Theater
Legend of the Knight (騎士傳說), an Irish dance odyssey for children.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TFAM
Tonight at the Taipei International Convention Center (台北國際會議中心), 1, Xinyi Rd, Sec 5, Taipei (台北市信義路五段1號); Tomorrow at the Tainan Municipal Cultural Center (台南市立文化中心), 332, Chunghua E Rd, Sec. 3, Tainan (台南市中華東路三段332號) and Sunday at the Hsinchu City Performance Hall (新竹市立演藝廳) 17, Tungtah Rd, Sec. 2, Hsinchu (新竹市東大路二段17號).
● Tickets for Taipei show cost from NT$400 to NT$2,000. Tickets for Tainan and Hsinchu shows cost from NT$400 to NT$1,600 and are available direct from the venues.
● All shows begin at 7:30pm
A Showcase of Comic Roles and Characters from Kun Opera (崑曲名丑匯演紀念崑丑大師王傳淞百年誕辰), by the Zhijiang Kun Opera Troupe (浙江崑劇團). Novel Hall (新舞台) at 3-1 Sungshou Rd, Taipei (台北市松壽路3-1號).
● Tickets cost from NT$400 to NT$2,000 and are available direct from the Novel Hall's box office.
● Performances both tonight and tomorrow begin at 7:30pm.
An Afternoon of Tea and Beijing Opera with the Traditional Chinese Opera Troupe (戲專國劇團京劇神秘養成班大公開), Red Playhouse (紅樓劇場), 10, Chengdu Rd, Taipei (台北市成都路10號).
● Tickets cost NT$150 and are available at the door
● The show starts Sunday at 2:30pm
Classical
2006 Asia Pacific Juilliard String Quartet Winter Recital
(2006亞太弦樂四重奏 冬季音樂會) National Recital Hall (國家演奏廳).
● Tickets cost from NT$300 to NT$500 and are available from NTCH ticketing outlets nationwide or direct from the venue's box office.
● Tonight at 7:30pm
Yu Yu-hong's Guzheng Recital (余囿鴻古箏獨奏會). featuring the Chiuko Traditional Orchestra (九歌民族管弦樂團). National Recital Hall (國家演奏廳).
● Tickets cost from NT$200 to NT$400 and are available from NTCH ticketing outlets nationwide or direct from the venue's box office.
● Tomorrow at 7:30pm
A Century of Beautiful Sounds for the New Year (世紀美聲新年音樂會). featuring Elena Kononenko and Vadim Tikhonov. Kaohsiung Chi-Deh Hall (高雄市文化中心至德堂) 67, Wufu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung (高雄市五福一路67號).
● Tickets cost from NT$300 to NT$1,000 and are available from NTCH ticketing outlets or direct from the venue.
● Sunday 7:30pm
Chang Rui-chi Flute Recital (張瑞芝雙簧管獨奏會). National Recital Hall (國家演奏廳).
● Tickets cost from NT$200 to NT$500 and are available from NTCH ticketing outlets nationwide or direct from the venue's box office.
● Tomorrow at 7:30pm
New Taiwan Piano Music Concert (新台灣鋼琴作品發表會). National Recital Hall (國家演奏廳).
● Tickets cost NT$200 and are available from NTCH ticketing outlets nationwide or direct from the venue's box office.
● Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 7:30pm
An Evening of Taiwanese Folk and Traditional Music with Lee Chung-nan(臺灣歌鄉土情李忠男合唱作品), featuring the Taipei Century Choir (臺北世紀合唱團). Taipei Zhongshan Hall (台北市中山堂), 98 Yenping S Rd, Taipei (台北市延平南路98號).
● Tickets cost from NT$200 to NT$500 direct from the venue.
● Sunday at 7:30pm
Exhibitions
A Dangerous Display ((危險的展覽). A solo exhibition of works and thoughts by Moving Sound's Scott Prairie. Chi-Wen Gallery (formally Taipei MOMA) 3F, 19, Ln 252, Dunhua S Rd, Sec 1, Taipei (台北市敦化南路一段252巷19號3樓). Call (02) 87713372.
● Open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11am to 7pm
●Until Feb. 11
Imperial Delights: Prized Possessions from the Qing Imperial Collection (皇室珍玩), Astonishing Heaven: Ceramics, Jades, Ivory, Carvings, and Curio Boxes. Buddhist Sculpture through the dynasties (歷代佛像雕塑藝術展). Masterpieces of Jade (玉器精品展). And A Special Exhibition of Sunghua Ink Stones (松花石硯特展). The National Palace Museum (國立故宮博物院), 221, Zhishan Rd, Sec 2, Taipei (台北市至善路二段221號).
● Open Mondays through Sundays from 9am until 3pm.
Call (02) 2881 2021.
