[Herald Interview] 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' countertenors aim to win over Verdi, Puccini, Wagner fans

When "A Midsummer Night's Dream," an opera adapted by Benjamin Britten, premieres in South Korea later this week in a production by the Korea National Opera, it will represent two rarities here. An opera with a libretto from William Shakespeare's play of the same title, it will stand out as a rare English-language opera in a country where the works of Verdi, Wagner and Puccini are beloved. Additionally, the opera is one of very few to include countertenors in the leading role

April 8, 2024

Beha Philharmonic celebrates 10th anniversary with concert

The Beha Philharmonic Orchestra will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a concert on April 12 at the Lotte Concert Hall. Conducted by Kim Bong-mi, the first part of the concert will feature vocal performances by three tenors and the second part will have an orchestral performance. Three tenors Jin Sung-won, Kim Dong-won and Lee Dong-myong will together perform ,"” a tenor aria from Verdi's opera "Il Trovatore" and “Nessun dorma” from Puccini's oper

April 8, 2024

[Weekender] Jeju commemorates its deepest scar

The home of the late Jin A-young sits overlooking the rocky shores at Weolryeong-ri 381, Hanrib-eup in Jeju City, in the west of Jeju Island. The unassuming house, preserved in almost the exact state as it was when Jin died on Sept. 8, 2004, at the age of 90, is about the only earthly remnant of her life, torn apart by the massacres that took place there over half a century ago. On a table in her home was a dust-covered pack of antacids, one of her daily necessities. Jin had suffered from chro

April 6, 2024

Cultural Heritage Administration celebrates Arbor Day

The Cultural Heritage Administration planted trees at Joseon-era (1392-1910) historic sites in Seoul on Friday in celebration of Arbor Day, raising awareness of preserving cultural heritage and protecting the planet. CHA chief Choi Eung-cho and Starbucks Korea executives led a group of 50 people including company employees and elementary school students in planting 35 pine and fragrant snowbell trees at the shrine Jongmyo in Jongno-gu. On Saturday, Choi will lead another group of 35 people, incl

April 5, 2024

National Theater of Korea's 'Art in Series' to welcome spring

The outdoor plaza in front of the National Theater of Korea's Haeoreum Grand Theater will be filled with weekly festivals and open-air markets every Saturday for two months in April and May. Dubbed "Art in Series," this biannual festival event is hosted by the National Theater of Korea during the spring and fall seasons. Each week in that season will be held under specific themes such as pets, books, crops and artifacts. The event opens with the "Art in Pet" festival whi

April 5, 2024

[Well-curated] Pies, cute stationery and Confucianism

Savoring leisure with warm pie and coffee If you're planning to embark on a journey from Seoul Station or just passing through the heart of Seoul, enjoy a warm pie for a meal that's a little different than the typical. Focal Point is a pie restaurant in at a brown brick building behind Seoul Station. Various savory pies welcome visitors, including the Song-jung tteokgalbi pie, featuring minced short rib, broccoli and corn seasoned with soy sauce, the grilled corn pie topped with al

April 5, 2024

K-Royal Culture Festival marks anniversary with wider outreach

The biannual festival involving five palaces of Joseon-era (1392-1910) Seoul is expecting to draw the biggest-ever participation by foreign nationals with exclusive programs, as it marks its 10th anniversary this month. The nine-day event starting April 27 at five palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Gyeonghuigung -- will feature royal music and dance performances as well as tours with royal cuisine tastings. At Gyeongbokgung, “gugak” or traditiona

April 4, 2024

Foreign national-only Deoksugung tours with musical performances to launch May

Tours exclusively for foreign nationals of Deoksugung, a Joseon-era (1392-1910) palace, including a musical performance at Seokjo Hall, will be offered for the first time in May. Nighttime tours of the hall -- the first Western-style stone building in Seoul built in 1910 -- will run from May 1 to May 3, with three tours taking place daily, each limited to 18 people. Participants will be served refreshments like coffee and madeleines as they watch musical performances. A classical music performan

April 3, 2024

Everland's beloved Fu Bao returns to China

Fu Bao, a giant panda that enjoyed rock star status in South Korea, returned to China on Wednesday, according to officials at the Everland zoo. The female panda, born in 2020 to a panda pair China loaned to Korea in 2016, was the first cub born in Korea through natural breeding. According to officials at Everland, located in Yongin Gyeonggi Province, the giant panda departed Panda World, its home for the past 1,354 days in Everland as well as in Korea, after a special 20-minute farewell event he

April 3, 2024

Violinist Kim Jae-won given tenure at Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse

South Korean violinist Kim Jae-won has been appointed a "supersoliste" (super soloist), or principal concertmaster with tenure, at Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, according to the Kumho Cultural Art Foundation on Wednesday. Having successfully auditioned for the concertmaster position in 2022, she took the position of the concertmaster of the Toulouse Capitole National Orchestra in 2023. In March 2024, she was given tenure, the foundation said. "Orchestre National du C

