my timesThe Korea Times
Lifestyle

Arts & Theater

Play Survives Test of Time

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter When veteran director Yun Ho-jin first tried to put on stage Arthur Miller’s ``The Crucible’’ in 1979, his intention was to bring the military regime of the day into the spotlight through theatrical performance, just as Miller had attempted to satirize McCarthyism in 1953. But Yun failed to do so under the political turmoil in which former President Park Chung-hee was assassinated, followed by the military coup by former general-turned-president Chun Doo-hwan. Twenty-eight years later, his abortive production has finally borne fruit. Yun chose ``The Crucible’’ to return to the play form after 15 years of directing musicals including the famous blockbuster musical ``The Last Empress.’’ It looks like an ideal time for a comeback in that local theater seems to have long lost ground as a means to enlighten audiences. The drama runs for three and half hours in four acts, but was never loose in plots and composition supported by the excellent performances of veteran actors and actresses. The play is based on a real story which involved

Apr 15, 2007

Around Town : Jazz

2007 Jazz Summit in April KT Art Hall April 13 -April 30 In order to deliver the ideal music for spring, KT has prepared seventeen days of pure jazz, composed of eighteen musicians from France, Japan, and, of course, Korea. Tickets cost 1,000 won. For more information, visit www.ktarthall.com or call 1577-5599. Located near exit 2 of Kwanghwamun Station on subway line number 5. 2007 Insooni Tour Concert : Dreamer Olympic Park Gymnasium May 12 This chanteuse who has remained in the hearts of Koreans ever since her debut in 1978 celebrates her 30th anniversary in the music business Tickets cost from 44,000 won to 66,000 won. For more information, visit www.ticketlink.co.kr. Located near exit 3 of Olympic Park Station on subway line 5. Jazz Pianist Lim In-gun Seoul Women’s Plaza Bom Art Hall April 20 Along with poetry readings by poet Park Ra-yon, Im In-gun’s piano is sure to welcome April in the warmest way. Tickets cost 30,000 won. For more information, visit www.artbom.co.kr or call (02) 810-5035~6.Located near Taebang Station on subway line 1.

Apr 12, 2007

Going Astral With Art Shows

By Seo Dong-shin Staff Reporter Mired in the mundane hustle and bustle of everyday life, who doesn’t look up to the sky for solace from time to time? Living in a city like Seoul may not easily offer the solace looked for - such as a night sky dotted with twinkling stars or a vast horizon that makes you dream of another time and space. But at least there are art shows that understand the penchant for nature and the unknown realms. At Gallery Ihn in Palpan-dong, Seoul, Korean-American artist Paik Youn-hee has created a space that brings together nature, the universe, and the longing of the spirit. In her second solo exhibition in Seoul which opened Wednesday, titled “Ascending River,’’ the astral paintings hang in curved formation from the ceiling. Viewers can lie down on mattress-like couches and listen to the sounds of flowing water from the audio system, while watching the reflections of flowing waves projected onto the starry constellations on the paintings above. The waves are those of the Hudson River, New York. Paik, who has studios in both San Francisco and New Yo

Apr 11, 2007

Male Ballet Stars to Shine in ‘Spartacus’

By Seo Dong-shin Staff Reporter When the Korea National Ballet Company (KNBC) staged the Russian version of ``Spartacus’’ in 2001 for the first time in Asia, it drew lavish reviews from the local media, which praised Korean ballet for having come so far from nothing in such a short time. After six years, the KNBC will stage the piece again this month, in cooperation with the Novosibirsk State Academic Ballet Theatre from Russia, which is led by Yuri Grigorovich. Grigorovich choreographed ``Spartacus,’’ known for its grandiose male group dancing acts, to the music of Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978). The performance will serve as another yardstick to gauge how Korean ballet has developed over the last six years, with a focus on male ballet dancers. The plot is based on the story of a slave uprising against the Romans, known as the Third Seville War or the ``Gladiator War.’’ Spartacus, a slave-turned-rebellion leader, has often been described as a masculine hero who rose against his unfortunate fate and suffered heroically. Two male stars leading the local ballet scene are

Apr 9, 2007
previous page
499500501502503
next page

Most Read in Lifestyle