Around Town 1

• Published Aug 6, 2015 4:20 PM KST
• Updated Aug 6, 2015 4:20 PM KST

Sumi Jo

Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

Sept. 11

Sumi Jo, Korea’s foremost, Grammy Award-winning soprano, will hold a concert at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on Sept. 11 to mark the release of her first popular music-based album. Through her impressively resounding and clear voice, Jo has accrued a remarkable resume as one of the leading sopranos of today. For this particular concert, she will be accompanied by, among others: harmonica player Jeon Jae-duk, vocalist Sohyang, Korean musical actor Yoon Yeong-suk, and the Gwacheon Symphony Orchestra, led by Choi Yeong-sun. Ticket prices range from 50,000 to 150,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3461-0976 or visit smi-entertainment.com.

Sabine Meyer Trio

LG Arts Center

Sept. 22

Sabine Meyer, who is considered to be one of the most accomplished soloists of today, will hold a clarinet recital at the LG Arts Center on Sept. 22. Born in Germany, Meyer made her debut at the age of 16, and subsequently continued her career as a member of first the BayerischeRundfunk Symphony Orchestra, then with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as solo clarinetist. By then, however, her star had already begun to rise to previously unexplored heights, so much so that she embarked on a new career as a solo artist. Since then, she has performed numerous concerts, collaborated with other notable artists, and been in countless radio and television appearances all over the world. Ticket prices range from 40,000 to 90,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2005-0114 or visit www.lgart.com.

Mischa Maisky

Seoul Arts Center*

Sept. 2

Legendary Latvian-born Israeli cellist Mischa Maisky will hold a solo concert in southern Seoul at the Seoul Arts Center on Sept. 2, prior to participating in the 6th Credia Park Concert later in the week. Picking up the cello at the age of eight, Maisky has led an illustrious and acclaimed career which began with a distinguished debut with the Leningrad Philarmonic in 1966. Since then, he has worked and established long-standing partnerships with numerous esteemed artists, and has added more than 50 recordings to his names with a diverse array of highly respected symphony orchestras. Fans can look forward to hearing Maisky perform Bach’s “Sonata in g minor, BWV 1029,” Shostakovich’s “Sonata in d minor, Op. 40,” Bruch’s “KolNidrei, Op 47,” De Falla’s “Suite PopulaireEspagnole” and Piazzola’s “Le Grand Tango.” Ticket prices range from 40,000 to 120,000 won. For more information, call (02) 1577-5266 or visit www.sac.or.kr.

Anne Sofie von Otter and Camilla Tilling

Oct. 1

Eminent Swedish sopranos Anne Sofie von Otter and Camilla Tilling will perform at the LG Arts Center on Oct. 1. Von Otter has had notable success in operatic roles of Mozart, Handel and Monteverdi; but her repertoire also includes popular rock and pop songs of the day. Tilling’s opera career has gone from strength to strength since her astonishingly successful introduction at New York’s City Opera as Corinna in Rossini’s “Il viaggio a Reims.” They will each be performing pieces by Mendelssohn, Lindblad, Grieg, and Shubert, among others. Ticket prices range from 40,000 to 100,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2005-0114 or visit www.lgart.com.

‘Liszt vs. Paganini’

Oct. 24

A quartet of internationally recognized musicians, known especially for their deft interpretation of the music of Franz Liszt and Niccolo Paganini, will hold a concert at the Seoul Arts Center on Oct. 24. Pianists Jo Jae-hyuck and Peter Klimo will be performing respectively a selection of Liszt’s repertoire, such as “Grande Etude de Paganini No. 6 S141,” “Venezia e Napoli, 3. Tarantella S162,” “Dante Sonata No. 7” and “Années de Pelerinage Italie S161,” while violinists Baek Joo-young and Kim Da-mi will play various pieces by Paganini, ranging from “Cantabile in D Major Op. 17 MS109” to “Le Streghe Witches Dance.” Ticket prices range from 30,000 to 80,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2658-3546 or visit www.stompmusic.com.

Pharrell Williams

Olympic Stadium*

Aug. 14

Pharrell Williams, the genius behind numerous hit singles from the likes of Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Madonna, will perform for the very first time in Korea at the Olympic Stadium on Aug. 14. Over his twenty-year career in the music industry, Pharrell has truly earned his title as a musical polymath: he is a singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and even works as a fashion designer in his spare time. In the earlier part of his career, he often acted as the behind-the-scenes engineer of the aforementioned hits, but in recent years, Pharrell has come into his own with global chart-toppers “Blurred Lines in 2013” and “Happy” the following year, and his momentum has yet to stop. Ticket prices range from 99,000 to 132,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.allaccess.co.kr.

Imagine Dragons

Aug. 13

Imagine Dragons, a four-member American rock band, will hold their first concert in Korea at the Olympic Stadium on August 13. While the band, consisting of lead vocalist Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee, and drummer Daniel Platzman, has been active since 2008, they first gained significant international exposure and attention upon the release of their debut studio album in 2012, “Night Visions,” which is exemplary for exhibiting influences from eclectic and seemingly incompatible musical genres.