April 3, 2024

[Herald Interview] Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky to go on spiritual journey of 'St. Matthew Passion'

In the upcoming performances of “St. Matthew Passion,” BWV 244 by J.S. Bach, in South Korea, renowned countertenor Philippe Jaroussky will join forces with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra conducted by Francesco Corti. Jaroussky will sing “Erbarme dich” in the three-hour-long performance. “I’ve been working specifically on this aria for more than 6 months! I think the difficulty is to express the powerful expression of regret and the dramatic aspect of it, wit

April 2, 2024

Joseon palaces offer something extra

Starting this month, three palaces from the Joseon era in Seoul will add something extra to their tours: a venue to taste “royal desserts” and audio guides. Gyeongbokgung will open up Saenggwabang, the kitchen where desserts and refreshments for the Joseon royal household were prepared. Seven snack options, including “juak” -- fried rice cake -- and therapeutic herbal tea prepared according to a recipe written by the king’s doctors in 1607 will be offered to visitor

April 2, 2024

Van Zweden's ‘maestro’ Hiddink named SPO ambassador

For conductor Jaap van Zweden, football manager Guus Hiddink is his "maestro," the artistic director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra said during a press conference at Seoul City Hall on Monday. On the same day, Hiddink, the first person ever to be given honorary South Korean citizenship, became the SPO’s first ambassador. In this honorary position, Hiddink will accompany the orchestra on its international tours, promote both the city and the orchestra, and participate in othe

April 2, 2024

Application filed to have ‘hanji’ preserved by UNESCO

South Korea has made a bid to add “hanji,” or traditional Korean mulberry paper, to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. “Traditional knowledge and skills associated with the production of hanji and related cultural practices in the Republic of Korea will undergo an evaluation procedure,” the Cultural Heritage Administration said in a statement Monday, referring to the submission the previous day to the UN culture body. The Republic of Korea is the formal nam

April 1, 2024

Art Basel Hong Kong Director says fair outperformed other years in caliber, diversity, and integration with city

HONG KONG - Angelle Siyang-Le, the Director of Art Basel Hong Kong, marking her second year in the position, witnessed a remarkable return to full-scale operations post-pandemic this year. Art Basel Hong Kong, which ran from Thursday to Saturday, said it welcomed over 75,000 visitors from around the world across its VIP and public days, with participating galleries reaching 242, up from last year's 177. Although this falls short of the 2023 attendance of 86,000, the director of Art Basel Ho

March 31, 2024

Tongyeong Int'l Music Festival continues to embody diversity

TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -- The Tongyeong International Music Festival commenced Friday with its artistic director Chin Unsuk saying she’s hoping to provide a beautiful moment that will remain forever with an underlying theme of diversity. "We always strive to present as many diverse elements as possible to the audience within this short period,” she said. “For the past two years of the festival, I have often thought that this moment, when we share this beaut

March 31, 2024

[Well-curated] High-end graffiti, LP bar and Gwanghwamun on roller coaster

Cyril Kongo’s first graffiti exhibition in Seoul French-Vietnamese graffiti artist Cyril Kongo’s first solo exhibition in Seoul kicked off March 14 at Museum Wave, bringing together some 45 works from the artist's early days to his collaborations with luxury brands such as Chanel, Hermes and Maserati. The artist became interested in graffiti during his adolescent years in the French Congo and launched his career as a graffiti artist in Paris in 1986. The exhibition, “Graff

March 29, 2024

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul offers wellness promotion Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul, an urban oasis nestled on the slope of Seoul’s Namsan in central Seoul, presents “Season’s Moment,” a wellness program for those seeking an emotional refuge from a hectic life. The package includes hand cream featuring spring scents like lime, yuzu and lavender and a QR code-printed postcard, allowing guests to enjoy a spring-themed music playlist. Guests can relieve stress in the

March 29, 2024

Art Basel Hong Kong shows steep recovery from pandemic

HONG KONG -- Art Basel Hong Kong returned in full form last year to the excitement of the art community. This year, the fair is showing a steep recovery curve, with the number of participating galleries reaching 242, up from last year's 177. The 37 percent increase indicates a return to the show’s pre-pandemic scale, matching the 242 galleries that participated in 2019. Art Basel’s 2024 Hong Kong edition opened at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center on Tuesday with in

March 27, 2024

Changdeokgung to open spring nighttime tours

Tickets for the annual spring nighttime tours of Changdeokgung will go on sale at 4 p.m., Thursday. On Thursday through Sunday from April 11 to June 2, six tours will take place per day -- three starting a little past 7 p.m. with another three starting around 8 p.m. The guided tours will start at Donhwamun, the palace’s main gate, making stops at the various halls and residential quarters -- including Injeongjeon, the palace’s main hall, where Joseon-era kings oversaw state affairs,

March 27, 2024