South Korean pianist Lim Yunchan won the Gramophone Classical Music Award in the piano category, becoming the first Korean pianist to receive the prestigious award. The 20-year-old pianist won the piano category with his album "Chopin: Etudes" and also received the young artist of the year award. Established in 1977, the Gramophone Classical Music Award is one of the most significant accolades in the classical recording industry. Another album by Lim, "Yunchan Lim -- Liszt: Transc

Culture Oct. 3, 2024

On Tuesday night, conductor and pianist Antonio Pappano stood before the Korean audience at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts’ Grand Theater with the London Symphony Orchestra, marking the orchestra's first Korean tour under the new music director. The 64-year-old conductor took the helm of the LSO from Simon Rattle this summer, after leading the Royal Opera House since 2002. Pappano's extensive experience in the opera realm has profoundly influenced his conducting style.

Culture Oct. 2, 2024

Motion graphic designer Kim Gryun recently achieved all the goals he had set when first starting out in his career, culminating two Emmy Award wins and more. That which drove him to this success deeply resonates with the theme of this year’s Herald Design Forum: “Inspiration, limitless.” “When I first chose this career path, I had what seemed like impossible dreams, but believing in those dreams was the embodiment of 'limitlessness.' Additionally, I always belie

Culture Oct. 1, 2024

The Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra, a renowned Ukrainian orchestra founded in 1937, will make its Korean debut at the Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Center Aram Concert Hall on Wednesday. Under the baton of conductor Hobart Earl, who has led the orchestra for 32 years and has been honored by the Ukrainian government as a People's Artist, the 75-member orchestra will perform music of hope beyond the pain of the ongoing war. Many of the orchestra members are women because of a ban on men leaving the cou

Culture Sept. 30, 2024

A grandiose version of Giacomo Puccini’s opera "Turandot" is coming to Korea this October. Originally introduced by the late Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, this version was first staged at the historic Arena di Verona in 2010 and has since become a hallmark of grandeur in the opera world. “Korean audiences will be left speechless and moved by Zeffirelli’s original 'Turandot,’ which has set a benchmark in the history of opera,” said stage direct

Culture Sept. 30, 2024

Dmytro Udovychenko, a Ukrainian violinist, is experiencing his busiest season after winning the 2024 Queen Elisabeth Violin Competition in June. With the latest triumph adding to a long list of prizes won at international competitions, including first prize at the Montreal International Violin Competition in 2023 and third prize at the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition in 2022, Udovychenko is finally done with competitions and set to launch his journey as a musician in earnest. Reca

Culture Sept. 25, 2024

When Kim Min-seok sees veteran musical stage actor Choi Jung-won on stage during the musical performance of "Hadestwon," the singer-turned-musical-actor hopes the audience can see her up close from his perspective. "Her face is full of expression, giving a sense of warmth and courage," Kim, who portrays poor dreamy musician Orpheus, said during an interview with The Korea Herald on Sept. 12. And that is exactly how Choi, 55, intends to portray Hermes, a role originally create

Culture Sept. 24, 2024

Greek Violinist Leonidas Kavakos, who performed with the KBS Symphony Orchestra earlier this month as part of the annual Classic Revolution, is set to return to Korea next year. When he returns, it will be as the new artistic director of the classical music festival organized by the Lotte Foundation for Arts. For next year, the violinist, who is also pursuing a career as a conductor, said that he will focus the music of Bach and Shostakovich. He explained that the inspiration for the 2025 pr

Culture Sept. 19, 2024

The ongoing controversy between renowned soprano Angela Gheorghiu and the organizers of Puccini's opera Tosca intensified this week after the soprano's management issued a statement claiming that an agreement had been made for no encores, a claim later denied by the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. On Wednesday, Gheorghiu’s management, Intermusica, released a statement saying, “Ms. Gheorghiu deeply regrets the circumstances that led to the incident at the Sejong Arts Center on

Culture Sept. 13, 2024

If you attend one of the two productions currently running at the National Theater of Korea, you might be surprised by the level of sexual explicitness in the performances. At the Daloreum Theater, the National Theater’s mid-sized theater with about 500 seats, the National Changgeuk Company of Korea’s adult-only production “Madam Ong” runs through Sunday. The changgeuk, or traditional Korean opera, has long been associated with themes of lust and obscenity. At the Han

Culture Sept. 12, 2024

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, led by music director Jaap van Zweden, is set to bring back its outdoor SPO Park Concert series next week. Taking place at Seoul Forest Park, the concerts will offer a repertoire beyond classical music, featuring music from megahit drama series “Squid Game” and K-pop songs, as well as a medley of children’s songs. The concert will open with the overture to Bernstein's operetta “Candide,” a lively and exhilarating piece that set

Culture Sept. 11, 2024

Before the year's end, world-renowned orchestras will come to South Korea and collaborate with two of the country’s most sought-after pianists: Cho Seong-jin and Lim Yunchan. Cho will take the stage with the Vienna Philharmonic from Austria in October and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra from Germany in November. The Vienna Philharmonic is to visit the country for a fourth consecutive year, this time under the baton of Andris Nelsons. The orchestra will hold concerts at the Seo

Culture Sept. 10, 2024

The recordings of South Korean composer Chin Unsuk and pianist Lim Yunchan have been shortlisted for the 2024 Gramophone Classical Music Awards. Their albums were among a total of 33 recordings in the 11 categories -- three per category -- shortlisted for the award. In the piano category, Lim’s two albums have made the shortlist: "Liszt: Transcendental Etudes" and his debut album "Chopin: Etudes." "The Liszt Transcendental Etudes" contains Lim’s semifi

Culture Sept. 9, 2024

A well-executed production featuring top opera singers ended on a sour note. On Sunday, the audience at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul erupted in applause and cheers after tenor Kim Jae-hyung's powerful rendition of the iconic aria "E lucevan le stelle" (When the stars were brightly shining) in Puccini's "Tosca," produced by the Seoul Opera Company. Kim, also known as Alfred Kim, was onstage for his second performance as Cavaradossi, Tosca's

Culture Sept. 9, 2024

The Culture Ministry on Friday announced it is introducing K-Stage Festa as a festival that aims to gather attention for the nation’s vibrant yet struggling performing arts scene. From Oct. 4 to Nov. 10, a total of 140 theater, dance and classical music performances will be introduced under the banner of K-Stage Festa across various venues, such as the National Theater of Korea, the Seoul Arts Center, Cheong Wa Dae Heliport and regional cultural and art centers. A special series will also

Performance Sept. 8, 2024