The group will also perform songs from their second album, “Smoke + Mirrors,” as well as hit singles from their previous studio release. Ticket prices range from 66,000 to 88,000 won. For more information, call (02) 6925-1818 or visit www.livenation.kr.

Muse

Sept. 30

Muse, arguably the most famous British export in the rock music scene in the new millennium, is holding a concert at the Olympic Stadium on September 30 as part of their worldwide “Drones” tour. Consisting of lead vocalist Matthew Bellamy, bass guitarist Christopher Wolstenholme, and percussionist Dominic Howard, Muse first formed in the early 1990s, and has been racking up a sizable, passionate fan base and critical acclaim for their irreverent musical style and energetic live performances ever since. They will be performing both songs from their latest album, Drones, and past fan favorites. Ticket prices range from 99,000 to 110,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.allaccess.co.kr.

‘Polish Art: An Enduring Spirit’

The National Museum of Korea

Through Aug. 30

In collaboration with the National Museum in Warsaw, the National Museum of Korea holds a special exhibition, “Polish Art: An Enduring Spirit,” from June 5 to Aug. 30. This exhibition will be the first of its kind on Korean shores, with its primary objective being to introduce the artistic traditions and rich history of a country whose influence in shaping the European aesthetic identity is indisputable, but whose contributions have long since faded into the background. Thus, through the more than 200 pieces sourced from 17 different institutions that will be on display, visitors will have the invaluable opportunity to essentially “rediscover” the veiled essence of Polish art. Located near exit 2 of Ichon Station on subway line 4. Admission is free. For more information, call (02) 2077-9483 or visit www.museum.go.kr.

Tyler, The Creator

AX-KOREA Hall

Sept. 12

American rapping sensation Tyler, the Creator will hold his first concert in Seoul at AX-KOREA Hall on Sept. 12. Tyler, the Creator’s musical inclinations have been evident since he was young. When he was secen, he envisioned his own imaginary albums from the album covers of reigning artists at the time, and at the age of 14, he taught himself how to play the piano. Since the formation of the alternative hip hop collective Odd Future, Tyler, the Creator has risen to significant prominence with his other, individual ventures, such as his first solo album in 2009. Ticket prices range from 75,000 to 85,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2633-4394 or visit www.mysameink.com.

Halie Loren

Kepco Art Center

Aug. 28 and 29

American jazz singer and songwriter and Korean favorite Halie Loren will host a concert at the Kepco Art Center on Aug. 28 and 29. Christened the “Diva of Jazz,” Loren came to international attention at the age of 15 when she won both the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and Billboard World Song Contest. Making her first foray into the public arena with her 2008 album, “They Oughta Write a Song,” Loren was especially noted for her crystal clear, crisp tone yet smoky, soulful, and indefinably alluring delivery. She will be both promoting her latest album, “Butterfly Blue,” and perform some of her standards, such as “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps,” “Empty,” and “A Woman’s Way.” Ticket prices range from 40,000 to 70,000 won. For more information, call (02) 702-7445 or visit www.kepco.co.kr/artcenter/.

‘The Bright Side’

Yes24 Muv Hall

Aug. 27

Australian singer Lenka will hold a concert at Yes24 Muv Hall on Aug. 27 to promote her latest album, “The Bright Side.” The world was first introduced to the self-stylized Lenka in 2008 with her eponymous debut album “Lenka,” and in particular through her first single and worldwide hit, “The Show.” Lenka is known as much for her indubitably pop-style voice as she is for her whimsical and innovative paper art type of stop-motion animated music videos. Since her debut, she has released three albums, lent her singing voice to German artist Schiller for his album “Atemlos,” and even provided her acting chops on several films and television shows. As mentioned previously, she will be singing songs from her most recent album, such as “The Long Way Home” and “The Bright Side,” as well as some of her more popular tunes. Tickets will cost 77,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3141-3488 or visit www.allaccess.co.kr.

‘Fathers and Sons’

Myeongdong Theater

Sept. 2-25

The Myeongdong Theater will stage a production of “Fathers and Sons” from Sept. 2 to 25. In its original form, “Fathers and Sons” is an 1862 novel by Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev. Remembered as one of his best-known works, the novel centers on the occasionally strained and awkward, yet fundamentally loving relationship between Nikolai Kirsanov and his university-graduate son, Arkady, whose newly adopted nihilist philosophy and worldview comes to clash with his father’s more traditional, dated beliefs. Ticket prices range from 20,000 to 50,000 won. For more information, call (02) 1644-2003 or visit www.mdtheater.or.kr.

‘The Sleeping Beauty’

Chungmu Art Hall

Aug. 14-16

The Universal Ballet Company will stage a production of “The Sleeping Beauty” at the Chungmu Art Hall from August 14 to 16. Composed by Russian Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1889, “The Sleeping Beauty” stands as the highly respected Russian composer’s second of three ballets. Loosely based on the original fairy tale written by Charles Perrault, the ballet is today considered to be one of the classical repertoire’s most famous and oft-performed pieces. Ticket prices range from 20,000 to 80,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2230-6623 or visit www.cmah.or.kr.