A range of classical music maestros and opera stars will perform across Korea for the first time this season, and there will be young virtuosos showing off their talents on stage, too.
The city of Tongyeong on the southern coast, styling itself Korea's "city of music," will shine with performances by masters of contemporary European classical music during the city's upcoming music festival. Fans will be overwhelmed by the long and rich list of performances coming up this year.
Here are some of the performances that music fans should be sure not to miss this winter and this coming spring.
Classical music stars visiting Korea for the first time
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, led by maestro Riccardo Mutti, will be in Seoul on Jan. 28 and 29. This is the first time for Mutti, the orchestra's music director, to perform in Korea. The program will include symphony pieces such as Beethoven' Symphony No. 5 and Mahler's Symphony No. 1.
In March, soprano Anna Netrepko will also visit Seoul for the first time. The diva will sing for her long-waiting Seoul fans some of the most notable arias that she has sung on stage before, including arias from Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" and from Verdi's "Il Trovatore." Fans expect to hear some arias about love from her and tenor Yusif Eyvazov, her real-life partner, as they will perform together on March 12.
The well-known "Bruknerian" maestro Christoph Eschenbach will perform Brukner's Symphony No. 9 with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra on Jan. 9. This is the first time for the maestro to work with a Korean orchestra.
Young pianists shine with talent
In February, there will be a series of performances by young musicians who often bring their fans with them. On Feb. 2, pianist Seong-jin Cho will perform at the Seoul Arts Center. As the winner of last year's Chopin piano competition in Poland, he will be on stage together with other winners from that competition, including Charles Richard-Hamelin and Kate Liu.
Lim Dong-hyek and Son Yeol-eum, two other young talented pianists, will have solo recitals in January and February.
Masters of contemporary music will gather in Tongyeong
The musical performances set for the first two months of the year might be enough to satiate classical music fans across the peninsula. However, they should be sure to leave some room for dessert, for there is another musical feast awaiting them in March. Running from March 25 to April 3, the International Tongyeong Music Festival will be held in Tongyeong on the southern Korean coast in Gyeongsangnam-do Province. This year's festival, which will co-host the World Music Days contemporary music forum with the International Society for Contemporary Music, will see a number of masters of the contemporary music world in Korea, including Christoph Eschenbach and the minimalist composer Philip Glass.
Be sure to book your tickets early this season.
By Chang Iou-chung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Vincero, Credia, Tongyeong International Music Foundation
icchang@korea.kr
The city of Tongyeong on the southern coast, styling itself Korea's "city of music," will shine with performances by masters of contemporary European classical music during the city's upcoming music festival. Fans will be overwhelmed by the long and rich list of performances coming up this year.
Here are some of the performances that music fans should be sure not to miss this winter and this coming spring.
Riccardo Mutti (top), music director at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and soprano Anna Netrebko (bottom) will both perform for the first time in Korea this year.
Classical music stars visiting Korea for the first time
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, led by maestro Riccardo Mutti, will be in Seoul on Jan. 28 and 29. This is the first time for Mutti, the orchestra's music director, to perform in Korea. The program will include symphony pieces such as Beethoven' Symphony No. 5 and Mahler's Symphony No. 1.
In March, soprano Anna Netrepko will also visit Seoul for the first time. The diva will sing for her long-waiting Seoul fans some of the most notable arias that she has sung on stage before, including arias from Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" and from Verdi's "Il Trovatore." Fans expect to hear some arias about love from her and tenor Yusif Eyvazov, her real-life partner, as they will perform together on March 12.
The well-known "Bruknerian" maestro Christoph Eschenbach will perform Brukner's Symphony No. 9 with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra on Jan. 9. This is the first time for the maestro to work with a Korean orchestra.
Young pianists Seong-jin Cho (left) and Son Yeol-eum are set to perform in February.
Young pianists shine with talent
In February, there will be a series of performances by young musicians who often bring their fans with them. On Feb. 2, pianist Seong-jin Cho will perform at the Seoul Arts Center. As the winner of last year's Chopin piano competition in Poland, he will be on stage together with other winners from that competition, including Charles Richard-Hamelin and Kate Liu.
Lim Dong-hyek and Son Yeol-eum, two other young talented pianists, will have solo recitals in January and February.
Christoph Eschenbach (top), who will lead this year's first concert by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, and Philip Glass (bottom) will visit the Tongyeong International Music Festival in March.
Masters of contemporary music will gather in Tongyeong
The musical performances set for the first two months of the year might be enough to satiate classical music fans across the peninsula. However, they should be sure to leave some room for dessert, for there is another musical feast awaiting them in March. Running from March 25 to April 3, the International Tongyeong Music Festival will be held in Tongyeong on the southern Korean coast in Gyeongsangnam-do Province. This year's festival, which will co-host the World Music Days contemporary music forum with the International Society for Contemporary Music, will see a number of masters of the contemporary music world in Korea, including Christoph Eschenbach and the minimalist composer Philip Glass.
Be sure to book your tickets early this season.
By Chang Iou-chung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Vincero, Credia, Tongyeong International Music Foundation
icchang@korea.kr
