Theater

“Phantom of the Opera”: Tickets are available for the upcoming run of the world’s beloved musical, “Phantom of the Opera.” The show opens on Dec. 7 at Blue Square’s Samsung Electronics Hall in Hannam-dong, Seoul. Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the musical tells the story of a beautiful soprano Christine, and a mysterious, disfigured musical genius who becomes obsessed with her. Australian actress Claire Lyon will play Christine, while veteran Broadway actor Brad Little will perform as the Phantom. The show was first staged in Korea in 2001, and its last Korean run was in 2010 in Daegu. Tickets range from 50,000 won to 160,000 won, and a 15-percent discount is available for those who have seen the show in Korea in the past. For more information, visit www.phantomoftheopera.co.kr or call 1577-3363.

“A Tale of Two Cities”: A Korean adaptation of Broadway musical “A Tale of Two Cities,” based on Charles Dickens’ 1859 novel of the same title, is currently being staged in Seoul. The show is set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution, and tells the story of French peasantry demoralized by the aristocracy. It received the 2009 Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for outstanding new musical. Korea’s musical star Ryu Jeong-han is playing its protagonist Sydney Carton, a shrewd young Englishman who suffers unrequited love for a married woman. “A Tale of Two Cities” runs until Oct. 7 at Chungmu Art Hall in central Seoul. Tickets range from 50,000 won to 120,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2230-6601.

“Aida”: Korea’s Seensee Company once again presents the Korean adaptation of Elton John and Tim Rice’s musical “Aida.” The show was first staged in Seoul in 2005, and its second run was held in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, in 2010. Based on Giuseppe Verdi’s Italian-language opera of the same title, the show tells the story of Aida, Nubia’s princess who gets taken into slavery in Egypt. She soon gets attention from Radames, captain of the Egyptian army, who is expected to succeed to the country’s throne after the Pharaoh’s death. For the 2005 run, idol-star-turned-musical actress Ock Ju-hyun starred as the beautiful and captivating Aida. This year, actress Cha Ji-yeon and pop singer Sonya are sharing the lead role. “Aida” runs from Dec. 2 to April 28, 2013, at D-Cube Art Center in Seoul. Tickets range from 60,000 won to 120,000 won. For more information, call 1544-1555.

“Hedwig”: The Korean adaptation of John Cameron Mitchell’s rock musical “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” is being staged for its seventh run. The musical, which tells the story of an East German transgender singer, has been performed in Korea a total of 1,256 times since its opening run in April 2005. For the current run, actor Oh Man-seok, who was cast in the leading role in the 2005 run, once again takes the lead role. Actor Park Gun-hyung, who recently made his TV appearance in MBC drama “I Do, I Do,” is sharing the role with Oh. “Hedwig” runs until Oct. 21 at KT&G Sangsang Art Hall in southern Seoul. Tickets cost 55,000 won to 66,000 won. For more information, call 1544-1555.

“Chicago”: Veteran singer and musical star Insooni (“Cats”) and heavyweight musical actress Choi Jung-won (“Mamma Mia,” “Guys and Dolls”) are returning as Velma Kelly, the vaudevillian and murderess in “Chicago.” First opened in 1975, the “celebrity criminal” musical, which delves into the corruption of the authorities dealing with a murder case and a cabaret singer in Chicago in the 1920s, is Broadway’s fourth-longest-running show. The Seoul production’s music is directed by popular conductor and actress Kolleen Park, who also conducts a 14-member band that performs live along with the cast. “Chicago” runs until Oct. 7 at the D-Cube Art Center in Seoul. Tickets range from 40,000 won to 110,000 won. For tickets and more information, call 1544-1555.


