around town 1

Classical Concerts

Korea Opera Grand Prize Winners Gala Concert

Seoul Arts Center*

Feb. 25

Recipients of the 5th Korea Opera Awards will hold a special gala concert at Seoul Arts Center on Feb. 25. The awards ceremony was held in December last year, sponsored by the Seoul Economic Daily, a sister paper of The Korea Times, and the Opera Association. Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Kim Bong-mi who received the best conductor award, will perform the highlights of four Verdi operas ­_ “Aida,” “Rigoletto,” “Don Carlos” and “La Traviata.” Soprano Park Hye-jin and baritones Park Kyung-jin and Park Joung-min will also perform. Tickets cost 150,000 to 250,000 won. For more information, call (02) 586-1116 or visit www.sacticket.co.kr.

Marc Minkowski & Les Musiciens du Louvre

Seongnam Arts Center*

March 5

Les Musiciens du Louvre, or ``Musicians of the Louvre,’’ will hold their first Korean performance on March 5. The orchestra was founded by conductor Marc Minkowski in 1982, when he was a 19-year-old, and performs the music of various composers from George Handel and Mozart to Jean-Philippe Rameau and Jean-Baptiste Lully. At the Seongnam Arts Center, the orchestra will perform the Christoph Willibald Gluck ballet “Don Juan” and Rameau’s “Une Symphonie Imaginaire.” Tickets cost 50,000 to 150,000 won. For more information, call (031) 783-8000 or visit www.snart.or.kr.

Son Yeol-eum

March 7

Pianist Son Yeol-eum will perform her first recital in southern Seoul. She has received numerous awards including the Silver Medal at the 13th International Van Cliburn Piano Competition and second prize at the 2011 Moscow Tchaikovsky Piano Competition. The pianist will play Charles-Valentin Alkan’s “Opus 39, No. 12, Le festin d’Esope,” Chopin’s “Ballade No. 2 in F major,” “Mazurka in a minor,” Prokofiev’s “Sonata No. 8 in B flat major” and Kapustin’s “Eight Concert Etudes Opus 40.” Tickets cost 30,000 to 70,000 won. For more information, call 1577-5266.

London Symphony Orchestra

Feb. 28-March 1

Maestro Bernard Haitink will lead the London Symphony Orchestra in Seoul. Portuguese pianist Maria Joao Pires, who is known as one of the greatest interpreters of Mozart, will also visit Korea for the first time in 17 years. She will play Mozart’s “Piano Concerto No. 17” and Beethoven’s “Piano Concerto No. 2.” The orchestra will also perform Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7” on Feb. 28 and Bruckner’s “Symphony No. 9” on March 1. Haitink was a violinist and switched to conducting in his early 20s. He was with Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for 25 years and visited Korea with the orchestra in 1977. Tickets cost 70,000 to 35,000 won. For more information, call (02) 599-5743 or visit www.sac.or.kr.

‘Geum Nan-sae and Duo Kemi’s Talk Concert’

Garden Five Art Hall

March 1-2

The Swedish group Duo Kemi will be joined by Korean conductor Geum Nan-sae in their concert. Duo Kemi, consisting of violinist Daniel Migdal and guitarist Jacob Kellermann, is a classical music duo that has a large following in Europe. Geum will explain Duo Kemi’s repertoire to the audience. The duo will play Sarasate’s "Zigeunerweisen" and Piazzolla’s "History of Tango" at the first concert on March 1, and Bartok’s "Rumanian Folk Dances" and Shostakovich’s "String Quartet No. 8 c minor Opus 110" on March 2. Located near exit 3 of Jangji Station, subway line 8. Tickets cost 20,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2157-8780 or visit www.interpark.com.

Big Tickets

The Script

Uniqlo AX

March 27

Irish rock band The Script will meet Korean fans at last. The trio _ vocalist Danny O’Donoghue, guitarist Mark Sheehan and drummer Glen Power _ established themselves as a crowd favorite in many countries after the success of their 2001 debut album, which sold more than 2 million copies worldwide. The band released its third album, ``#3,’’ in June last year to critical acclaim and O’Donoghue became better known to a younger generation of music lovers after appearing on the British talent show ``The Voice UK’’ as a vocal coach. Tickets cost 110,000 won. For more information, call (02) 6925-1818 or visit www.uniqlo-ax.com.

