhibition features 38 works by the 76-year-old artist made over more than 60 years. Finotti’s marble and bronze sculptures feature simplified, abstract forms of the human body. His 1989 “Hourglass” sculpture highlights the graceful curves of a nude female body. His works also reflect agony and tragedy of natural or man-made disasters such as the catastrophic Chernobyl nuclear disaster. For more information, visit www.seoulmuseum.org.
Bill Viola: Renowned media artist Bill Viola is holding his third solo exhibition in Seoul. The exhibition at Kukje Gallery features seven video installations, including one from his recent “Martyrs” series, which is on permanent exhibit at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. On exhibit also includes the 5-meter video work “Inverted Birth,” showing a man deluged by fluids that slowly change color. The exhibition offers an overview of Viola’s work between 2005 and 2014 and his endeavor to challenge our understanding of time-based imagery. The exhibition runs through May 3. For more information, call (02) 735-8449.
“The Story of Bohemian Glass”: A special exhibition titled “The Story of Bohemian Glass” features a collection of some 340 glasswork items on loan from Prague National Museum and Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague. The rich history of the Czech Republic and Bohemian glass art can be traced through an eclectic series of vases, stained glass, tea sets, jewelry and sculpture, all crafted from multicolored glass over the years. The display is available at the National Museum of Korea from Feb. 10 until April 26. Admission is free. For inquiries, call (02) 2077-9000.
“Shooting the Elephant/Thinking the Elephant”: Yang Haegue’s first exhibition in Korea in five years is centered around her thoughts on nature and community. The exhibition features woven straw sculptures in the form of a Mayan pyramid, a Russian Islamic mosque and various structures that represent indigenous cultures ― a way for the artist to highlight the disappearance of folk culture in the modern world. Other works include “Storage Piece,” a pile of boxes containing Yang’s earlier works. The exhibition runs through May 10 at Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art in Seoul. An English guided tour is available at 2 p.m. on weekends. For more information, call (02) 2014-6901.