Dance

“Prince Hodong”: Korea National Ballet stages “Prince Hodong,” an original work based on Korean traditional tale “Princess Nakrang and Prince Hodong,” from Nov. 10-11 at the National Theater of Korea in Jangchung-dong, Seoul. Based on the Korean cultural text, the ballet depicts war, love, betrayal and death. The show was performed in Italy last year as the opener for the San Carlo Dance Festival. For more information, call (02) 587-6181 or visit www.kballet.org

“Seoul International Dance Festival”: SIDance, or Seoul International Dance Festival, is kicking off its 15th edition on Oct 5. This year’s edition features world-acclaimed choreographers including Akram Khan, Stephen Petronio, Susanne Linke, Saburo Teshigawara and Wayne McGregor. This year, French-Canadian choreographer Daniel Leveille is showcasing a piece that will be performed by naked dancers. Other featured troupes include Compagnie 7273 from Switzerland and Dada von Bzdulow Theatre from Poland. For tickets and information, visit www.sidance.org.

“Swan Lake”: Internationally acclaimed ballet company Mariinsky Ballet will be in Korea to stage the Tchaikovsky classic “Swan Lake.” The famous ballet tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse. She tries to break the curse with her love interest prince Siegfried, but fails as the prince gets tricked by the sorcerer. The Russian troupe was founded in the 18th century and is now considered one of the world’s greatest ballet companies. The show runs from Nov. 12-13 at Sejong Center in Seoul. Tickets range from 50,000 won to 270,000 won. For more information, call (070) 7124-1740 or visit www.uac.co.kr.

Classic Music

“Il Barbiere di Siviglia”: The Gloria Opera Company is staging Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Barber of Seville)” at the Seoul Art Center Opera House from Oct. 26-28. Vocalists from Palazzo La Scala, including soprano Patrizia Cigna as Rosina and Alessandro Luciano as Count Almaviva, will be performing while internationally acclaimed conductor Stefano Seghedoni will lead Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Director Antonio Petris will join Gloria’s chief director Yang Soo-wha in producing the event. Tickets are priced between 20,000 won and 220,000 won. For more information, call (02) 543-2351.

“Goyang International Music Festival”: The Goyang Cultural Foundation is holding a classical music festival in October featuring world-renowned musicians from Oct. 6-Nov. 17. Performers include violinists Chung Kyung-wha and Gidon Kremer, and Korean bass Youn Kwang-chul, one of the most accomplished Wagner specialists in the German opera scene. Also taking the stage during the festival is the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra led by Yuri Simonov, the Sejong Soloists with Vladimir Feltsman, the Haydn Piano Trio from Austria, and piano duo AMAL. For more information, call 1577-7766 or visit www.artgy.or.kr.

“Mariinsky Theater Orchestra”: The Mariinsky Theater Orchestra, led by conductor Valery Gergiev, will perform at Seoul Arts Center on Nov. 6-7. The orchestra, in the first concert, will perform Shostakovich’s Concerto for Piano and Trumpet and String Orchestra No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 35 in collaboration with Korean pianist Son Yeol-eum. On the second day, the St. Petersburg-based orchestra will perform Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 10 with pianist Cho Sung-jin. Tickets range from 70,000 won to 270,000 won. For more information, call (02) 541-3183.

“Yundi Piano Recital in Seoul”: Star Chinese pianist Yundi Li returns to Korea with Beethoven sonatas on Oct. 31 at Seoul Arts Center. Yundi rose to fame after he won the first prize at the International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2000. He was 18 then. Chopin’s compositions have been his signature pieces but now the 30-year-old pianist brings his favorite Beethoven sonatas including “Moonlight,” “Pathetique” and “Appassionata.” Tickets are 50,000 won to 110,000 won. For more information, call (02) 541-3183.

Pop music

“Jarasum International Jazz Festival”: The 9th Annual Jarasum International Jazz Festival is scheduled to take place on Jara Island and in downtown of Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, from Oct. 12-14. The festival will feature professional jazz bands including The Jimmy Cobb, Larry Coryell, Joey DeFrancesco All Star Trio, Duke Ellington Orchestra, South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim, jazz guitarist John Scofield and many others. A three-day pass is 60,000 won. For more information, visit jarasumjazz.com or call (031) 581-2813~4.

