Hanwha to invite classical music fans
Conductor William Christie, right, and his ensemble, Les Arts Florissants, perform in this file photo. / Courtesy of Hanwha Group
By Nam Hyun-woo
Hanwha Group will hold a classical music concert in September with world-renowned conductor William Christie and his ensemble, Les Arts Florissants, heading the two-day festivities.
According to the group on Thursday, the concert, titled Hanwha Classic 2017, will take place at the Seoul Arts Center and the Daejeon Arts Center on Sept. 23 and 24, respectively.
Christie has earned his reputation by interpreting 20th century French music in an innovative way. He is described as a maestro who draws the best beauty out of French classical music.
This year, Christie and Les Arts Florissants will play Jean-Philippe Rameau’s operas, “Daphnis et Egle” and “La Naissance d’Osiris.” In French opera, dance plays a critical role in the performance. This time, the ensemble’s performance will be full scale, including dance, choir and live instrumentation.
Despite a performance like this typically being expensive, tickets are affordable this time. An R seat is 50,000 won ($44), an S seat is 35,000 won and an A seat is 20,000 won. A Hanwha Group official said they have worked to lower the price range.
“The group wanted to express its gratitude to fans of our annual event,” the official said. “Since the performance would be a rare experience in Korea, we’ve tried to provide opportunities to as many people as possible.”
The group has been holding the annual music festival since 2013 to provide quality performances to Koreans. In setting the program, Hanwha focuses on inviting artists and performers who are well-known but have yet to visit Korea. To better introduce classical music to Koreans, short introductions to the music will be provided.
Ticket sales started on Wednesday at www.interpark.com and a 20 percent early-bird discount will be offered for those who buy tickets before June 30.