logo
CGV unveils showcase of restored French classics

CGV unveils showcase of restored French classics

Korea Herald19-05-2025

Bresson, Godard, Melville return to big screen in digital restorations
CGV will screen four restored French classics as part of a special remastered showcase at its select arthouse locations through June, the theater chain announced Monday.
The program opens May 21 with Robert Bresson's "Quatre nuits d'un reveur" ("Four Nights of a Dreamer," 1971), an adaptation of Dostoevsky's "White Nights." The Jury Prize winner at the 21st Berlin International Film Festival, the film follows a dreamer's fleeting rendezvous with a heartbroken woman on the streets of Paris.
Jean-Luc Godard's "Pierrot le Fou" (1965) arrives June 4 in celebration of its 60th anniversary. Starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Anna Karina, the film charts a disillusioned man's escape from bourgeois life as he takes off on a road trip to the Mediterranean with a mysterious woman.
Also screening is Godard's "Alphaville" (1965), which won the Golden Bear at Berlin. This genre-blending sci-fi noir following secret agent Lemmy Caution's mission in a computer-run dystopian city will be shown in Korea for the first time in 4K restoration.
Rounding out the lineup is Jean-Pierre Melville's "L'Armee des ombres" ("Army of Shadows," 1969), a stark depiction of French Resistance fighters during World War II adapted from Joseph Kessel's 1943 novel.
CGV will offer special promotions, including A3-sized posters for all screenings and exclusive merchandise available at select showings of "Pierrot le Fou."

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Prokofiev's satirical opera 'The Love for Three Oranges' to make full-production Korean premiere
Prokofiev's satirical opera 'The Love for Three Oranges' to make full-production Korean premiere

Korea Herald

time19 hours ago

  • Korea Herald

Prokofiev's satirical opera 'The Love for Three Oranges' to make full-production Korean premiere

Korea National Opera, dedicated to introduce 21st-century works, promises vibrant fusion of global, local talent 'L'Amour Des Trois Oranges,' or 'The Love for Three Oranges,' a satirical opera by Ukrainian-born composer Sergei Prokofiev, will get its first full-scale production in Korea more than a century after its 1921 premiere in Chicago. Adapted from an 18th-century play by Carlo Gozzi, the opera blends absurdist comedy, fairy-tale fantasy and biting political satire. A melancholic prince, cursed by the witch Fata Morgana to fall in love with three oranges, embarks on a surreal quest to find these magical fruits. When he opens them, each orange reveals a princess. Two die of thirst; the third, Princess Ninette, survives. After magical and political mishaps — including a case of mistaken identity and a kidnapping — Ninette and the prince are finally reunited. 'We chose this piece to bring joy to opera lovers, rather than presenting something overly serious or weighty. At the same time, we are committed to introducing 21st-century operas to broaden the repertoire,' said Choi Sang-ho, artistic and general director of the Korea National Opera, at a press conference Monday at the Seoul Arts Center. 'Though its fairy-tale structure and satirical humor may initially feel unfamiliar, audiences will quickly be drawn in by its unique charm,' he added. The upcoming Korea National Opera production promises a vibrant fusion of global and local talent, featuring an international creative team, rising Korean vocalists on the international stage and the national opera company's own soloists, as well as American mezzo-soprano Karis Tucker in the role of Princess Clarice. Originally written in French, the opera has previously been performed in Russian, German and English. However, the Korean production will remain in French, partly to accommodate the cast's familiarity with the language. Returning to the podium is Felix Krieger, who led the opera company's production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' last year. He will conduct the Korean National Symphony Orchestra. 'In Prokofiev's imaginative world, the music draws from many different musical languages,' said Krieger. 'It weaves together elements of traditional classical music, modernist experimentation and both poetic and grotesque qualities.' Stage director Lorenzo Fioroni, known for productions at the Nationaltheater Mannheim, Staatsoper Berlin and Luzerner Theater, brings his imaginative vision to this surreal opera under the theme of "a theatrical machine that tells fairy tales for adults" in tandem with set designer Paul Zoller and costume designer Katharina Gault. Fioroni reimagines the prince's quest for three magical oranges as a fantastical road trip, incorporating video footage shot on location on Korean urban streets. 'Korean streets have a surreal, fairy-tale quality that perfectly suits the opera's world,' Fioroni said, adding that he and Zoller have created a highly visual production that integrates fantasy elements with complex technical effects. The cast features two alternating ensembles. On June 26 and 28, bass Choi Woong-jo will perform as Le Roi de Trefles, with tenor Kim Young-woo as the prince. On June 27 and 29, the roles will be performed by bass Kim Il-hoon and tenor Shin Hyun-sik, respectively. 'L'Amour Des Trois Oranges' will be staged June 26 to 29 at the Opera Theatre of the Seoul Arts Center. The performance on June 28 will be livestreamed via Naver TV. Ticket prices range from 20,000 won to 150,000 won.

