The Korea Herald

Cyndi Lauper‘s ’Kinky Boots‘ heads to Chicago

A new musical bringing together Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein and rock icon Cyndi Lauper will put its best foot forward in Chicago this fall.``Kinky Boots‘’ will make its world premiere at the Bank of America Theatre in October ahead of a possible Broadway transfer, producers Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig said Wednesday.The musical is based on the 2005 British movie about a failing shoe factory that‘s struggling following the death of its founder until it finds new life in fetish footwear.Fiers

Feb. 23, 2012

Rihanna, Brown songs could draw criticism

NEW YORK (AP) ― Rihanna is known for making bold statements, from her often sexually charged music to her tattoos to even the hue of her hair.But her latest decision ― a musical pairing with the man who three years ago left her bloodied and bruised ― has left some questioning her judgment.On Monday, after days of teasing, Rihanna and Chris Brown debuted two songs featuring each other. Brown sings and raps on the remix of Rihanna’s song “Birthday Cake,’’ and she appears on a new version of his up

Feb. 23, 2012

‘Scream’ painting expected to top $80m at auction

NEW YORK (AFP) ― A version of “The Scream,” one of the world’s most famous paintings and an iconic image of despair, is expected to fetch at least $80 million when it goes on sale this May, Sotheby’s auctioneers said Tuesday.Norwegian businessman Petter Olsen, whose father was a friend and patron of “Scream” painter Edvard Munch, owns the work, which will go on the block in New York on May 2.There are four versions of the painting, which features a man screaming and clutching his head against a

Feb. 22, 2012

Herald artday auction offers ‘Korean beauty’

Over 100 works by Korean up-and-coming to veteran artists on auctionHerald artday, a subsidiary of the Herald Media group, opens its third online auction on Friday. It will roll out 110 paintings, photos, sculptures and prints by acclaimed South Korean artists, ranging from up-and-coming figures such as Mari Kim and Lee Soo-dong to veterans like Lee U-fan, Kim Chong-hak and Lee Manik, steady-selling artists despite the depressed art market. As usual, the auction is approachable for both first-ti

Feb. 22, 2012

Herald artday auction offers ‘Korean beauty’

Gov't employee punished over fake nude photo of Girls' Generation

A 53-year-old government employee was dismissed from his post Wednesday after police started investigating his role in spreading a fake nude photo of K-pop group Girls' Generation, his office said.The employee, whose name was withheld, was relieved of his duties from the Yeonsu Ward Office in Incheo

Feb. 22, 2012

Spain’s Prado museum puts Mona Lisa ‘twin’ on display

MADRID (AFP) ― Spain’s Prado Museum put the earliest known copy of the “Mona Lisa” on display Tuesday for the first time since restoration work revealed it was likely painted by one of Leonardo da Vinci’s apprentices as he worked on the original.Throughout the day, a crowd gathered around the painting, which shows the same woman the Italian artist painted, backed by a landscape of hills resembling those of the original masterpiece which hangs in the Louvre Museum in Paris.“It is the most importa

Feb. 22, 2012

Adele wins big again at hometown Brit Awards

LONDON (AFP) ― Just over a week after her spectacular sweep at the Grammys, British soul diva Adele triumphed on home soil Tuesday at the annual Brit Awards in London.The 23-year-old picked up two awards ― including the prestigious British album of the year ― to add to the six Grammys she won in Los Angeles, cementing her status as one of Britain’s most successful pop exports in years.Adele ― whose career was threatened last year by a throat illness ― claimed British female solo artist and best

Feb. 22, 2012

Adele wins big again at hometown Brit Awards

After ‘The Artist,’ French composer in quest for Higgs Boson

Ludovic Bource, who composed the score for the Oscar-tipped French silent movie “The Artist,” hopes to set to music the mammoth scientific quest to find the Higgs Boson, also known as the “God particle.”After scoring four movies for French director Michel Hazanavicius, earning Golden Globe and BAFTA awards and an Oscar nomination for his work on “The Artist,” the 41-year-old composer told AFP he has several projects on the boil.“I can‘t wait to get back to composing. I have a personal project th

Feb. 22, 2012

Despite nod, Sergio Mendes feels snubbed by Oscars

NEW YORK (AP) ― Sergio Mendes will attend the Academy Awards on Sunday with mixed feelings.He’s honored that his song “Real in Rio,’’ from the animated movie “Rio,’’ is one of the only two nominated this year, but upset with the show producers’ decision not to present the tunes during the telecast.“I am very frustrated, kind of sad that we will not be able to perform such a lively song,’’ the 71-year-old Brazilian legend said in an interview Monday (Mendes shares the nomination with his countrym

Feb. 22, 2012

Seoul’s royal palaces to be hub of traditional culture

For those who have missed the chance to experience Seoul’s royal palaces at night or see a gugak concert in the court garden last year, the year 2012 will come as an exciting one. More cultural events and educational programs will take place in the four royal palaces in Seoul ―Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, and Deoksugung ― as well as Jongmyo shrine this year, including court cuisine sessions, gugak concerts, and late-night tours, Cultural Heritage Administration announced during