Museums

‘The Year of the Snake: The Many Faced Snake Between Imagination and Reality’

National Folk Museum of Korea

Through Feb. 25

This exhibition at the National Folk Museum of Korea features the snake, which is the animal representing this year according to the Chinese zodiac, and is considered a creature of immortality to Koreans. About 40 items including craftwork, paintings and books are on display. Located near exit 1 of Anguk Station, subway line 3. For more information, call (02) 3704-3114 or visit nfm.go.kr.

‘The Peranakan World: Cross-cultural Art from Singapore and the Straits’

National Museum of Korea

March 19 – May 19

This exhibition will provide a rare opportunity to glimpse the culture and heritage of Peranakans, or the descendants of Chinese traders who settled in Southeast Asia. Clothing, tableware and accessories, made between the late-19th and early 20th century, provided by the Asian Civilizations Museum in Singapore, will highlight the display. Located near exit 4 of Ichon Station, subway line 4 and the Jungang Line. For more information, call (02) 2077-9000 or visit www.museum.go.kr.

Pops & Jazz

B.A.P

Olympic Hall, Olympic Park*

Feb. 23-24

K-pop boy band B.A.P will meet their fans in southern Seoul. B.A.P, which debuted last year, is an acronym of "best,’’ ``absolute’’ and "perfect,’’ and while the band has yet to live up to its name, they aren’t entirely anonymous either, producing hits such as ``One Shot,’’ "Power,’’ and "Stop It.’’ The band was named as Newcomer of the Year at the 2012 Melon Music Awards and Best New Artist at the Seoul Music Awards last year. This will be their first concert. Tickets cost 88,000 won. For more information, call (02) 371-9194 or visit www.interpark.com.

Kotaro Oshio

LG Arts Center*

April 14

Japanese guitarist Kotaro Oshio performs in southern Seoul. Oshio became popular in Japan in 2001 after his song “Blue Sky” from his second album “Love Strings” was used as the theme song of a talk show broadcast on Tokyo television. In Korea, his song “Twilight” from his first album“Starting Point’’ is particularly popular. Tickets cost 55,000 to 88,000 won. For more information, call (02) 522-1886 or visit www.lgart.com.

Rachael Yamagata

Samsung Hall, Ewha Womans University

American singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata will perform in Seoul. Having debuted in 2004 with studio album “Happenstance,” she was acclaimed as the best new female singer-songwriter by Rolling Stone magazine. “Be Be Your Love” and “Duet” were hits in Korea. Yamagata released her latest EP “Heavyweight,” last November. Located near exit 2 of Ewha Womans University Station, subway line 2. Tickets cost 88,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3143-5156 or visit www.interpark.com.

JK Kim Dong-uk and Jazzpark Bigband

Yongin Cultural Foundation Big Harmony Yard

Feb. 24

Jazzpark Bigband, a 17-member Korean jazz group, and singer JK Kim Dong-uk will hold a concert at Yongin Cultural Foundation Big Harmony Yard, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province on Feb. 24. Kim who debuted in 2002 with his first studio album “Life sentence,” gained popularity by appearing in MBC’s show “I Am a Singer” in 2011. The singer who majored in jazz vocal at Humber College in Canada formed a jazz trio project “Zebra” in the same year. He will perform such numbers as “English Man in New York,” “summertime” and “Fly Me to the Moon” with the band. Tickets cost 20,000 to 40,000 won. For more information, call (031) 260-3355 or visit www.yicf.or.kr.

‘2013 Amoebahood Concert’

March 16-17

Hip hop artists under the Amoeba Culture label, which includes Dynamic Duo, will hold a concert at the southern Seoul sporting venue. The label was established in 2006 by Gaeko and Choiza of Dynamic Duo. Supreme Team, Yankie, Zion. T, Planet Shiver, Rhythm Power and Dynamic Duo will perform in this concert. Tickets cost 77,000 to 99,000 won. For more information, call (02) 371-8567 or visit www.interpark.com.