French Baroque arias take center stage at Hanwha Classic
French Baroque arias take center stage at Hanwha Classic

Korea Herald

timea day ago

  • Korea Herald

French Baroque arias take center stage at Hanwha Classic

Coloratura soprano Patricia Petibon, Ensemble Amarillis present woven tale of fiery sorceresses For this year's Hanwha Classic, French Baroque takes center stage in a one-woman opera performed by renowned French soprano Patricia Petibon and Ensemble Amarillis, performing in Korea for the first time. Titled 'Flammes de Magiciennes' — or 'Flames of Sorceresses' — the performance weaves together arias from French Baroque operas to create a five-act narrative centered on Medea, a mythological figure who enacts a brutal revenge driven by love, passion and betrayal, and Circe, a powerful sorceress from Greek mythology. 'It focuses on the figures of the sorceress in Baroque opera, which began in early 17th-century Italy and gained importance later in Paris and Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV,' Heloise Gaillard, artistic director of the French ensemble, told reporters during a press conference Wednesday at The Plaza in central Seoul. She added that the opera was inspired by Petibon. 'Patricia moves effortlessly from comedy to tragedy, which perfectly suits the Baroque aesthetic — a music of contrasts. In Baroque opera, we shift quickly from the tragic to the comic, and even within tragedies, comic characters are ever-present,' Gaillard said. Petibon, a versatile soprano with a repertoire spanning from French Baroque to contemporary music, said Baroque music offered the ideal foundation for her vocal development. "I felt Baroque music was a good way to care for my voice instead of jumping too quickly into heavier, more complex roles. The voice is like a plant — you have to water it every morning. The body must be respected, cared for every day of your life. That's something that has always stayed with me," Petibon said. 'I'm a bit voracious — I don't like staying in the same musical world. I believe voice grows through exploration: exploring the body, exploring new repertoires,' she said. 'Flammes de Magiciennes" also offers audiences a chance to explore Baroque instrumental works and dances. Gaillard, a recorder player and oboist, said, 'I paired these themes with instrumental works that enhance the drama in the text. For instance, the first piece in the program is 'Le Chaos' by Jean-Fery Rebel, from 'Les Elemens.' It depicts primordial chaos — when the elements had not yet come together in harmony. The music is truly revolutionary for its time, with extremely dissonant, chaotic harmonies." 'There are also dances in the program, highlighting the essential role of rhythm in Baroque music. Louis XIV was a great dancer, and dance permeated the court's life and music,' she explained. Hanwha Classic, a cultural initiative of South Korean conglomerate Hanwha, was launched in 2013 to support "early" music — classical music composed in the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods — and has introduced internationally renowned early music artists to South Korea. 'Flammes de Magiciennes" will be staged Friday and Sunday at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall. All tickets are priced at 50,000 won. To commemorate Memorial Day on Friday, Hanwha will invite 200 individuals who have been recognized for distinguished service to the nation.

Seoul Mediacity Biennale to embrace the mystical in media art
Seoul Mediacity Biennale to embrace the mystical in media art

Korea Herald

timea day ago

  • Korea Herald

Seoul Mediacity Biennale to embrace the mystical in media art

The 13th Seoul Mediacity Biennale, scheduled to kick off on Aug. 26, will bring together 49 artists and collectives under the theme of 'Seance: Technology of Spirit." The term 'seance,' derived from French, refers to an attempt to communicate with spirits. The 13th edition of the biennale, running through Nov. 23 at the Seoul Museum of Art, or SeMA, will be led by Anton Vidokle, artist and founder of e-flux; Hallie Ayres, art historian and curator; and Lukas Brasiskis, curator of video and film at e-flux. The biennale will explore the influence of mystical and spiritual experience on the development of modern and contemporary art. 'It's very significant that many artists have in recent years gravitated towards ways of understanding the world that might offer an alternative to the prevailing systems, which seem at present to be in crisis,' said the curators. Starting with the artistic practice of British artist Georgiana Houghton (1814-1884), who achieved her first mediumistic drawings after attending her first seance in 1859, the exhibition will encompass the influence of shamanism on video art founder Paik Nam-june and German Fluxus artist Joseph Beuys, as well as transcendental experiences depicted in the early experimental films of American artists Maya Deren and Jordan Belson. The biennale will also feature works by contemporary artists engaged with the diverse traditions and themes of the occult, enchantment and magic. The Seoul Mediacity Biennale, launched in 2000 by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, has earned international recognition for its experimental engagement with contemporaneous changes within the media landscape of the city, redefining what media is and can be.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store