Fine Arts & Cinema

[Anchor Lead]

A new trend these days is the screening of live recordings of stage theater or opera productions at the cinema. This mash-up of the arts is an exciting new way to experience the drama and beauty of the stage.

[Pkg]

This film is produced by the Royal National Theatre in London. A live theater performance was filmed using several cameras. The film was screened at a Korean theater early this year, and tickets were sold out.

[Soundbite] Kim Yeong-suk(Performance Planning Team, Nat'l Theater of Korea) : "Many screenings are sold out as viewers can enjoy quality productions from abroad at an affordable price."

A live recording of a New York opera was screened at another theater, which also drew great response from fans.

[Soundbite] Eun Yeong(Live Opera Recording Viewer) : "I personally love operas. It's nice to watch it in a theater. The screen is large and the cost low."

More and more attempts are being made to convert fine arts performances into film for theater screening purposes. This approach can draw a large number of spectators at little cost. Korea has also begun distributing recordings of performances to areas where there are no concert halls and locals do not have access to these shows. Virtual reality or 3D technologies are also being incorporated. But it's not without concern. Some worry that the screening of live recordings can backfire and diminish the market of small-scale performances and also undermine the essence of art.

[Soundbite] Ji Hye-won(Cultural Critic) : "Interaction with the audience is a key aspect of performance art. But this is lost in the format of a filmed performance."

The remaining task is for performance arts to find a way to coexist with the ever evolving digital technology.