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SEOUL - A diverse array of performances is set to captivate audiences this month, marking a spectacular finale to the year. World-renowned soprano Jo Sumi and conductor Geum Nan-sae will host special Christmas concerts, while the Seoul Arts Center and the National Changgeuk Company of Korea will usher out the old year with highly anticipated year-end and New Year's Eve musical events. The festive season will also feature family-friendly musicals and dance performances.
Christmas Cheer with Jo Sumi and Geum Nan-sae
Soprano Jo Sumi will perform her Christmas concert, 'My Secret Christmas', on Christmas Day, December 25, at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall. This performance is the culmination of a tour that includes stops in Gangneung (21st), Uiseong (23rd), and Pyeongtaek (24th), all spearheaded by Jo Sumi to deliver a genuine Christmas atmosphere.
The program, spanning a wide range of genres from pop to opera, will commence with Leroy Anderson's 'Christmas Festival', performed by the DITTO Orchestra. Jo Sumi will then take the stage to sing classics such as Adolphe Adam's 'O, Holy Night' and Irving Berlin's 'White Christmas'.
She will be joined by young, acclaimed musicians, including conductor Henry Kennedy, the Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Canada. Bass-baritone Gil Byeong-min, known from the JTBC variety show 'Phantom Singer', will perform the 'Toreador Song' from Bizet's opera 'Carmen'. Park Hyun-soo, a crossover artist rooted in classical vocal music, will perform Korean songs like Yoo Jae-ha’s 'Because I Love You'.
On the same day, Conductor Geum Nan-sae will lead his Christmas concert, 'Geum Nan-sae’s Christmas Gift', at the Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul. The concert will feature Anderson's 'A Christmas Gift', the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D major, and Gershwin’s 'Rhapsody in Blue'.
The performance will include collaborations with exceptional young soloists: violinist Kim Yeon-ah, the youngest-ever first-prize winner at this year’s Antonín Dvořák International Youth Radio Competition, 'Concertino Praga,' and American pianist Charlie Albright. The New World Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Geum Nan-sae, will provide the accompaniment.
KNCO Spreads Festive Joy
In the days leading up to Christmas, the National Symphony Concert Orchestra (KNCO)—an orchestra centered around young musicians, founded by the Korean National Symphony Orchestra—will present its 'Christmas Concert'. Performances are scheduled for December 23 at the Seoul Arts Center IBK Chamber Hall and December 24 at the Sejong Arts Center.
Under the baton of Kim Yoo-won, the orchestra will perform Dvořák's 'Polka' from the Czech Suite, Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue', and Tchaikovsky's 'The Nutcracker Suite'. The concert will also feature the world premiere of composer Roh Jae-bong’s new work, 'Snow Falling Quietly into the Darkness Amidst the Lamplight'. Pianist Park Jong-hae will also take the stage as a featured soloist.
Ringing in the New Year: Seoul Arts Center and National Changgeuk Company
The year-end festivities culminate in significant performances designed to bid farewell to the current year and welcome the next.
The Seoul Arts Center will host its signature New Year’s Eve Concert (Jeya Music Festival) on December 31. Initiated in 1994, this event is a beloved tradition, blending musical performance with a New Year’s countdown.
This year, the concert will be conducted by Korean-Canadian maestro Ear Lee, who gained significant attention after receiving the Georg Solti Conducting Award in 2022. The program includes Bernstein's 'Candide' Overture, Johann Strauss II's 'Die Fledermaus' Overture, and Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1, featuring pianist Kim Da-sol as the concerto soloist.
A highlight will be the appearance of violinist Danny Koo, who will perform Gershwin’s 'Concert Fantasy on Themes from Porgy and Bess' and the Irish folk song 'Danny Boy'. The musical event will be followed by an outdoor countdown and a grand firework display at the Seoul Arts Center's plaza.
Simultaneously, the National Changgeuk Company of Korea will hold its Year-End Concert, 'Eojildeojil' (A Farewell Greeting), at the National Theater of Korea's Haeoreum Grand Theater. 'Eojildeojil' is the traditional closing remark made by a sorikkun (Pansori singer) after a complete performance.
This gala concert will showcase carefully selected representative repertoires from the National Changgeuk Company, featuring excerpts from works such as 'Boheoja: Walker of the Void', 'Byeongangsoe, the Man Who Punctured Ongnyeo', 'Guito', 'Lear', 'The Merchants of Venice', and 'The Tale of Lee Nal-chi'. The performance will be conducted by Han Woong-won, with musical accompaniment provided by the National Changgeuk Company's instrumental department and the National Gugak Center Orchestra.
Family Fun: A Christmas Carol and Rudolph
The festive atmosphere is also enriched by performances perfect for the entire family.
The Seoul Metropolitan Musical Theatre will stage the musical A Christmas Carol through December 28 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts M Theatre. Based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel, the musical tells the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a notorious London miser whose life is transformed after he is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve. Through a journey across time, the staunch materialist Scrooge gradually opens his heart, delivering a powerful message of redemption, forgiveness, and solidarity.
Finally, the Gwangjin Cultural Foundation will present the family dance drama Rudolph on December 25 and 26 at the Gwangjin Children’s Performance Hall. This production follows the adventures of Rudolph, a timid monkey with a red backside. Set to music incorporating traditional Korean elements (gugak), the dancers from the contemporary dance company Goblin Party will use their bodies to vividly depict various animals and the forest environment. The performance promises to be a visually engaging and culturally rich experience for young audiences and their families.
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