Eric Benet promises ‘his very best’ at Seoul concert

Acclaimed American R&B singer-songwriter Eric Benet said Korean audiences will be able to see him pull off one of the best performances at his upcoming concert in Seoul in September.Benet is to hold his third solo concert in Korea on Sept. 22 at Ax-Korea in Seoul. He concert, originally scheduled for April, was postponed after the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan.“What you can expect at my co

July 13, 2011

‘Bosendorfer sings like a human’

Yamaha Korea CEO targets Korean musicians with Austrian premium pianoBösendorfer, a premium piano brand from Austria, has been added to the list of other well-known piano brands such as Steinway and Bechstein for professional pianists in Korea, as Yamaha Music Korea, the brand’s exclusive distributor, launched it Thursday in Seoul.Bösendorfer was established in 1828 in Vienna, Austria and currentl

July 12, 2011

London museum says it will show a lost Leonardo

NEW YORK (AP) ― An oil painting recently authenticated as the work of Leonardo da Vinci will be on display at the National Gallery in the fall as part of a larger exhibition on the Renaissance artist, the London museum said Monday.“Salvator Mundi,” which dates to around 1500, depicts a half-length figure of Christ with one hand raised in blessing and the other holding an orb.The National Gallery s

July 12, 2011

Australian dance company shuns ‘ooga booga’

SYDNEY (AFP) ― Australia’s Aboriginal dance company Bangarra has won global accolades but says it has been a victim of its own success in terms of funding at home and at times faces demands for “ooga booga” abroad.Formed in 1989, the Bangarra Dance Theatre is the country’s foremost indigenous performing arts company and is often called on to be Australia’s cultural ambassador at major events.But t

July 12, 2011

Musical fans get star-studded bonanza

Musicals mine old favorites, update them with big-name starsWith the summer break season just around the corner, blockbuster musicals are lined up to entice everyone from fun-seeking vacationers to early Christmas holiday planners. This year, the shows are more star-studded than ever. A scene from “Jack the Ripper” featuring Ahn Jae-wook’s Daniel. (Musical company)“Jack the Ripper”With a story bas

July 11, 2011

French choreographer Roland Petit dies

PARIS (AFP) ― French choreographer and dancer Roland Petit, who helped set up Les Ballets des Champs-Elysees and formed several other dance companies, died Sunday in Geneva at the age of 87, the Paris Opera Ballet said.President Nicolas Sarkozy paid tribute to what he called “an immense creator who left his mark on the art of dance in the 20th century.” Sarkozy in a statement expressed his condole

July 11, 2011

Serengeti’s session power shines with 3rd album

Trio of session musicians wishes to leave band’s musical trace in people’s memory; eyes EuropeWhile idol-centered K-pop has been heavily covered by the media, the Korean indie scene has received relatively little attention. This is the fourth installment of a series of interviews shedding light on the scene. ― Ed.Although trio indie band Serengeti is not a household name, each member’s versatility

July 11, 2011

Folk singer Cabral killed in Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) ― One of Latin America’s most admired folk singers, Facundo Cabral, was killed Saturday when three carloads of gunmen ambushed the vehicle in which he was riding, prompting expressions of anguish from across the region. Authorities said the performer’s concert promoter was apparently the target.Interior Minister Carlos Menocal said the Argentine singer and novelist was on his w

July 10, 2011

Classical Music

Poster of “Miracle of Music” concert. (Yangho Foundation/Miracle of Music)“Miracle of Music”: The Aloysius Orchestra and pianist Chung Myung-whun will hold a charity concert at the Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall on July 23 at 8 p.m. The 60-member orchestra consists of Aloysius Middle School and Aloysius Technical High School, which are affiliated with Busan Boystown, a children’s shelter where 7

July 8, 2011

Dance

“Baribari Chochom Didimsae 2011”: National Dance Company of Korea has been offering this performance series since 2001 to help the public better understand and appreciate Korean dance which is often considered difficult. It presents both traditional dances and new choreography inspired from the traditional dances. It runs through July 24 at The National Theater of Korea in Jangchung-dong, central