“Dr.Dre’s Doctor’s Advocates Korea Tour”: Legendary rapper and producer Dr. Dre will be performing live at the Bexco building in Busan on Nov. 2 and at the Kintex center in Ilsan on Nov. 3. Dr. Dre is well known for being the founder of Aftermath Records and for helping launch the careers of other rap icons like Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent. The concert will also feature the hip-hop artists the Game, Slaughterhouse, the Dogg Pound and E-40. Tickets range from 99,000 won to 154,000 won. For reservations, call 1544-1555 or visit www.interpark.com.

“Michael Bolton Concert in Seoul”: Pop star Michael Bolton holds two concerts in Busan and in Seoul on Oct. 15 and 17, respectively, as part of his world tour. Bolton gained huge popularity in Korea in the ‘80s and ‘90s with his songs “Love is a Wonderful Thing,” “How am I Supposed to Live Without You,” “When a Man Loves a Woman” and many others. The 59-year-old singer will perform at Jamsil Gymnastic Stadium in Seoul and at BEXCO Auditorium in Busan. Tickets for the Seoul concert are from 66,000 won to 180,000 won while tickets for the Busan show are priced at 140,000 won and 180,000 won. For more information, call (02) 407-2589 or 1544-1555 for reservations.

“Norah Jones Live in Seoul”: American singer/songwriter Norah Jones, who rose to stardom with her hit song “Don’t Know Why,” will hold a Seoul concert on Nov. 17 at Jamsil Indoor Stadium. Jones launched her solo music career with the release of the critically acclaimed album “Come Away with Me,” a fusion of jazz, pop and country music. This album sold more than 26 million copies and earned Jones five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best New Artist. Her fifth studio album, “Little Broken Hearts,” was released on April 27. Tickets range from 99,000 won to 165,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.interpark.com.

Exhibition

“Inside Out”: Kia’s renowned chief designer Peter Schreyer shows his other artistic side through some 60 pieces that offer glimpses of his sources of inspiration for automobile design and his life. His solo art exhibition at Gallery Hyundai Gangnam features paintings with jets and pilots reflecting his “fascination with speed and motion” and abstract paintings that represent memories and experiences in his life as well as sculptures and installation work. The exhibition continues through Nov. 2 at Gallery Hyundai Gangnam in southern Seoul. For more information, call (02) 519-0800. 

“Deoksugung Project”: The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea and Deoksugung Office of the Cultural Heritage Administration launched the Deoksugung Project with 12 contemporary artists who presented their own interpretations of royal history in the forms of installation, sculpture, video and performance throughout the Deoksugung grounds. The artworks will be installed inside the palace buildings, and the Deoksugung office allows visitors to step inside the buildings during the festival which runs till Dec. 12. The entrance fee to Deoksugung is free for elementary, middle and high school students and 1,000 won for adults. Guided tours on the Deoksugung grounds will be offered at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. every day. For more information, call (02) 2188-6000, or visit www.moca.go.kr.

“Dung-seob, Go to Renaissance!”: Seoul Museum, a private museum founded by pharmacy business magnate and art collector Ahn Byung-gwang, holds its inaugural exhibition focusing on Korea’s modern painters such as Lee Jung-seob, Han Mook and Park Ko-suk until Nov. 21. The exhibition sheds light on painters who were active in the 1950s to 1970s and contributed to the cultural renaissance in Korea.
Along with the special exhibition, another exhibition featuring some top names such as abstract painter Yoo Young-guk, media artist Paik Nam June and painter Chun Kyung-ja will be held throughout the year.
Seoul Museum is located in Buam-dong, northern Seoul. For more information, call (02) 395-0100 or visit www.seoulmuseum.org. 

