Soundtracks take center stage in monthlong festival with 27 orchestral concerts
A festival dedicated to the soundtracks of beloved films, animation, musicals and games will offer a diverse range of performances for audiences of all ages, including children as young as 24 months.
From July 19 to Aug. 14, the Lotte OST Festival will present 27 performances, featuring both popular repertoire and programs new to the Lotte Concert Hall in Jamsil, Songpa-gu, Seoul.
For the first time, young fans of "Shooting Star Catch! Teenieping," the "Catch Teenieping" series and the film "Love's Heart Chuping" will have the chance to experience orchestral versions of familiar tunes at "Bling Bling Catch! Teenieping Symphony" on Aug. 3 and 10. The concerts are open to children aged 24 months and older.
Another family-friendly program is "Ghibli Ballet Festa," which reimagines Studio Ghibli's beloved works through a ballet performance, scheduled for Aug. 11 for children aged five and older.
"Hans Zimmer vs. John Williams," which features orchestral performances of iconic film scores by the two legendary composers, will take place on July 23.
Live orchestral performances of music from "The Lord of the Rings" and "Game of Thrones" will open the festival on July 19.
Fans of "Demon Slayer" and "Attack on Titan" will want to return to the concert hall on July 28 and Aug. 5.
Music from Japanese animation director Makoto Shinkai's films "Your Name," "Weathering With You" and "Suzume" will get a special highlight concert on Aug. 1. A concert featuring music from another hit Japanese animation, "One Piece," will take the stage on Aug. 9.
After a concert featuring Disney soundtracks on July 20, Disney's music will be paired with Studio Ghibli scores for "Ghibli and Disney OST" concerts on July 31 and Aug. 14, and with Hollywood blockbusters and Pixar films on Aug. 7.
"Crystalline Resonance," a piano concert dedicated to the music of the Japanese role-playing game series Final Fantasy will take place on Aug. 13.
Two performances by Japanese soundtrack composer Joe Hisaishi, leading the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on a special tour, on July 21 and 22, are already sold out. This marks Hisaishi's first return to Korea in eight years.
Aiming to lower barriers to classical music and attract new audiences, the festival hosts an Open House event on Aug. 4, allowing visitors to freely explore the hall.
The Open House will run from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., featuring three 30-minute performances of orchestral and pipe organ music, as well as two guided stage tours, providing a glimpse of the spaces behind the stage.
'Because the perceived threshold for classical concert halls is high, many general audience members find it unfamiliar and intimidating to visit. Through the Open House, we hope they can experience the concert hall in a comfortable way, allowing them to feel closer to classical music and eventually become classical music patrons,' said Kim Hyung-take, CEO of Lotte Concert Hall.
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