Classical concerts you shouldn't miss in 2022

Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini / Courtesy of Mathias Bothor and DG

By Park Ji-won

This year's event schedule for classical concerts is filled with world-class orchestras, as well as performances by famous Korean artists active in the overseas concert music scene.

Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini will be performing for the first time in Korea at the Seoul Arts Center on May 25. For years, Korean audiences longed for the recital of the 79-year-old musician as he has been active in other Asian countries, such as Japan and China. He was the first-place winner of the Chopin Competition in 1960. Since then, Pollini has been building his artistic reputation not only as a Chopin player, but also being adept at compositions by Beethoven and Debussy. A detailed program hasn't been announced yet.

The Metropolitan Opera led by Yannick Nezet-Seguin will be performing for the first time in Korea from June 21 to 22 at Lotte Concert Hall, Seoul. Renowned singers of the company, such as mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, soprano Christine Goerke and tenor Brandon Jovanovich, will be showcasing their trademark performances such as Berlioz's "Les Troyens" and Wagner's "The Valkyrie."

In February, Bruce Liu, the winner of the Chopin Competition in 2021 and runner-ups will be holding the 18th Chopin Competition Prize Winners Gala Recital on Feb. 4 at the Seoul Arts Center. The last gala recital was held in 2016 with pianist Cho Seong-jin, the winner of the 17th Chopin Competition in 2015. Liu has held a concert with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in Seoul in November as part of a world tour as the winner of the competition.

Pianist Lang Lang / Courtesy of OLAF HEINE/DG

Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman is scheduled to perform on Feb. 14 to 15 at Lotte Concert Hall. His last recital in Seoul was held 16 years ago and tickets were sold out as soon as they became available.

Chinese pianist Yuja Wang, known for his unique techniques and fashion, will be holding a solo recital for the first time on June 19 at the Seoul Arts Center. She has performed in Korea with orchestras since 2013. Her solo recital was scheduled in December 2020, but was canceled due to the pandemic situation.

Chinese pianist Lang Lang will be performing in Korea for the first time in six years on Feb. 23 at the Seoul Arts Center. He was planning to hold a recital in Korea in 2020, but it was canceled due to the virus situation. The Chinese superstar will be playing Bach's "Goldberg variations."

Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, one of the best Beethoven interpreters in the world, will be playing Beethoven's complete piano concertos on June 4 to 5 at the Seoul Arts Center. He performed in Korea in October last year.

Vietnamese Canadian Dang Tai Son, the first Asian winner of the Chopin Competition and the teacher of Bruce Liu, will be holding a piano recital on Aug. 21 at the Seoul Arts Center.

Latvian cellist Mischa Maisky, who is also known for being the teacher of cellist and conductor Chang Han-na, will hold a recital on May 1 at the Seoul Arts Center as the opening of his Asia tour.

Israeli-American violinist Itzhak Perlman, who won 16 Grammy awards, will be holding a recital on Nov. 9 at the Seoul Arts Center.

Dutch conductor Jaap van Zweden, center, receives an ovation after conducting the KBS Symphony Orchestra at the Seoul Arts Center on Oct. 29, 2021. Courtesy of KBS Symphony Orchestra

In addition to the Metropolitan Opera, prestigious orchestras in the world are going to meet Korean audiences.

The London Symphony Orchestra led by Simon Rattle will perform with pianist Cho Seong-jin on Oct. 14 at Lotte Concert Hall and on Oct. 16 at the Seoul Arts Center. In its first performance here in four years, the orchestra will be playing Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini," Bruckner's "Symphony No. 7," Sibelius's "Symphony No. 7" and Bartok's "The Miraculous Mandarin."

Dutch conductor Jaap van Zweden, the music director of the New York Philharmonic, will be coming to Korea with the orchestra in July for the first time in eight years. The exact date, venue and program weren't announced, but it could be the only chance for audiences to enjoy the combination here as the director is leaving the post at the end of the 2023-24 season. The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra will also be performing with pianist Cho Seong-jin in December.

The Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, led by Robin Ticciati, will be performing in Seoul for the first time in 26 years. The orchestra last performed in Seoul in 1996 led by Vladimir Ashkenazy.

Soprano Park Hye-sang, or Hera Hye-sang Park, the second Korean artist to sign an international contract with Deutsche Grammophon (DG) after pianist Cho Seong-jin, will be holding a recital on Feb. 5 where she plans to sing songs on the beauty of nature to comfort audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On May 15, pianist Kim Sun-wook, the winner of the Leeds International Piano Competition in 2006, will be holding a recital to play Schubert's "Four Impromptus," Albeniz's "Iberia Book 2" and Liszt's "Piano Sonata."

On May 24, pianist Lim Dong-hyek, the third prize winner of the Chopin Competition in 2005, is also scheduled to hold his recital on Schubert at the Seoul Arts Center to mark the 20th anniversary of his debut.

Pianist Paik Kun-woo will be playing works of Spanish composer Enrique Granados in October.