Weekender Catching culture on the 2011 calendar
By Culture Desk
The past year was an exciting one for the Korean arts and culture scene and next year a host of colorful performances, festivals and events await fans ― now get ready to mark your calendars.
January
4-30: Modern hanbok designer Lee Young-hee opens an exhibition of her hand-dyed dresses at Lotte Gallery in Ilsan
5: TVXQ releases a special edition of their new album “Keep Your Head Down”
7-Feb. 6: Chinese artist Song Yige exhibits at Gallery Hyundai Gangnam Space
9: Grammy Award-winning pianist-composer Ryuichi Sakamoto at the Seoul Arts Center, southern Seoul
11: Sting’s “Symphonicity,” backed by the Korean Symphony Orchestra, at the Gymnastics Stadium in Olympic Park
14-Feb. 27: Chang Ucchin exhibition at Gallery Hyundai in Sagan-dong, on the 20th anniversary of his death
16: Mary J. Blige in concert at the Grand Peace Palace, Kyung Hee University
22: Jazz musician David Benoit at the Grand Theater, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts;
Indie sister-duo CocoRosie makes its Seoul debut at V-Hall in Hongdae
23: Double-bill Rachael Yamagata and Maximilian Hecker at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
25-28: Korea National Opera’s “Turandot” featuring members of China’s National Centre for the Performing Arts at the Seoul Arts Center
29-30: Korea National Contemporary Dance Company’s “Black Box” at Seoul Arts Center
February
1-March 19: Musical “Tears of Heaven” starring Broadway star Brad Little and JYJ member Junsu at the Haeoreum Theater of National Theater of Korea
2-26: Musical “Mission” at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul
11: Taylor Swift performs at the Gymnastics Stadium in Olympic Park; Brooklyn’s experimental rock group Liars at V-Hall in Hongdae
20: Eric Clapton in concert at the Gymnastics Stadium in Olympic Park
23: Pianist Andras Schiff recital at Seoul Arts Center
24-27: The Korea National Ballet Company’s “Giselle” (Paris Opera Ballet version) is at Seoul Arts Center
March
4-5: German-Norwegian group The Whitest Boy Alive at V-Hall in Hongdae
7: Riccardo Chailly-led Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in concert at Seoul Arts Center
9: Carlos Santana and his band at the Olympic Gymnasium in Olympic Park
10: Classic heavy metal band Iron Maiden at the Jamsil Gymnasium in Seoul
20-April 10: Late composer Lee Young-hoon’s songs revived through musical “Gwanghwamun Love Song” at the Grand Theater of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
25-29: Universal Ballet Company’s “Don Quixote” at Universal Arts Center, Seoul
TBA: Seoul Fashion Week f/w 2011; The Tongyeong International Music Festival in South Gyeongsang Province
April
1: MGMT at the Melon-AX Hall, eastern Seoul
7-14: Women’s International Film Festival in Seoul
23: Pianist Paul Lewis’ Korean debut recital at Seongnam Art Center, Gyeonggi Province
26-June 20: Musical “Take Care of My Mom” based on celebrated author Shin Kyung-sook’s novel of the same name at Grand Theater of Chungmu Art Hall
27 & May 1: Soprano Angela Gheorghiu recital at Seoul Arts Center
28-May 6: Jeonju International Film Festival
May
3: Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter recital at Seoul Arts Center
6-8: Lotus Lantern Festival lights up the country
10-22: Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music
31: Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra concert at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul
TBA: “Whitney Collection: 100 Years of American Art” opens at the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Deoksu Palace
June
9-10: Carolyn Carlson’s contemporary dance piece “Blue Lady” at LG Arts Center, Seoul
9-12: Universal Ballet Company’s “This Is Modern” at Universal Art Center, Seoul
18: Ken Cowen’s pipe organ recital at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul
19 & 25: Pianist Paik Kun-woo’s Liszt recital at Seoul Arts Center
25: Chamber ensemble Ditto Festival at Seoul Arts Center (followed by special programs on July 2 and 3 at the same venue)
26: Pianist Martin Stadfeld recital at Seoul Arts Center
July
5 & 7: Soprano Anna Netrepko recital at Seoul Arts Center
25-Aug. 7: Great Mountains Music Festival & School at Alpensia Resort, PyeongChang, Gangwon Province
14-24: Pucheon (Bucheon) International Film Festival
TBA: Pentaport Rock Festival; Jisan Valley Rock Festival; “Contemporary Art After Marcel Duchamp” at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Gwacheon, hosted by the Mori Art Museum and Adiaf
August
10: Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Music Orchestra’s “A Cool Gugak Journey” at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul
10-12: Daniel Barenboim-led West Eastern Divan Orchestra’s all-Beethoven concert at Seoul Arts Center
13-28: Chang Han-na’s “Absolute Classic” music festival at Seongnam Art Center, Gyeonggi Province
16-Oct. 10: Hit movie “Scandal Makers” turned into musical by OD Musical Company at the Grand Theater of Chungmu Art Hall
September
17-18: National Ballet of China’s “Red Lantern” (art direction by filmmaker Zhang Yimou) at Seongnam Art Center, Gyeonggi Province
27: Pianist Russel Sherman recital at Seoul Arts Center
29-30: Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Music Orchestra’s “Asia, Sound of the Soul” at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul
30-Oct. 1: Akram Khan’s contemporary dance piece “Vertical Road” at LG Art Center
October
4-6: Marek Janowski-led Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra concert at Seoul Arts Center and Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul
6-9: National Ballet of Spain’s flamenco performance at LG Art Center, Seoul
6-14: Pusan (Busan) International Film Festival
12: Vladimir Ashkenazy duo piano recital with son Vovka at Seoul Arts Center
15: Jarasum International Jazz Festival kicks off in Gapyeong
27-30: Korea National Ballet Company’s “Romeo & Juliet” (Jean-Christophe Maillot version) featuring Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at Seoul Arts Center
29: Pianist Murray Perahia recital at Seoul Arts Center
TBA: Seoul Fashion Week s/s 2012; Isang Yun Competition (violin section) in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province; Korean rendition of Austrian musical “Elisabeth,” written by Michael Kunze and music by Sylvester Levay at Showpark, a new theater in Hannam-dong
November
8-9: Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra concert at Seoul Arts Center
11: Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra concert at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul
12-19: Universal Ballet Company’s “Onegin” at Universal Art Center, Seoul
16: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra concert at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul; Sydney Symphony Orchestra concert featuring pianist Evgeny Kissin at Seoul Arts Center
22: “Lovers of Paris” reborn as a musical from the 2004 drama at the Grand Theater of Chungmu Art Hall
December
2-3: Paavo Jarvi-led Ochestre de Paris featuring pianist Paik Kun-woo at Seoul Arts Center
TBA: Pianist Lang Lang recital at Seoul Arts Center