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Busan Metropolitan City’s Classic Busan and Busan Cultural Center Present Original Ballet Production The Four Seasons: Time in Tides

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Classic Busan of Busan Metropolitan City announced that it will present The Four Seasons: Time in Tides, the flagship original production of the 2026 Busan Ballet Season jointly planned with Busan Cultural Center, at the Busan Cultural Center Medium Theater on July 17 and 18.

The production is especially meaningful as it was created through collaboration between Classic Busan and Busan Cultural Center, demonstrating a model for inter-institutional co-production.

The Four Seasons: Time in Tides is based on Vivaldi Recomposed by Max Richter, one of the leading figures of contemporary classical music and a representative composer of post-minimalism.

Antonio Vivaldi’s celebrated masterpiece has been reimagined through a refined contemporary minimalist aesthetic, preserving the familiarity of the original while introducing the bold dynamism of modern music. The performance combines original ballet with live orchestral music in a multidisciplinary collaborative production.

The production brings together the Busan Opera House Ballet Company and the Classic Busan Orchestra, both serving as Classic Busan’s resident performing ensembles for the 2026 season. Acclaimed artists active on stages in Korea and abroad have joined the project, further elevating the artistic quality of the performance.

The production is led by Artistic Director Kim Joo-won, one of Korea’s most renowned ballerinas, with delicate choreography by Yoo Hoe-woong of Yoo Hoe-woong Liberty Hall, a fresh visual perspective by Visual Director Park Hoon-kyu of MUTO, distinguished ballet conducting by Music Director Kim Kwang-hyun, and costume design by Jung Han-ah, whose work pursues functional aesthetics. Together, these leading experts have created a production optimized for the medium-sized theater, capturing the changing seasons through a richly expressive stage.

A total of 18 dancers, including principal dancers Hong Joo-yeon and Jang Yoo-mi of the Busan Opera House Ballet Company and guest principal Kim Hee-hyun, along with season and project members, will bring the story of the four seasons to life through movement. Since May, they have devoted themselves to intensive daily rehearsals at Dadumchae, the rehearsal studio of Busan Cultural Center.

Enhancing the musical depth of the performance, Kim Kwang-hyun, Music Director of the Classic Busan Orchestra and one of Korea’s foremost conductors specializing in ballet music, will lead the orchestra. Joining as soloist is internationally acclaimed violinist Kim Jae-won, a Busan native who formerly served as Concertmaster for Life of the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse in France and currently teaches at Ewha Womans University.

Guest Concertmaster Park Jun-young will lead the 18-member Classic Busan Orchestra. The ensemble of strings, harp, and harpsichord will create a rich and profound soundscape, maximizing the emotional impact of the production.

Tickets are priced at KRW 50,000 for R seats, KRW 30,000 for S seats, and KRW 20,000 for A seats. Reservations can be made through the Busan Cultural Center website (bscc.or.kr) or by telephone at +82-51-607-6000.

Artistic Director Kim Joo-won said, “This production brings to the stage the beauty of our four distinct seasons, which are gradually disappearing due to climate change. Through a graceful portrayal of nature, humanity, and the tides of time, I hope audiences will rediscover the preciousness of everyday life and the beauty that surrounds us.”

Park Min-jung, Chief Executive of Classic Busan, said, “As the centerpiece of this year’s Busan Ballet Season, The Four Seasons: Time in Tides demonstrates the highest level of artistic excellence achieved through the seamless collaboration of the ballet company and orchestra. Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen the region’s artistic foundation by establishing a theater model centered on original production.”