Seoul City offering year-out, year-in cultural events

By Kim Eun-jung Seoul City Monday introduced a variety of programs involving performing arts and exhibitions which citizens can enjoy with their friends, family members or as a couple during the year-out and year-in season. Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Beethoven’s symphony No.9, Choral, in collaboration with soprano Lee Myung-joo and tenor Kim Jae-hyung under the baton of Chung Myung-whun in ‘Masterpiece Series V’ at the concert hall of the Seoul Arts Center, Tuesday. As for family concerts, “’Naughty boys’ Christmas Concert” will be held on Tuesday and the “Year-end concert with singing all together,” on Dec. 27, both at the Yeoungdeungpo Art Hall. A variety of children’s programs will be presented. Seoul Metropolitan Musical Theatre will stage “Annie” at the main hall of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts till Dec. 28 and Seoul Art Space in Chang-dong will host the endearing ballet “Nutcracker” from Dec. 31 through Jan. 2. Seoul Metropolitan Theatre will stage “the Merchant of Venice” as a Shakespeare series at the M Theater in the Sejong Center, from Friday through Jan. 23. Seoul Museum of Art displays some 160 works at the exhibition of Marc Chagall, the Magician of Color, in its main hall through March 27. The SeMA2010 Exhibition, which is a springboard for rookie fine artists, will also held on the ground floor at the museum through Feb. 13. Children and youths will be able to experience nature through the Warm Winter Trip at the Seoul Zoo, in the Seoul Grand Park on the southern outskirts of Seoul till Feb. 6. All audiences will be able to enjoy an acoustic guitar concert, magic show and folk play, after visiting all the animals at the zoo. Citizens can also go ice skating at Seoul Square in front of City Hall, which has become a yearly winter attraction, at the cost of 1,000 won through Feb. 13. For those in southern Seoul, “Ice Garden” has also opened at Central Square of Garden Five for skaters through Feb. 28. For more information, visit the Seoul City homepage (www.seoul.go.kr) or call 120, Dasan Call Center to confirm the events and get more information. http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2011/01/202_78352.html