The musical the Last Empress has been showing off its fame and staying power since its first showing in 2007, recorded as the successful musical which had more than one million spectators. The reason that this musical could be one of the best representative performances is because it was made by such talented musicians: Korea representative composer Kim Hee-gab, lyricist Yang In-ja, and Australian musician Peter Casey, already famous for his musical arranging talent through his works Cats and Jesus Christ Superstar.
Harmonized with the rhythm of orchestra and Korean traditional tunes, the Last Empress presents fifty eight songs without any lines throughout the performance. For the parts which can be apt to make the musical boring, the Last Empress selects solo, duet, or chorus so that the parts can create not only a changing atmosphere but also harmony among them. These elaborate compositions of the musical lead spectators to an emotional impression.
The antique stage and graceful costumes incorporating 5000 years’ of Choseon Dynasty’s history, players with talented dancing and singing, and a well-organized framework make the Last Empress a masterpiece, which is not inferior to any Broadway musicals.
The Times and The stage commented ‘Brave challenge’, ‘World-class’. Also, The New York Times commented on
As the Last Empress has won worldwide recognition from the world media, it will continue to stand firmly as a world musical.
By Lee Seung-sun
Prof., Dept. of Composition
ssl727@kmu.ac.kr
Prof., Dept. of Composition
ssl727@kmu.ac.kr