Feb. 21, 2012

Seoul’s royal palaces to be hub of traditional culture

Museum head vows to prove women can curate with the best

Chung Hyung-Min announces NMOCA will go through overall renovations through 2013Chung Hyung-Min, newly appointed director of National Museum of Contemporary Art, said that she is happy to see that women are taking powerful positions in the art scene and thus generating public interest in it. Now she said she will take this opportunity to prove something“I feel a heavy responsibility for taking the job at a time when the museum is doubling its size. I will put emphasis on expanding the collection

Feb. 21, 2012

Museum head vows to prove women can curate with the best

Chung to lead N. Korean-French orchestra in Paris

Conductor says long-term aim is joint performance by North, South Korean musiciansA world-renowned South Korean conductor said on Tuesday that he would conduct a joint performance of the French and North Korean orchestras in Paris on March 14 and he hopes this will pave the way for musicians from the two Koreas to perform together in the near future.“What I wanted the most was to have musicians from North and South Korea perform together, but (we) decided to stage a joint performance of French a

Feb. 21, 2012

Chung to lead N. Korean-French orchestra in Paris

S. Korean conductor to conduct joint N. Korean-French orchestra

A world-renowned South Korean conductor said on Tuesday that he would conduct a joint performance of the French and North Korean orchestras in Paris on March 14 and he hopes this will pave the way for musicians from the two Koreas to perform together in the near future.“What I wanted the most was to have musicians from North and South Korea perform together, but (we) decided to stage a joint performance of French and North Korean orchestras first, because there are still lingering political prob

Feb. 21, 2012

Vienna gallery looks for ‘Worst of Klimt’

A Vienna museum launched Monday an unusual contribution to celebrations marking 150 years since Gustav Klimt‘s birth with an online search for the kitschiest objects adorned with the artist’s work.The Wien Museum‘s “Worst of Klimt” campaign invites people to post on its Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/WienMuseum “the most horrible or most absurd Klimt products.”Examples already posted on Monday included cake tins embossed with the Austrian artist’s famous “The Kiss”, a dog blanket, a pair

Feb. 21, 2012

Chris Brown and Rihanna collaborate on 2 song remixes

NEW YORK (AP) ― Chris Brown and Rihanna are back together, musically speaking.Two songs featuring the singers hit the internet on Monday. Brown sings on the remix of Rihanna’s sexually charged song “Birthday Cake,’’ and she’s on the remix of his upbeat tune “Turn Up the Music.’’Brown tweeted a link to the new version of “Turn Up the Music’’ on Monday, and Rihanna later retweeted it. She also tweeted about the remix for “Birthday Cake.’’Brown attacked his then-girlfriend Rihanna at a pre-Grammy A

Feb. 21, 2012

Duchamp’s influence still powerful

Opera Gallery Seoul offers artworks by contemporary artists influenced by Marcel DuchampHad it not been for Marcel Duchamp, the “anti-artist” who stirred up the 20th century art world with an upside-down urinal, the contemporary art scene would never have become what it is. Opera Gallery Seoul in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, gathered artwork by 19 acclaimed artists after Duchamp’s time who were obviously influenced by the sensational French artist in more than one way. The exhibition, titled

Feb. 20, 2012

Fandom emerges in classical music scene

Classical musicians enjoy rock star status among groupiesWhen pianist Lim Dong-hyek finished his two-hour-long recital on Feb. 18 at Seoul Arts Center, a venue exclusively for classical music suddenly turned into a pop concert scene with the audience screaming for an encore. The hall with 2,500 seats was completely packed ― mostly with females ― and they didn’t stop shouting, urging the artist to play another piece, and then another.At the end, Lim presented three encores, mostly romantic Chopin

Feb. 20, 2012

British Council hopes to boost U.K. education’s profile

University of Edinburgh to commemorate late President Yun Bo-seon in autumnThis is the third of the series introducing cultural centers of different countries in Seoul ― Ed.For anyone interested in studying abroad ― especially in the U.K. ― the British Council office in central Seoul is the place to be next month. The British cultural institution will be holding a special event where representatives from six or seven of the U.K.’s world-class universities will share information on what each scho

Feb. 19, 2012

Great orchestras to mesmerize Seoul

Month of February packed with performances by renowned orchestrasStar conductors leading world-class orchestras are flocking to Seoul, offering a chance to appreciate their powerful symphonic sounds.The list of prestigious orchestras coming to Korea this year includes the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. And they all are to perform in this month.February’s flock of foreign orchestras has happened as part of several Asia tours that

Feb. 19, 2012

Cirque du Soleil plans Oscar piece

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Aerialists, acrobats and contortionists from Cirque du Soleil are among the guests at this year’s Academy Awards.The three-minute performance at the Oscars on Feb. 26 will be among the international troupe’s biggest yet, said Cirque du Soleil special events director Yasmine Khalil, featuring more than 50 artists. Most Cirque shows employ 75 to 80 artists over two hours, she said.Cirque du Soleil has a Hollywood-themed show now at the Kodak Theatre, where the Oscars will be pre

Feb. 19, 2012