Jung Sungjin June Seongnam Art Center Solo Recital... Seongnam Cultural Foundation Performance Plans Revealed

Pianist Seong-Jin Cho will hold a solo recital at Seongnam Arts Center on June 15. Young Czech conductor Jakub Hr??a and world-renowned German baritone Christian Gerhaher will also take the stage at Seongnam Arts Center.

The Seongnam Cultural Foundation, which operates Seongnam Arts Center, unveiled its 2025 performance plans on the 15th. Marking the 20th anniversary of the opening of Seongnam Arts Center this year, the foundation announced that it has prepared a more diverse and rich lineup of planned performances.

Pianist Cho Seong-jin [Photo by Seongnam Cultural Foundation]

The latest work "Theatre of Dreams" by world-famous choreographer Hofesh Shechter will be presented to Korean audiences for the first time on March 14-15.

"Theatre of Dreams" premiered last June at the Paris City Theater in France and has been touring Europe since October, including performances at Sadler's Wells, a dance-specialized venue in the UK. In Asia, it will be available only in Seongnam and Shanghai, China.

The play "Love Beyond," which won the Best Show Award at last year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the UK, will have its domestic premiere at Seongnam Arts Center Ensemble Theater from November 28 to 30.

"Love Beyond" beautifully explores human relationships, love, wounds, and healing through the story of a hearing-impaired elderly person suffering from dementia, offering deep emotional impact. The play is directed by Ramesh Meyyappan, a Singaporean theater producer and actor who is also hearing-impaired.

On March 9, German baritone Christian Gerhaher will visit the Korean stage for the first time.

Gerhaher is renowned for his outstanding interpretation of art songs (Lieder) by composers such as Schubert, Schumann, and Mahler. In this concert, he will perform Schumann's "Liederkreis" based on Eichendorff's poems, accompanied by pianist Gerold Huber.

Young Czech conductor Jakub Hr??a, who serves as principal conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra in Germany, will perform on the Seongnam stage on May 31. Violinist Bom So-ri Kim will join as a soloist.

Theater performance scene from the play 'Dream Theater' [Photo courtesy of Seongnam Cultural Foundation, (c) Tom Visser]

Seong-Jin Cho will perform Liszt's "Fountain of the Villa d'Este," Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 15 "Pastoral," Bart?k's "Out of Doors," and Brahms' Piano Sonata No. 3 at his solo recital on June 15. This will be Cho's fourth performance at Seongnam Arts Center. He previously held solo recitals in 2020 and 2022 and collaborated with the Baltic Ensemble in 2023.

World-renowned soprano Sumi Jo will hold a gala concert titled "Sumi Jo & Winners" on June 21, featuring winners of the international competition bearing her name. This gala showcases the winners of the "1st Sumi Jo International Vocal Competition," held in France last July. Baritone Jihao Li, tenor George Ionut Virban, and tenor Lee Gi-eop will perform.

The signature brand concert of Seongnam Arts Center, the "Matinee Concert," which has been part of the center's history since its opening, will focus on "The Beautiful Blue Danube" in 2025, introducing classical music from Austria where the history and heritage of classical music come alive. Pianist Taehyung Kim will host, with top domestic performers including pianist Changyong Shin, bass-baritone Samuel Yoon, and violinist Dayoon Yoo participating. The concerts will be held monthly on the third Thursday at 11 a.m. from March to December.

The 6th annual "2025 Ballet Stars" will take place on July 26-27. Top dancers active in renowned domestic and international ballet companies will gather to present a gala featuring key scenes from various ballet works. Ballet stars performing include Junhyuk Jeon, First Soloist of The Royal Ballet in the UK; Jiyoung Chae, Principal Dancer of Boston Ballet; Jaeun Jung, First Soloist of the Polish National Ballet; and Hyeji Kang, permanent member of the Finnish National Ballet, along with rising stars from the Korean ballet scene, showcasing a diverse repertoire.

The "Composer Series" at Seongnam Artrium will showcase the works of Mozart this year. The Composer Series began in 2022, introducing works by Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky in its first year and Beethoven's works last year.

Conductor Jakub Hrusa
[Photo provided by Seongnam Cultural Foundation, (c) MarianLenhard]

A variety of popular performances across genres that can be enjoyed by all ages will also be prepared.

The brand performance series "2025 Theater for 10,000 Won," which introduces premium plays at reasonable prices, will present five works: "Hot Summer," "The Hound of the Baskervilles: Sherlock Holmes Mystery," "Tok Tok," "Silent, Stalking," and "Suspicious Landlord." Outdoor music festivals "Park Concert" and "Picnic Concert," along with the newly introduced "Music Festa," will be held from May to September at venues including Bundang Central Park outdoor stage.

The musical "Pechika," planned as part of the "Seongnam Future Education Cultural Arts Program" providing cultural and artistic experiences to third-year middle school students in Seongnam, will be held in May. It is an original musical depicting the life of independence activist Choi Jae-hyung.

For detailed information on Seongnam Arts Center's annual performance schedule, programs, and ticket purchases, please visit the Seongnam Arts Center website.