By Seo Dong-shin
Staff Reporter
``Chunhyang'' is the buzzword in Korean dance circles this year.
Four different dance pieces based on the traditional Korean love story of the young couple Chunhyang and Mongryong are in the wings awaiting their audiences. The National Dance Company of Korea will stage ``Dance, Chunhyang'' in September, while the Korea National Ballet Company will present the restored version of ``L'Epreuve d'Amour,'' created by Michel Fokine (1880-1942) in October.
The classic love story from the Choson Kingdom period, in which a young couple's love bears fruit transcending social strata, is said to have inspired the master Russian choreographer. The Finnish National Ballet Company, which staged Fokine's piece in the 1950s, is also scheduled to come to Korea late this year to present an updated version.
But the first of the Chunhyang series to be unveiled is the ballet ``Chunhyang,'' co-produced by the Universal Ballet Company (UBC) and Goyang Cultural Foundation. True to the original meaning of the title _ Chunhyang is the name of the heroine, which means ``scent of spring'' _ the piece will be staged from May 4-6 at the Aramnuri Theater inside Goyang Aramnuri Arts Complex.
The overview of the artistic staff suggests that the upcoming piece will have mixed the Korean sentiments with a Western touch, as the genre ballet itself is from the West.
Bae Jung-hye, artistic director of the National Dance Company of Korea, is in charge of the production. Brian Yoo, artistic director of the UBC, does the choreography _ including a beautiful pas de deux by the lovers. American composer Kevin Barber Pickard, who did the score for another traditional Korean folktale-inspired ballet ``Shimchung,'' is in charge of music, while Korean designer Lee Jeong-woo created traditional Korean costume fit for ballet dancing.
``It wasn't easy to adapt Chunhyang to a Western genre,'' Bae told reporters in a press conference at the Press Center last week. ``For example, unlike a mere `passionate love,' the idea of patience necessary for keeping chastity is a foreign concept in the West,'' she said, referring to the storyline of Chunhyang, who even goes to jail to remain faithful to her lover Mongryong.
``With `Simchung,' we showed the virtue of filial piety, and with `Chunhyang' comes the beauty of love of a couple,'' said Julia Moon, general director of UBC. ``By turning the traditional Confucian ideas into ballet, we aim to make the world familiar with traditional Korean sentiments.''
Six star ballet dancers take turns in the title roles of Mongryong and Chunhyang. In the opening performance on May 4, Russian ballet dancer Semyon Chudin will play the young Korean aristocrat Mongryong, much to the curiosity of local fans. He will team up with ballerina Ahn Ji-eun.
For more information on the ballet ``Chunhyang,'' visit www.universalballet.com or www.artgy.or.kr. Tickets cost from 20,000 won to 100,000 won.