Classic·Games... 'All-in-One Gift Set' Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

Sejong Center 2020 Sejong Season Announcement: 54 Works, 393 Performances
Mariinsky Ballet & Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to Perform at Grand Theater in November
President Kim Sung-kyu: "Strengthening the Status of Production Theater... Integrated Performances This Year in September"
Game and Music Combined 'LOL Concert'... Review of Allowing Smartphones and Beverages

[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Mariinsky Ballet, regarded as the world's finest orchestra and ballet company, will take the stage at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Grand Theater this fall in succession.

The performances by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Mariinsky Ballet will be held as part of the Great Orchestra and Great Ballet series, respectively. The Great Series is a planned performance brand established by the Sejong Center in 2018, the 40th anniversary of its opening.

Kim Sung-kyu, president of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts (photo), said during the '2020 Sejong Season' press conference held on the 6th in the lobby of the Sejong Center Grand Theater, "We have diversified and segmented the content of the Sejong Center Great Series this year."

The Great Ballet Series is a newly introduced planned performance through segmentation this year. The Mariinsky Ballet will perform 'Carmen,' 'The Young Man and Death,' and 'Paquita' in an omnibus format at the Grand Theater from October 29 to November 1. Over 100 leading dancers, including Mariinsky Ballet principal dancer Kim Ki-min, will visit Korea. On November 3, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra performance will follow. The world-renowned Russian conductor Valery Gergiev will conduct, and Denis Matsuev, the winner of the 11th Tchaikovsky Competition, will perform as a soloist.

This year, the Sejong Center will present a total of 54 works in 393 performances, including 22 classical and opera pieces, 8 plays and musicals, 7 Korean traditional music performances, 9 choral works, and 7 dance, ballet, and circus shows.

Kim Sung-kyu, President of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, is explaining this year's performance plans and details at the '2020 Sejong Season' press conference held at Sejong Center on the 6th.
[Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts]

President Kim emphasized that the Sejong Center, as a representative complex cultural arts space in Korea, will also elevate its status as a producing theater. In this regard, he announced that integrated performances like 'The Independent Army in Front of the Theater,' which involved all nine arts organizations under the Seoul Metropolitan Government for the first time last year, will continue. Kim said, "Although not all nine arts organizations will participate as they did last year, integrated performances will continue," adding, "This year's integrated performance is scheduled to be presented in September."

Unique performances with a fresh feel also attract attention. A representative example is the LOL Concert, where the music of the KBS Symphony Orchestra is enjoyed alongside video footage from the online game League of Legends (LOL). President Kim revealed that they are considering allowing smartphone use during the LOL Concert, which is usually prohibited during performances. They are also reviewing allowing beverages at the Harry Potter series film concerts, which received a good response last year. These are new attempts to enjoy performance culture in a different way.

President Kim pledged, "We will become a young and vibrant Sejong Center," and added, "This year, we will also reorganize the naming system of the performance halls and create new CI (Corporate Identity) and BI (Brand Identity)."

Conveniences for people with disabilities will also be expanded. President Kim declared, "There is still much lacking to declare the Sejong Center a barrier-free performance hall," and said, "The most difficult venue for people with disabilities to access is the M Theater, but we will continuously improve facilities such as installing elevators to make it more comfortable to use this year."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.