Magnificent stage settings, great music, hundreds of costumes and compelling storylines are what draw people to major European musicals.
A series of European musicals will be staged across Seoul this year, beginning with "Le Roi Soleil" ("The Sun King"), which is already running, and moving on to "Mozart!" in June, "Rebecca" in September and "Rudolf" and "Marie Antoinette" in October. Fans are excited with great expectations for the season ahead.
The many successful European musicals in the Korean market actually have a lot of local input. Their scripts and scores are brought in as they are, but local staff is responsible for direction, stage and costume design and choreography. There are sometimes even changes to the script to make it more suitable for local audiences.
"Le Roi Soleil," which opened in early April, depicts the life of Louis XIV of France, an absolute monarch who reigned in the 17th century. The musical focuses on his relationship with three women in Versailles and portrays his agony as king, with the burden of power, forbidden love and the secrets of the royal family.
Actors Ahn Jae-wook and Shin Sung-rok will play the king, while Kim So-hyeon and Yun Gong-ju will star as Francoise, one of the three women, and Yim Hye-young and Jeong Jae-eun will play Marie. After taking roles in the TV soap operas "Star in My Heart", "Partner", Ahn has now become a star and has gained much popularity across Asia, especially in China. He has so appeared in many musicals, including "Guys and Dolls." Shin was in the recent hit soap opera "My Love From the Star" and was also in the films "Finding Mr. Destiny" and "The Story of My Life." He has appeared in many musicals, including "Carmen" and "Monte Cristo." Kim has starred in the musicals "Elizabeth" and "The Phantom of the Opera," while Yoon has appeared in "Notre Dame de Paris," "Monte Cristo" and "Man of La Mancha."
"Le Roi Soleil" is known for its wide range of costumes, as many as 360 set pieces and a magnificent stage designed to portray the life of one of the most powerful monarchs in France. The musical is also famous for its beautiful melodies, a feature which often characterizes French musicals, and its well-organized group dances. The king in the musical wears the highest number of costumes, a total of 15 outfits. What is more, the choreography includes a variety of dance styles, including ballet, acrobatics, pole dancing and contemporary dance, all included in the spectacle.
Unlike other musicals, "Le Roi Soleil" boasts a diverse range of musical styles. Many musicals are based on European classical music, characterized by an orchestra and piano-based sounds, but this piece features powerful rock 'n' roll, jazz and rhythm & blues, in addition to classical music.
Most French musicals simply feature the original sound track (OST) playing over the sound system, but for "Le Roi Soleil," there will be eleven musicians performing behind the stage, in addition to the OST. The live music, with its richness and grand sound, is expected to draw a bigger applause from the audience. The show will be staged until the end of May at the Blue Square performance hall in Yongsan District, central Seoul.
For more information, please contact theater below.
Blue Square, 1544-1591, www.bluesquare.kr
