Art at German envoy’s residence augurs hope for inter-Korean ties

German Ambassador Rolf Mafael poses for a photo during an interview with The Korea Herald at his home in Seongbuk-dong in Seoul. (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)This is the first in a series of articles in which foreign envoys to Korea show the art of their countries displayed in their homes. ― Ed.The hilltop garden at the residence of the German ambassador on Mount Bugaksan commands a panoramic view of the elegant homes peppering the landscape of the exclusive Seongbuk-dong neighborhood below.

May 14, 2014

Art Basel puts spotlight on Hong Kong

HONG KONG (AFP) ― Hong Kong’s tallest building will transform into a glowing art installation this week, a beacon showing off the city’s ambition to be recognized as a major cultural hub with its second Art Basel fair. With its knack for bringing in a global mix of wealthy buyers, artists, gallerists, VIPs and celebrities, the five-day show is the catalyst to a champagne-soaked itinerary of art fairs, exhibitions and happenings. German artist Carsten Nicolai was commissioned by Art Basel to turn

May 12, 2014

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Pop musicSeoul Jazz Festival 2014: Every year the annual two-day Seoul Jazz Festival features a wide variety of musical acts, from legendary jazz musicians to popular contemporary figures. This year’s headline artists include Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice, jazz-pop musician Jamie Cullum, jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri, the Jack DeJohnette Trio and R&B soloist Eric Benet as well as local bands Jang Kiha and the Faces and Urban Zakapa. The 2014 Seoul Jazz Festival will be held at Seoul Olympic

May 9, 2014

Changdeokgung Palace unveiled beneath a full moon

One has not witnessed the true beauty of Changdeokgung Palace until seeing it unveiled under a full moon, the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation claims. And it is beautiful with the full moon rising above Buyongji Pond and brushing through the royal court of Nakseonjae and the Secret Garden. Prior to the foundation’s launch of the “2014 Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace,” all visitors had to exit this UNESCO world heritage site by 6 p.m. without exception. But thanks to the monthly special

May 9, 2014

[Weekender] A singular vision realized

JEJU, Jeju Province ― More than an hour’s drive from Seogwipo in the southwestern part of Jejudo Island, numerous gigantic stone piles that resemble abstract human figures rise out of nowhere. “That is Jeju Stone Park,” says the bus driver. The 500 stone piles, each topped with a large rock for the head, represent the 500 Generals of a popular Jeju myth, and are part of the sprawling, 327-hectare Jeju Stone Park.One is awestruck by the scale of the park ― which currently includes a garden based

May 2, 2014

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Pop Music“Hyundai Culture Project 14 John Mayer”: The multiple Grammy Award-winning American singer John Mayer will be putting on his first concert in Korea since his musical debut more than 10 years ago. Mayer made his official debut in 2001 with his first album “Room for Squares” that featured a number of hit singles including “No Such Thing,” “Why Georgia” and “Your Body Is a Wonderland,” which snagged Mayer his first Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 2003. The upcoming conc

May 2, 2014

Fortress likely to get UNESCO listing

A mountain fortress southeast of Seoul is highly likely to make it onto UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites, the government said Tuesday. An experts’ panel under the UNESCO World Heritage Committee that deliberates on new additions to the list has recommended Namhansanseong Fortress for inscription in its recent report, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration. A final decision is due in June when the committee meets in Qatar, but it seldom overturns recommendations from the Internati

April 29, 2014

[Herald Review] KNO’s ‘La Traviata’ brilliantly produced, vividly sung

The Korea National Opera’s latest performance of “La Traviata” on Sunday has raised the local standards of Giuseppe Verdi’s most beloved opera by every measure, with impressive singing and acting by the lead characters, sumptuous sets and sublime music. Canadian soprano Joyce El-Khoury was convincing as Violetta Valery, the sick Parisian courtesan who finds her true love, Alfredo, just as her life draws to a close. Although her coloratura in the first act wasn’t so impressive, she gave a vivid a