July 8, 2011

Exhibitions

“Self Portrait 8” by Suh Yong-sun (Hakgojae Gallery)“A Brushstroke”: Hakgojae Gallery presents 38 paintings and drawings that feature a single or only a few brush strokes. Exhibits include works by established Korean artists like Kim Hodeuk, Suh Yong-sun, Lee U-fan, Chung Hyun and international artists like Sam Francis, Giuseppe Penone and Anish Kapoor. The exhibition runs through Aug. 21 at Hakg

July 8, 2011

Festivals

  Poster of the 16th Busan Sea Festival(Busan Culture and Tourism FestivalOrganizing Committee)“Busan Sea Festival”: The Busan Sea Festival will be held from Aug. 1-9 at locations including Haeundae Beach, Gwangalli Beach, Song-do Beach and Songjeong Beach, as well as at various places in the city of Busan. It is Korea’s largest sea festival, and is a liaison of Busan International Rock Festival,

July 8, 2011

Pop Music

Australian soft rock duo Air Supply (Southernstar Entertainment)“Air Supply Live in Seoul”: Australian soft rock duo Air Supply is to perform in Seoul on Aug. 16 at the Olympic Park Olympic Hall at 8 p.m. Guitarist and singer-songwriter Graham Russell and lead vocalist Russell Hitchcock had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s. Thei

July 8, 2011

Theater

A scene from “Jack the Ripper.” (mmusical company)“Jack the Ripper”: With a story based on the unsolved murder case in London in 1888, this popular musical is on its third run in Seoul. The star-studded cast includes Ahn Jae-wook, Lee Ji-hoon, Eom Gi-jun and Super Junior’s Seong-min in the role of Daniel, Shin Seong-woo and Lee Geon-myeong for the role of Jack and Yu Jun-sang for the role of Ander

July 8, 2011

Buddy Holly tribute a real ‘Rave’

Various Artists“Rave On”FantasyPaul McCartney may be getting a little long in the tooth, but he steals the show from younger artists on “Rave On,” a new Buddy Holly tribute record.Using a distorted vocal effect that makes him sound like a mixture between Steven Tyler and Howlin’ Wolf, McCartney and his band tear through “It’s So Easy” with a fervor that singers half his age would have a hard time

July 8, 2011

Beyonce still impressive

Beyonce“4” Columbia“Run the World (Girls),” the first single from Beyonce’s fourth solo album, “4,” has all the hallmarks of a signature No. 1 Beyonce smash ― a bombastic, larger-than-life sound, a call-and-response hook, a heavy dose of girl power and a fierce drumbeat.Surprisingly, though, it landed with a thud on radio, and the buzz around “4” hasn’t been encouraging ― there’s even talk that th

July 8, 2011

Selena Gomez generic on 3rd album

Selena Gomez & the Scene“When the Sun Goes Down”Hollywood RecordsThere comes a point when a Disney or Nickelodeon star tries to make the transition to official recording artist. This is Selena Gomez’s moment.Musically speaking, Gomez is no Miley Cyrus or Vanessa Hudgens ― that’s because she’s better. She’s got a decent voice, and showcased that on last year’s “A Year Without Rain,” a pop ballad th

July 8, 2011

From baseball field to musical stage

Yoon Hyun-min (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)Baseball player-turned-actor takes main role in musical ‘Spring Awakening’For someone who used to swing a bat for 11 years, Yoon Hyun-min seemed surprisingly soft and delicate. The image of Melchior, the character he plays in the musical “Spring Awakening” which started its second round here in June, came out as he talked. “If the first Melchior was ra

July 7, 2011

Chang Kiha & the Faces let listeners find own answers

Rock band aims to keep making indie music, plans Japan tour in fallWhile idol-centered K-pop has been heavily covered by the media, the Korean indie scene has received relatively little attention. Seeking diversity of Korean music, The Korea Herald is running a series of interviews shedding light on the Korean scene. This is the third installment of the series. ― Ed.Chang Kiha & the Faces, a five-

July 6, 2011