Feel of nostalgia at Myeongdong Theater

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff reporter

The country's top classical musicians and dancers will relive the glory of the days past by getting back to their roots in Myeongdong Theater.

The theater in downtown Seoul was the hotspot for the local arts and culture scene until the mid-1970s, having been Korea's National Theater. It was built in 1934 during Japanese colonial rule (1910-45) and had featured shows by such renowned artists as veteran actress Choi Eun-hee and singer Yoon Bok-hee.

It was renovated into a modern art space last year ― though still retaining much of its classic exterior ― and fetes the first anniversary of its reopening on Saturday.

For the big birthday the theater has invited the country's top artists, beginning with esteemed pianist Shin Soo-jung Thursday evening.

Shin was just a 14-year-old girl when she made her concert debut at the theater, which was called Sigonggwan at the time, on March 28 in 1956. She performed Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 with what is now the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Shin has since become an iconic figure here as a performer and educator.

Thursday at 7:30 p.m. the 58-year-old artist will revive the experience by performing alongside budding young artists of the day, including the 14-year-old clarinet prodigy Kim Han and pianist Cho Sung-jin, 16, a winner of the Chopin competition in Moscow. The program includes chamber works by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Chopin.

At 3 p.m. on Saturday, the Korea National Ballet Company will return to the venue where ballet was introduced to Koreans for the first time ever. The company will present narrated highlights of Tchaikovsky's ``Swan Lake'' and ``Prince Ho-dong,'' which is based on the romantic Korean folk tale, for fans.

In 1962, the Korea National Opera premiered ``Prince Ho-dong'' as a newly launched troupe here and will return with another original domestic work.

``Arang,'' which was selected from an opera scriptwriting contest hosted by the opera ensemble, tells the tragic story of the spirit of a young girl who had been raped and killed. The opera, featuring elements of ``gugak'' (traditional music), is however ultimately about redemption. The opera will be staged three times: 7 p.m. on Saturday and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets for all three works cost from 20,000 to 50,000 won. Call 1644-2003. Myeongdong Theater is located near exit 6 of Euljiro 1-ga Station on subway line 2 or exit 6 of Myeongdong Station on line 4.