Chung to conduct Seoul Phil at Lotte opening concert
By Park Jin-hai
Chung Myung-whun
Chung Myung-whun, former music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO), will return to conduct the SPO in an opening performance for the Lotte Concert Hall in August.
“The opening performance will feature Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro Chung will be on the podium on Aug. 18 and 19,” said an official from the Lotte Concert Hall.
This is the first classical concert hall to open in Seoul since the Seoul Arts Center (SAC) was built 28 years ago. The new concert hall is located in Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, southeastern Seoul.
“Lotte has made all the decisions on the conductor, orchestra and performance pieces. In light of its symbolic significance as Seoul’s second large-scale classic concert hall, Chung has accepted its offer,” an SPO official said.
Lotte had booked Chung as director for the opening concert three years ago. However, he abruptly resigned as music director, ending his 10-year tenure with the SPO last December, following infighting over the removal of the SPO’s former CEO Park Hyun-jung.
Lotte decided that it should have representative Korean musicians for its opening performance and requested Chung to conduct for the SPO as initially agreed.
The SPO will perform a newly commissioned piece by Chin Un-suk.
However, the performance doesn’t mean his reinstatement to the orchestra.
Former SPO CEO Park stepped down from her post last December, after 17 SPO members claimed she had physically and verbally harassed them, demanding her immediate resignation.
Park sued Chung claiming that Chung was behind the petition for her removal. Chung defended the 17 employees, ten of whom were booked on charges of false accusations.
After a three-month investigation, police cleared Park of sexual harassment in March, citing inconsistencies in the testimonies against her. Currently, the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the defamation case.
Chung and Park have filed suits in civil court as well. Park is seeking damages from Chung for allegedly spreading false rumors about her, while Chung’s wife surnamed Koo filed a compensation suit against the police for defamation.