Passionate Stage Performances by National Changgeuk Company’s Kim Junsu and Musical Actress Hong Jimin
The National Gugak Orchestra (Artistic Director Kim Sung-jin) announced on the 26th that it will hold the Gugak Brunch Concert "Noon Concert." Photo by National Theater
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The National Gugak Orchestra (Artistic Director Kim Sungjin) announced on the 26th that it will hold the Gugak brunch concert "Noon Concert."
This performance will take place on May 19th at the National Theater's Haeoreum Theater. Now in its 14th year, the "Noon Concert" is a representative regular performance of the National Theater that has received much love from audiences for its easy and heartfelt commentary and diverse performance programs.
The concert features easy-to-understand and comfortable commentary by announcer Lee Geumhee and a new conductor every month. For the May performance, Jo Wonhaeng, former artistic director and permanent conductor of the Cheongju City Gugak Orchestra, will take the podium as conductor.
The birth flower for May is the "Aristata," which carries the flower language meaning "possessor of beauty." Reflecting this flower language, this month's program depicts the beauty contained in music.
The opening piece, "Start of Noon," features "Cheongcheong (淸靑)" composed by conductor Jo Wonhaeng for gugak orchestra. This piece won the Excellence Award at the 2011 Korea Composition Awards and captures the precious sounds given by nature in orchestral form. It contrasts fast and slow tempos and presents melodic themes for each instrument group, leading to a lively development of the piece.
Following this, "Noon Pansori" features Kim Junsu, a lead member of the National Changgeuk Company, performing the "Rabbit Capturing Scene" from the pansori Sugungga. This scene highlights the rabbit's clever excuses to survive before the Dragon King, with the rich orchestra and sound adding dramatic tension.
In "Noon Cinema," the gugak orchestra performs "Moon River," famously sung by Audrey Hepburn while sitting on a window frame playing guitar in the 1960s romantic film "Breakfast at Tiffany's."
The May "Noon Star" is musical actress Hong Jimin. Excelling not only in musicals but also in films and dramas, she will present music with beautiful messages of positivity. Her diverse stages include "As You Say," offering warm comfort to struggling youth today, "Dancing Queen," known as a symbol of cheerful energy that remains unchanged over time, and "Dear Citizens," a song she wrote lyrics for herself to comfort herself during times of despair.
The final stage, "Noon Choice," is where the conductor presents a piece they wish to gift to the audience. Conductor Jo Wonhaeng selected "Sea," a gugak orchestral piece composed by Lee Jungho. Composer Lee Jungho was inspired by the words and hand-drawn old score found in the late composer Kim Kisu's piece "Morning Sun at Cheongsapo," and infused the musical inspiration he felt through the work into this piece.
The performance will be held on May 19th at the Haeoreum Theater.
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