The fiery life of Tamara de Lempicka, the artist who captivated the global art scene in the early 20th century, is now being celebrated on stage in South Korea.
On the afternoon of the 26th, a press call for the musical 'Lempicka' (directed by Kim Tae-hoon) was held at the Woori Bank Hall in COEX Artium, Samseong-dong. The event was attended by composer Matt Gould, playwright Carson Kreitzer, and actors Cho Hyung-kyun, Kim Sun-young, Park Hye-na, Lina, Son Seung-yeon, Kim Woo-hyung, Kim Min-chul, and Kim Hye-mi.
'Lempicka' is based on the true story of Tamara de Lempicka, a real-life figure who maintained her artistic identity amidst the tumultuous events of the Russian Revolution and the World Wars. The musical vividly portrays her bold journey of discovering her artistic self and authentic identity, which she began as a means of survival.
Despite being a premiere in South Korea, the production captivated audiences with its intricate musical numbers. Composer Matt Gould expressed, "I wanted to bring freshness to the music," adding, "I aimed to create industrial and techno-inspired tracks, resulting in many numbers with a steel-like feel. After numerous attempts, new music was born."
The dazzling stage lighting enhanced the choreography and narrative of Lempicka. Carson Kreitzer revealed, "We put a lot of thought into colors during the production process." He explained, "I found blue to be quite magical, so for Tamara Lempicka, we primarily used green, while Rafaela brought various colors to the stage."
'Lempicka' features a stellar cast of South Korea's leading musical actors. Kim Sun-young, Park Hye-na, and Jung Sun-ah play 'Tamara de Lempicka,' while Cha Ji-yeon, Lina, and Son Seung-yeon portray 'Rafaela.' Kim Ho-young and Cho Hyung-kyun take on the role of 'Marinetti,' with Kim Woo-hyung and Kim Min-chul as 'Tadeusz Lempicka,' and Choi Jung-won and Kim Hye-mi as 'Suzy Solidor.'
Collaborating with Korean actors, Matt Gould expressed his delight, saying, "I'm thrilled to have met all the actors," and praised their talent, noting, "Their courage and determination shown every day are remarkable."
The production is intriguing as it showcases talented musical actors portraying the life of a past artist. Park Hye-na commented, "We need to show that the character is spiritually alive, so all the actors must have felt that this performance is alive." She added, "The music, lighting, story, and actors' performances combined have allowed the actors to express their instinctive sides more freely."
Regarding the highlights of the production, Kim Sun-young stated, "It tells the story of a woman who carves out her life and fights for survival, with painting as her medium. Although we haven't lived in that era, it's a story about how a person navigates life. The stage and music are so wonderfully filled that you'll feel like you've encountered something new."
Park Hye-na added, "The production covers a lot, but it's not a distant story," and expressed confidence that "many people will relate to it because everyone is living fiercely."
The musical 'Lempicka' will be performed at Seoul's COEX Artium until June 21.
Jung Da-yeon, TenAsia Reporter light@tenasia.co.kr