April 28, 2014

Diggers find Atari’s E.T. games in landfill

ALAMOGORDO, New Mexico (AP) ― A decades-old urban legend was put to rest Saturday when workers for a documentary film production company recovered “E.T.” Atari game cartridges from a heap of garbage buried deep in the New Mexico desert.The “Atari grave” was, until that moment, a highly debated tale among gaming enthusiasts and other self-described geeks for 30 years. The story claimed that in its death throes, the video game company sent about a dozen truckloads of cartridges of what many call t

April 27, 2014

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 Classical musicJordi Savall and Hesperion XXI: Early-music heavyweight Jordi Savall will bring his Hesperion XXI ensemble to Korea for a concert titled “Orient & Occident.” He will play music composed in the Mediterranean area from the 13th to 18th centuries as part of his efforts to bridge the gap between the Islamic Arab region and Christian Europe through music. The Hesperion XXI, an ensemble Savall put together, will feature three players of traditional Arab instruments. Savall himself will

April 25, 2014

London looks to give voice to muted buskers

LONDON (AFP) ― Concerned that London’s seasoned street musicians are being silenced by excessive regulation, mayor Boris Johnson is leading calls for the buskers’ voices, and guitars, to be heard again.Camden Town in north London, with its punks and a main street bristling with “alternative” shops, has long been a favored destination for young visitors. But several months ago, buskers were ordered to silence their instruments by 9 p.m.Some fear that in bowing to the residents’ complaints about n

April 23, 2014

Domestic operas to highlight festival

Two Korean operas and classic Italian, French and German operas will highlight this year’s Korea Opera Festival set for May 2-June 1. In its fifth year, the monthlong festival will present five stage productions which organizers say will help deepen, broaden and diversify the local opera scene. Two free outdoor concerts, including a closing gala, are planned as part of the festival’s efforts to entice new opera fans. The five works to be presented are Richard Strauss’ “Salome” by Korea Opera Gro

April 22, 2014

Leica celebrates 100 years with vintage exhibition and auction

Monochrome gelatin and vintage silver prints of subjects ranging from completely random strangers to some of the world’s most influential politicians were on display at the Coex Convention Center last week to celebrate 100 years of Leica photography. The exhibition was held from April 17-20 and featured some of the German camera company’s most prized possessions, including 50 vintage cameras and 50 iconic Leica photographs. The event featured an array of vivid, artistic photographs of icons like

April 21, 2014

Novel set in a country stranger than fiction

The most reclusive state on earth is paradoxically a country that draws great attention from the rest of the world when it is in the news ― usually for its nuclear threat, horrific human rights abuses and its unpredictable behavior.In fact, the world seems to hunger for information on North Korea. When Adam Johnson, a professor of creative writing at Stanford University, included a memoir by a North Korean defector in the syllabus for an undergraduate class in narrative technique in 2004, he cou

April 18, 2014

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Classical musicZurich Tonhalle Orchestra: One of the two most prominent orchestras in Switzerland, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra will hold its first performance in Korea on April 21 at Seoul Arts Center. David Zinman, its principal conductor since 1995, will take the baton, while famed violinist Gidon Kremer will join as soloist. The concert will open with two works by Beethoven: Overture to “The Creatures of Prometheus” Op. 43 and Violin Concerto in D Major Op. 61. It will close with Brahms’ Sympho

April 18, 2014

‘Beckham of violin’ coming to Korea

David Garrett, a crossover violinist, is set to dazzle local audiences with a movie, new album and concerts. With devilish good looks and a knack for blending the genres of classical, rock and pop music, the 32-year-old musician enjoys superstar status in classical and crossover music. He is called “the David Beckham of classical music” and a “rock star violinist.” People magazine named him the “hunkiest musician alive.” But, don’t let his looks fool you. The German musician was a famed child pr

April 17, 2014