“The 100 Years of the Koreans in Japan”: The Northeast Asian History Foundation and Seoul Museum of History have together organized a special event highlighting the last 100 years of ethnic Koreans in Japan. At the exhibition, some 449 items related to the lives of ethnic Koreans in Japan are on display. The Zainichi community has been extremely enthusiastic in supporting their home country throughout the years, according to the Northeast Asian History Foundation. They donated 54.1 billion won ($48 million) for the 1988 Seoul Olympics, established Shinhan Bank in 1982, and those from Jeju donated over 4 million mandarin orange seedlings to the island in the ‘70s. The exhibition includes their living items, uniform of the legendary Zainichi baseball player Jang Hun, and the ID cards and documents of the early Zainichi people from the 1910s. “The 100 Years of the Koreans in Japan” runs until Oct. 17 at Seoul Museum of History in Seoul. For more information, visit www.historyfoundation.or.kr or www.museum.seoul.kr.

“The Civilization of Maya”: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Korea’s diplomatic relations with both Mexico and Guatemala, the National Museum of Korea is holding a special exhibition featuring some 200 artifacts from the Mayan civilization. The exhibition features a number of spiritual ornaments and statues. One of the shell ornaments from 7th- or 8th-century Guatemala symbolizes the god of death, and has a face that resembles a skull. An earthenware statue from 11th- to 15th-century Mexico, on the other hand, is of the god of the sun. The Mayans called the god “Kin,” which meant day, time and the sun. The statue of the god wears a necklace decorated with five dots, which symbolize the center of the universe and the four directions: east, west, north and south. “The Civilization of Maya” runs until Oct. 28 at the museum’s special exhibition gallery. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.museum.go.kr.

“The 7th Seoul International Media Art Biennale”: Seoul Museum of Art holds a new media art festival, which explores the convergence of media technologies and contemporary art. With the theme “Spell on You” this year, the exhibition aims to expose current social and political contexts through diverse media. In its seventh edition, the media art festival has positioned itself as one of the leading media art exhibitions in the world, garnering attention from outside the country. The exhibition is held at the Seoul Museum of Art and Digital Media City center in Sangam-dong, Seoul, till Nov. 4. Admission is free and guided tours are offered at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. every day.For more information, visit www.mediacityseoul.kr.

Festivals

“International Food & Wine Festival”: A variety of food and wines from all over the world will be presensted in Daejeon for the 2012 International Food and Wine Festival that runs from Oct. 12-15. The food event will offer a chance for visitors to taste a variety of international wines from wineries in 18 countries and about 50 kinds of traditional Korean liquors such as makgeolli. The festival hosts a sommelier competition which will select winners in the categories of traditional liquor, water and wine. The Korea Railroad Corporation and several private travel agencies are operating travel package for the food and wine festival and tourist attractions nearby. For more information, visit www.djfoodwine.com. 

“Busan Fireworks Festival”: The fireworks festival is one of the nation’s most popular fireworks event attracting more than 1 million spectators annually in October. The Busan firework display is especially impressive as lights reflect off the sea near Gwangan Beach and color the sky above the Gwangan Bridge. The festival will begin with a parade and dance performances on Gwangan Beach on Oct. 27, followed by fireworks from 8 p.m.- 9 p.m. A K-pop concert featuring singers TVXQ, IU, Teen Top and DJ DOC will be held prior to the event on Oct. 26 at Busan Asiad Stadium. For more information, visit www.bff.or.kr.

“Icheon Rice Cultural Festival”: Icheon, a famous rice producing region, celebrates the harvest season and its high quality rice from Oct. 25-28. The festival hosts various activities for adults and children such as traditional Korean games and agricultural experience programs. The highlight of the festival is cooking rice in a giant traditional Korean iron pot for 2,000 people. Visitors can eat a bowl of rice for 2,000 won. It will also hold a rice-cooking competition that will select the best rice to cook through a tournament competition throughout the festival. For more information, call (031) 644-4125 or visit www.ricefestival.or.kr.