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

Culture April 8, 2024

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

Culture April 8, 2024

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

Culture April 3, 2024

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

Culture April 2, 2024

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

Culture April 2, 2024

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

Culture March 31, 2024

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

Culture March 31, 2024

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

Culture March 27, 2024

Breakdancer Lee Jae-bum came across the musical “Notre-Dame de Paris” by accident 17 years ago, but now Lee says the French musical feels like home. Lee had been participating in a breakdance competition when someone approached him to join "this musical called 'Notre-Dame de Paris.'" That someone turned out to be Wayne Fowke, the artistic director who brought the French musical to the Korean stage. At first, Lee wasn’t interested because he had little unders

Culture March 26, 2024

HONG KONG -- ComplexCon, an event that showcases urban culture, music and art, made its Asian debut in Hong Kong this weekend, showcasing an array of Asian pop personalities, including K-pop group BlackPink, singer Jay Park and Korean gamer Faker. In a collaboration between Blackpink and TM/KK, referring to Takashi Murakami, a Japanese contemporary artist, and Kaikai Kiki, Murakami's art production and management company, Blackpink-TM/KK-branded items such as light sticks were featured at

Culture March 24, 2024

Pianist Lim Yunchan's concerts scheduled over the next two weeks in Europe have been canceled due to a strain in the piano star's hand. The announcement came from Lim's social networking service account as well as his overseas agency, IMG Artists, on Saturday, Korean time. IMG said that Lim is experiencing a strain in his hand and currently undergoing treatment with his doctor and physical therapist. Lim apologized for the cancellations, saying, “Performing and sharing music

Culture March 23, 2024

Pianist Cho Seong-jin and Kim Sun-wook are set to take the stage together at the 10th Gyechon Classic Music Festival, slated to take place from May 31 to June 2. Both Cho and Kim are celebrated pianists but this time Kim, the artistic director of the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra, will take the stage as a conductor, marking the first time the two will perform on stage together as a pianist and conductor. The duo’s collaboration, a performance of Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 1

Culture March 21, 2024

After nearly two decades, the internationally acclaimed Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra is set to return to South Korea. The much-anticipated event will feature performances by some of South Korea’s most sought-after musicians, maestro Chung Myung-whun and pianist Cho Seong-jin and more. The tour will be a chance to see the synergy of the TPO and Chung, who holds a longstanding relationship with the orchestra. Chung has been collaborating with the orchestra since 2000 and was appointed its ho

Culture March 20, 2024

Following a tour last year showcasing all 32 Beethoven piano sonatas in South Korea, Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, renowned for his interpretations of Beethoven's works, will present all five of the composer’s piano concertos in June. Since 2012, the pianist, now 77, has been a regular guest in Seoul, captivating audiences with his renditions of Beethoven's piano sonatas and piano concertos. However, this year’s concerts mark not only the pianist's ninth visit to

Culture March 20, 2024

The Korean National Symphony Orchestra will bring the music of a living legend, John Williams, to the stage this weekend. The concert, under the baton of conductor Anthony Gabriele, will showcase the American composer’s iconic scores for the “Indiana Jones" series,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," "Jurassic Park," "Schindler's List," the "Star Wars" series and “Harry Potter,” demonstrating the evolution of his music f

Culture March 19, 2024