10cm

Olympic Gymnasium, Olympic Park*

Feb. 23

Acoustic duo 10cm will hold a concert to celebrate their second studio album “Fine Thank You and You?” They made their debut in 2010 and the band won the Best Pop Single at 8th Korean Music Awards in 2011 with “Tonight I’m Afraid of the Dark.” Comprised of vocalist Kwon Jung-yeol and guitarlist Yoon Cheol-jong, the group will perform hits such as “Americano,” “So Nice,”

“Hold Me” and “Tonight.” Tickets cost 55,000 to 77,000 won. For more information, call (02) 563-7110 or visit www.interpark.com.

Lee Jang-hee

Sejong Center for the Performing Arts*

March 2

Lee Jang-hee, the 1970s folk music icon, will hold his much-anticipated concert in downtown Seoul. Lee, known for his firm and distinctive voice as well as his moustache and love for motorcycles, left the Korean music scene during his peak and later settled in the United States as a businessman. His performance in Seoul will allow old fans to sing along to hits like "I Will Give Everything to You," "A Glass of Reminiscences" and “It’s You.” The Seoul concert will kick off Lee’s national tour. Tickets cost 55,000 to 132,000 won. For more information, call (02) 550-8665 or visit www.sejongpac.or.kr.

Plays & Musicals

‘Three Musketeers’

Chungmu Art Hall

Through April 21

Veteran actor Um Ki-joon will join some of the leading stars in K-pop, including Super Junior’s Kyu Hyun, 2PM’s Jun.K and 2AM’s Lee Chang-min in the musical adaptation of the “Three Musketeers,” based on the eponymous novel by Alexandre Dumas. Lee will play D’Artagnan. The concert venue is located near exit 9 of Sindang Station, subway lines 2 and 6. Tickets cost 50,000 to 130,000 won. For more information, call (02) 764-7857 or visit www.musicalthreemusketeers.com.

‘Amy’s View’

Myeongdong Theater

Through March 10

The translated version of the David Hare play “Amy’s View” will be staged at the central Seoul theater. Originally premiering in London in 1997, the plot revolves around the story of Amy, played by Suh Eun-keyong, her boyfriend Dominic, played by Jeong Seung-gil, and Amy’s mother Esme, played by Yoo So-jung. Esme, a veteran stage actress, dislikes Dominic, who thinks light of traditional theater and aspires to be a film director. Esme’s confrontational style breeds conflict with her daughter as well. Located near exit 6 of Myeongdong Station, subway line 4. Tickets cost 20,000 to 50,000 won. For more information, call 1644-2003 or visit www.mdtheater.or.kr.

‘Rebecca’

Through March 31

Based on the Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 novel of the same title, the musical “Rebecca” is on stage in Seoul. The novel was also made into a film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940 as his first American project, and won two Academy Awards. Yoo Jun-sang, Ryu Jung-han and Oh Man-seok perform as wealthy widower Maxim DeWinter who cannot forget his late wife Rebecca. Im Hye-young and Kim Bo-kyung will perform as “I” who falls in love with DeWinter while traveling to Monte Carlo. Tickets cost 50,000 to 130,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2005-0114.

Dance

‘It Is Written There’

Gangdong Arts Center

Feb. 22-23

Japanese choreographer Zan Yamashita’s dance performance “It Is Written There” will be on stage with the Ahn Aesoon Dance Company. Since its first performance at the Itami Ai Hall in Hyogo, Japan, 2002, Yamashita has performed in Kyoto and Fukuoka in Japan, Brussels in Belgium and Istanbul, Turkey. In this piece, every audience member will be given a 100-page book on entrance, and will constantly be asked to turn the pages. The choreographers will perform different moves, as the stage host calls out the page numbers. Located near 4 of Godeok Station, subway line 5. Tickets cost 20,000 won. For more information, call (02) 440-0500 or visit www.gangdongarts.or.kr.