Art and Culture

And now it's time for our daily arts and culture update with Michelle Kim. Let's see what she has for us today.

Hello Michelle

[Reporter : ] Hello Conn-young

So what do you have for us today

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[Reporter : ] Ballet dancers from Korea and abroad come together for a 10-day festival of dance that starts today and continues through September 1st at the Arko Arts Theater in Daehangno. Let's take a look.

The curtain rises Thursday on the Seoul International Ballet Festival, which features performances by renowned ballet companies from around the world.

The biennial festival features performances by both rising young ballet stars from Korean companies such as the Korean National Ballet, as well as dancers from celebrated overseas companies such as the Paris Opera Ballet. The festival schedule showcases world renowned ballet companies such as Austria's Innsbruck Tanz Company and Het National Ballet from The Netherlands, as well as Korea's Universal Ballet Company.

The opening night performance on Thursday brings together works by all of the participating ballet companies.
The Young Classic program this weekend on Friday and Saturday features solos, duets and group works from classic ballets such as "Giselle" and "Don Quixote" and more modern works.

[Interview : Enrique Gasa Valga, Artistic Director Innsbruck Tanz Company] ""It very nice that this festival is in Seoul because we have korean dancers and dancers that are very good and at a very high level of dancing, mixed with dancers from other countries. This is very special because we can share experiences of the different ways on how we see dance and also get to see the works of other choreographers. So, it is a very interesting festival". "

Part of the festival is dedicated to programs showcasing the choreographic talents of a range of artists.

[Reporter : ] "A highlight of this year's festival is the Ballet 2050 Project, which presents works by dancers ranging in age from 20 to 50. The program is divided into two days, with dancers in their 20s and 30s taking the stage on August 30th and veteran dancers on August 31st".

The Seoul International Ballet Festival continues through September 1st at the Arko Arts Theater in Daehangno.

It looks like a really fun festival, with performances that range from the serene to the upbeat. Can you tell us more about it

[Reporter : ] Of course. First, I'd recommend the festival not only to ballet fans but also to people who are not familiar with ballet. It presents a range of styles so there is potentially something for everyone.

I was just at the press preview yesterday and have to say that what caught my eye was the way the choreographers used music and rhythm to accent the dancers' movements. I was also impressed by the performances of the veteran dancers. The work "Transparent Moment", for example, which was created for a group of dancers in their 40s to 50s, took my breath away. Their energy and ability to convey their emotions through their movements was really amazing.

It sounds great. I'm sure audiences will be impressed as well. Moving on, what else do you have for us

[Reporter : ] There is an exhibition of photos from National Geographic magazine that opened recently and continues through October. Through the years, this iconic magazine has captured the wonders of nature and reaffirmed our connection with the environment and creatures large and small. This exhibition brings some of those images to southern Seoul. Take a look.

Two chimpanzees link arms in a gesture of camaraderie and genuine affection in this photo from a new exhibit of photos from National Geographic magazine. In this image, a 500-kilogram sea lion proudly delivers a penguin it caught as a gruesome kind of gift to the photographer.

[Interview : Han Ah-reum, Docent Seoul Arts Center] "The sea lion attacked the photographer at first. But then it disappeared suddenly, and came back with a penguin in its mouth that it gave to the photographer as if it were a present".

The exhibit, at the Hangaram Design Museum in southern Seoul, displays a selection of photos from the magazine's archives over the past decade. Images of beautiful underwater scenes mingle with photos showing the lives of insects and fierce lions that rule the plains.

All of the were taken by photographers who have traveled the world, risking their lives for a better, closer shot.
In documenting the wonders of nature, including tornadoes and natural disasters that sometimes destroy it, the magazine attempts to send the message that the beauty of the Earth may not last forever.

[Interview : Lee Sun-kyung, Exhibition Planning Team Leader Seoul Arts Center] "Because of the destruction of our environment, it's becoming harder and harder for us to see the beautiful views that have been placed before us. I hope that viewers will see these beautiful photos and re-gain a sense of love for Earth and the environment".

It's a powerful message that won't likely be missed.

I am absolutely in love with some of these photographs, especially the one of the baby chimps in the beginning of the videoit must have been so hard for the photographers to get these shots.

[Reporter : ] It certainly would have been. These photographers do their work from the sky, under water, in the face of dangerous animals -- all to give readers a closer look at the lives of these beings. If you have ever read or looked through a copy of the magazine, you know just how much information it has to offer. The exhibition conveys some of this insight.

It sounds like both an entertaining and educational exhibition for people of all ages. And now to wrap things up, you have the events bulletin for us[Reporter : ] The bulletin today features a piano concert by three famous new age musicians, a cinema concert with songs by musical theater legends Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, and a concert series featuring a crop of indie musicians. Here are the details.

[Reporter : ed: jenny] This bulletin features 3 events

Beautiful piano melodies will float through Olympic Park on September 8th when three new age pianists -- Yuhki Kuramoto, Steve Barakatt and Yiruma -- perform a concert with the Ditto Orchestra, led by Maestro Adriel Kim.

The works of musical theater legends Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein will be performed in concert at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on October 11th and 12th. The concert will be conducted by Maestro George Daughterty and performed by the Suwon Philharmonic Orchectra.

SangSang Madang in Hongdae is running a concert series featuring six indie musicians. The event started August 5th and continues through November. Next month, Jang Pil-soon performs on the 7th, Hang Dong-joon performs the next day on the 8th and Kim Kwang-jin performs the day after on the 9th. Yoon Young-bae takes the stage on October 7th and the series wraps up with a concert by The Bird in November.

Thank you for the update

[Reporter : ] My pleasure

Reporter : dainee@arirang.co.kr