Daisy's Musical World

(→Romeo et Juliette Asia Tour)
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N.B. This article is from "The Korea Times":
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/200612/kt2006121919234211700.htm
Besides this,I accidentally find a few grammatical errors and cannot help but desire to motify them.
Thus,I'll correct them within parentheses.
En passant,the reporter is the same as another article--
The Korea Times:"Don Juan" Lives Again in French Musical.


French Musical Reinterprets Romeo and Juliet

By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter

Can a new version of the French musical "Romeo et Juliette" sustain the boom of French musicals initiated by "Notre Dame de Paris" and "Les Dix Commandments"?
The latest of the top three French musicals by producer Gerard Presgurvic and director and choreographer Redha will be performed from Jan. 20-Feb. 27 in Seoul.
The new version,which opened in Paris in 2001,will take the stage in Seoul for the first time as part of the show's world tour.
The original creative team has partnered with Erum-ENT,a Korean production company,which holds the rights for the musical's tours in Asia and Australia and shares in the tours to other countries.
Choi Nam-ju,CEO of the Korean production company,told reporters in a press conference at the Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul on Monday that the musical has a special meaning for Korean audiences.
"Our Korean audiences will have the privilege of seeing the new version of the musical in the first venue of the world tour," Choi said.
"Also,this production sets a good precedent for Korean musical companies, which rely heavily on foreign productions,by offering participation in the production and distribution process,"he said.
The musical,based on William Shakespeare's tragic story,has a new line up of 43 performers and choreographers,50 staff members,15-ton stage sets and 132 costumes.
"The 2007 version will have changes in stage settings,costumes,line-ups and music from the premiere,"Presgurvic said.
("...will have changes..." probably means "...will have changed...")
Among performers,Damien Sargue,who plays Romeo,is the only member who has remained with the troupe since its first incarnation in 2001.
Presgurvic said that the two main characters--Romeo and Juliette,played by Joy Esther--will be more mature and more responsible than the previous boyish and girlish characters to invite more sympathy from modern audiences.
"Although the musical is an all-time classic story,it expresses a universal love between two passionate youngsters,a love that exists everywhere,"he said.
(...,it expresses a universal..." probably means "...,it expresses an universal...")
"So reinterpreting the roles is part of our efforts to serve as a bridge connecting the past and the present through the musical to win more sympathy from a modern audience,"he said.
The French musicals are different from West End and Broadway musicals in that they can be adapted and changed to a certain degree in accordance with current needs,instead of following set rules,Presgurvic said.
He also said that French musicals feature more dynamic and rhythm music from musicians who work in various genres. Broadway and West End musicals use live orchestras.
(In my opinion,"more dynamic and rhythm music" is not an usual usage since it is not a noun to a noun or an adj. to an adj. beside "and".)
French musicals target smaller and younger audiences than other musicals which aim for a larger general audience.
The musical has 36 songs including hit numbers "Aimer" and "Les Rois du Monde" and four new songs.
The musical will be staged at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. Tickets cost from 50,000 won to 200,000 won. For more information,call (02) 541-2614.

chungay@koreatimes.co.kr
12-19-2006 19:24