The Korea Herald

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Vienna Philharmonic, Riccardo Muti to go onstage in Korea

After COVID-19 cancellation last year, Vienna Philharmonic includes Korea in its Asian tour

By Im Eun-byel

Published : Oct. 5, 2021 - 16:24

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Conductor Riccardo Muti with the Vienna Philharmonic (Terry Linke / Sejong Center) Conductor Riccardo Muti with the Vienna Philharmonic (Terry Linke / Sejong Center)
The Vienna Philharmonic and maestro Riccardo Muti are to take the stage in Korea as part of the orchestra’s Asian tour, which includes Japan and China.

The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts announced Tuesday the orchestra is to go onstage at the theater on Nov. 14, led by the Italian maestro Muti.

Prior to the concerts in Korea, the orchestra will tour across Japan from Nov. 3 to 12. After the engagements here, the orchestra continues on in China with concerts scheduled from Nov. 18 to 21.

The Sejong Center has been running the Great Orchestra Series, inviting prestigious orchestras to Korea every year, including the Staatskapelle Dresden orchestra in 2019 and the Munich Philharmonic in 2018. The Vienna Philharmonic was to visit in 2020, but the concert was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though the pandemic crisis has yet to be resolved, the orchestra plans to perform in Korea with the Sejong Center working with authorities to exempt members from a two-week quarantine.

“Some 120 orchestra members are to visit. We are discussing the matter with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism,” an official from the Sejong Center said.

While some individual artists and figures have been exempt from the self-isolation measure in recent months, it would be the first time for a full orchestra to receive a quarantine waiver.

According to the center, the upcoming concert will mark the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s 12th performance in Korea since its first in 1973.

The program will feature works by composers from Vienna, Austria, including Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 D major, K.385 “Haffner” and Schubert’s Symphony No. 9(8) in C Major, D. 944 “The Great.”

Tickets are to open at 2 p.m. on Wednesday through the Sejong Center’s official website and other ticket reservation platforms.

Apart from the concert at the Sejong Center, the orchestra will perform at the Daejeon Arts Center on Nov. 15 and at the Seoul Arts Center on Nov. 16.