118th Seoul Pops Orchestra Regular Concert: 38th Anniversary Concert with Ha Sung-ho and Seoul Pops Orchestra

[PERFORMANCE INTRODUCTION] "From the grandeur of traditional classical music to the dynamism of popular music, an epic narrative of harmony drawn through 38 years of melodies" Seoul Pops Orchestra, a pioneer of Korean crossover music who has walked a unique path for 38 years, together with conductor Ha Sung-ho, will host a special 38th anniversary commemorative concert that completely breaks down the boundaries between classical music and contemporary popular music. This performance is designed to showcase the artistic authenticity and long-verified capabilities of Seoul Pops to audiences in the Lotte Concert Hall, a world-class acoustic venue, by consolidating 38 years of know-how in layering the flexibility of popular music over the solemnity of traditional classical music. On this stage, through brilliant Latin music such as Márquez's "Danzón No. 2" and "Cubana Carnival," the orchestra will maximize its inherent vitality, while world-renowned baritone Ko Sung-hyun will perform the aria from Leoncavallo's opera "Pagliacci" and "Life," an original composition embodying conductor Ha Sung-ho's autobiographical journey, with his overwhelming vocal power, delivering dignity befitting a classical concert hall and profound lyricism. Additionally, in collaboration with Park Nam-jung, a legend of Korean popular music, masterpieces such as "Because I Love You" and "Longing for You" will be reinterpreted with grand orchestration, and featuring diverse instrumental solos including two cellos, violin, and accordion, along with the harmony of operetta group La Classe W, the orchestra will showcase maximum expressiveness possible. In particular, making full use of Lotte Concert Hall's distinctive rich reverberation and vineyard-style immersive structure, the large-scale orchestra performance featuring vocals, popular songs, and diverse instruments will be enhanced with three-dimensional and dynamic sound. This will present a fresh impact of crossover music to classical enthusiasts and the essential joy and thrilling emotion of orchestral music to general audiences, offering the most evolved form of "classical popularization." This performance focuses on the "cultural synergy" created at the intersection of the temporal value of 38 years of official history and the spatial value of Lotte Concert Hall. Through a diverse repertoire spanning all generations, it will revitalize the regional cultural and artistic ecosystem, and simultaneously demonstrating the resilience and artistic completeness of private orchestras, it will serve as a precious opportunity to elevate the status of Korean performance culture to the next level. [PROGRAM] Part I 1. Danzón No. 2 (Márquez) ----------------------------------------- Seoul Pops Orchestra 2. Genre Fusion: Play for Two Cellos and Orchestra ----------- Cello/Park Cheon-hui, Cello/Park Sung-geun 3. Deserted Island (Composed by Kim Chu-ja) ------------------- La Classe W (Trio) 4. Si può? Signore! Signori! -------------------------------------- Baritone/Ko Sung-hyun [From Opera Pagliacci: "May I, Ladies and Gentlemen?"] 5. Life (Lyrics and Composition by Ha Sung-ho) -------------- Baritone/Ko Sung-hyun 6. I Believe (Composed by Eric Levy) ----------------------- Baritone/Ko Sung-hyun, La Classe W ----------------------- INTERMISSION ------------------------- Part II 7. Romanza + Czardasz -------- Violin/Jung Da-wun, Knyazeva Olga, Seoul Pops Orchestra 8. Besame Mucho ------------------------------------------------ Seoul Pops Orchestra 9. Because I Love You (Composed by Yoo Jae-ha) ----------- Singer/Park Nam-jung 10. Longing for You ------------------------------------------ Singer/Park Nam-jung 11. We've got tonight (Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton) -- Singer/Park Nam-jung, La Classe W 12. Cubana Carnival ------------------------------------------------ Seoul Pops Orchestra