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Enjoying performances with alcohol and smartphone; Sejong Center unveils 2020 program

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Kim Sung-kyu, CEO of the Sejong Center, speaks during a press conference to brief this year's performances and strategies at the art complex in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
Kim Sung-kyu, CEO of the Sejong Center, speaks during a press conference to brief this year's performances and strategies at the art complex in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts unveiled its 2020 program which includes more collaborative works with overseas counterparts and unconventional efforts to increase its audience with programs accessible to families and the handicapped.

Kim Sung-kyu, CEO of the art complex, announced four major strategies for up to 54 shows and 393 performances, which will be presented starting March, aiming to appeal to the citizens of diverse generations.

"This year's slogan is 'enjoy Sejong,' which means everyone can enjoy more than performances in these facilities… The performances include the Sejong Center's original series. (We are) planning to raise our presence as a production company," Kim told reporters during a press conference at the Sejong Center, Monday.

The strategies include expanding its "Great" series into ballet and providing more performances and exhibitions for families and children. They also include creating more original content as well as introducing new performances by collaborating with overseas productions.

Specifically, one of the most renowned performers from overseas will be presenting their repertoire in the Sejong Center.

The Vienna Philharmonic under the conductor Valery Gergiev will be performing on Nov. 3 with Russian pianist Denis Matsuev, the winner of the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition.

The Mariinsky Ballet, a renowned classical ballet company in Russia, will perform a compilation of "Carmen," "Le Jeune Homme et la Mort" and "Paquita" from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 with Kim Ki-min, a principal dancer of the Russian ballet company.

What is more impressive is that the art center will introduce unique and new shows through collaboration with overseas performers. The Quebec-based Machine de Cirque will be making its Korean debut with its famous La Galerie on Nov. 3 to 7.

It is also planning to proceed with its partial facility renovation and add more shows for those who have been alienated due to the barriers.

"We are expanding services and improving facilities for those handicapped so that they can enjoy more of our performances," Kim said, adding "The elevator will be introduced to M Theater (for disabled people). In a software perspective, we decided to show more barrier free performances.

The Sejong center is also trying to break the long-held practice of banning alcoholic beverages and snacks and audiences will be allowed to bring them while watching certain concerts.

For example, it plans to allow customers to bring their popcorn and coke to a Harry Potter-themed film "concert" which is planned for Aug. 18 to 20 and Nov. 20 to 22.

During the first-ever multimedia concerts based on one of the most popular video games "League of Legends" (LoL) people will be allowed to bring their smartphones into the performance space.

In addition to the shows for adults, a multi-media show "Five, One" will be available on April. 22 to 26 for those aged under 3 and their parents, which is a new program for the art theater.

Original content including a dance performance "No One There," which is a story about an old woman finding her parents after being separated during the Korean War, will be also performed by the company's various performance teams.

The 2020 season package tickets will be available from Thursday at 2 p.m. to March 11 at its website at www.sejongpac.or.kr/eng.

The Sejong Center, located in the central Seoul, is one of the top art complexes in Korea, including a 3,000-seat grand theater, a medium-sized theater, a concert hall and galleries. The complex, affiliated with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, runs nine performance groups under its wing which cover orchestra, traditional music orchestra, opera, musical, dance and chorus. The venue opened in 1978.


Park Ji-won jwpark@koreatimes.co.kr


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