Part 2 - LA84 Foundation

Commemorative concerts
• Special Performance by Teatro del
La Scala (Sejong Cultural Center,
August 16,19 and 22)
Puccini's opera Turandot staged by the
Teatro del La Scala was one of the
most spectacular and most expensive
performances on the Seoul Olympic
Arts Festival program. Franco Zeffireli
directed the cast of some 700, including
the Bulgarian-born soprano Ghena
Dimitrova and tenor Giusuppe
Giacomini. Lorin Maazel conducted
the orchestra and chorus. The stage
settings were all supplied by La Scala.
The three performances were attended
by a total of 11,685 under standing
room only conditions.
• La Scala Orchestra Concert (Sejong
Cultural Center, August 20-21)
The two concerts directed by Lorin
Maazel were attended by a total of
6,853.
• Pop Concert (Sejong Cultural
Center, August 28-29)
Leading Korean pop singers and the
Seoul City Symphony Orchestra performed
under the baton of Stanley
Black. The two concerts were attended
by a total of 6,289.
• Concert by the European Master
Orchestra (Sejong Cultural Center,
September 12)
30
The European Master Orchestra composed
of 25 leading members of European
orchestras played Piano Concerto
No. 1 by Shostakovich under the baton
of Korean conductor Kum Nan-sae for
an audience of 2,277.
• Opera Pagoda On fire (National
Theatre, October 2-5)
Kim Chong-ung, Chin Pyong-wha,
Yang Eun-hi, Kim Hye-jin, Shin Yong-jo,
Kim Tae-hyon, Chin Yong-sup and
others performed in the new opera,
which was composed and conducted
by Jang ll-nam, and directed by Oh
Hyon-myong.
The International Choral Festival
At the Seoul Arts Center, August 17
through 23
The festival featured the St. Olaf Choir
of the U.S. and the Inchon City Choir
on August 17; the Ars Nova Choir of
Brazil and the Seoul City Choir on
August 18; the Kammer Choir Stuttgart
of the Federal Republic of Germany
and the Suwon City Choir on August
19; the Elmmer Iseler Singers of
Canada, the Daewoo Choral on
August 20; the Tokyo Ladies Singers of
Japan and the National Choir of Korea
on August 21. On August 23, the last
day of the festival, all of the 10
participating choirs held a joint performance,
during which the audience
and the choirs joined together in singing
"Hand in Hand," the official song
of the Seoul Olympics. The six-evening
festival drew audiences totalling
12,925, who occupied 94 percent of
the available seats.
The Seoul International Song
Festival
At the Sejong Cultural Center,
September 10-11
An expansion of the 10th MBC International
Song Festival, the pop music
festival presented 21 singers and one
group representing 10 countries,
including Irene Cara, Mireille Mathieu,
Nana Mouskouri, Laura Branigan,
Engelbert Humperdink, Leslie Mandoki,
Eva Sun, Yoichi Sugawara, Yoon Bok-hi,
Patti Kim, Cho Young-nam, Cho Yongpil,
and the Jets.
31
30. The performance of Puccini's opera
'Turandot' by del la Scala of Italy at the
Sejong Cultural Center drew raves.
31. Five local choirs and five from abroad
joined together to stage the International
Choral Festival at the Seoul Arts Center.