●All exhibitions run until Jan 25
Oceanic Taiwan -- A Dialogue Between the People and the Island (海洋台灣 -- 人民與島嶼的對話). and Treasures From the Central Plain of Ancient China (王朝密寶 -- 古中原考古文物展). National Museum of History (國立歷史博物館), 49, Nanhai Rd, Taipei (台北市南海路49號). Call (02) 2361 0270.
● Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Exhibitions run until Feb. 5 and Feb. 19 respectively
A Special Chiang Kai-shek Photography Exhibition (蔣公照片展). Grass Mountain Chateau (草山行館) 89, Hudi Rd, Yangmingshan, Taipei (台北市陽明山湖底路89號).
Call (02) 2862 1911.
● Open Mondays through Sundays from 9am until 5pm. Until Jan. 31
The Flux and Fracture of Building Culture -- National Taiwan Museum Architecture Exhibition (文化的流轉與斷層 -- 國立臺灣博物館的建築特展). The exhibition introduces the architectural design of one of Taiwan's oldest and most noteworthy museums. National Taiwan Museum (國立台灣博物館) 2, Xiangyang Rd, Taipei (台北市襄陽路2號).
● Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm. Call (02) 2382 2699. Until April 9
A Banquet of Cast Glass -- Lu De-hua's Solo Exhibition(如我隨行琉璃的響宴 -- 羅得華個展), a series of Liuli art works. Home Gallery (家畫廊), 30-1, Zhongshan N Rd, Sec 3, Taipei (台北市中山北路三段30-1號).
Call (02) 2591 4302.
● Open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm. Until Jan. 25
A Rare Glimpse of the Archives of the Grand Secretariat (內閣大庫展覽). Museum of the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica (中央研究院歷史語言研究所歷史文物陳列館). 128, Yanjiuyuan Rd, Sec 2, Taipei (台北市研究院路二段128號).
● Open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9:30am through 4:30pm.
Call (02) 2652 3180. Until April 13
Dance in Shutter -- Chen Shao-wei Photography Solo Exhibition (快門慢舞 -- 陳少維影像個展) Taiwan International Visual Arts Center (台灣國際視覺藝術中心), 1F, 29, Ln 45, Liaoning St, Taipei (台北市遼寧街45巷29號1樓). Call (02) 2773 3347.
● Open Tuesday to Friday from 11am to 7pm; Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm. Until Jan. 18
Pig the Superhero Drives Away Three Monsters(豬俠除三害) , -- A special exhibition of Chinese puppetry that includes several performances daily by the Hsiaohsi Yuan Puppet Theater (小西園掌中劇團) and features English language programs and explanatory notes. Puppetry Art Center of Taipei (台北偶戲館) 2-4F, 99, Civil Blvd, Sec.5, Taipei 9 (台北市市民大道五段99號2-4樓). For performance times and to organize a private tour of the art center call (02) 2528 7955.
● Until Jan 20.
Joint Exhibition of Taiwan Landscapes (台灣采風攝影聯展), Jazz Photo Gallery (爵士攝影藝廊) 2F, 433, Bade Rd, Sec 2, Taipei (台北市八德路二段 433號2F). Call (02) 2741 2256.
● Open Mondays through Sundays from 10am to 6pm. Until Jan. 12
Border Crossing: The Shadow Dance of Cities (越界: 城市舞影展) features an eclectic mix of contemporary technological art from Taipei and Shanghai. Taipei Artist Village (台北國際藝術村) 7, Beiping E. Rd, Taipei (台北市北平東路7號). Call (02) 3393 7377.
● Open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 6pm.
●Until Jan. 22
Hakka Images: Chi Kuo-chang Photo Exhibition (家意像: 紀國章影像藝術展), Taipei Hakka Culture Gallery (台北客家文化藝廊) 6F, Taipei City Hall, 1, Shifu Rd, Taipei (台北 市市府路1號6樓). Call (02) 2720 8889.
● Open Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm. Until May 31
Movie Festival
Russian Literature and Film Festival (俄羅斯電影與文學影展) featuring films adapted from Russian literature. For more information, visit www.spot.org.tw. SPOT -- Taipei Film House (台北光點), 18, Zhongshan N Rd, Sec 2, Taipei (台北市中山北路二段18號). Hsinchu Municipal Image Museum (新竹影像博物館), 65, Chungcheng Rd, Hsinchu City (新竹市中正路65號). Kaohsiung Film Archive (高雄電影資料館), 10, Hesi Rd, Yencheng district, Kaohsiung County (高雄縣鹽埕區河西路10號). NT$180 for members, NT$200 for non-members at SPOT -- Taipei Film House. NT$100 in Hsinchu.
● Entrance is free of charge in Kaohsiung.
● Until Jan. 13
Sept.16 to Sept. 22 The “anti-communist train” with then-president Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) face plastered on the engine puffed along the “sugar railway” (糖業鐵路) in May 1955, drawing enthusiastic crowds at 103 stops covering nearly 1,200km. An estimated 1.58 million spectators were treated to propaganda films, plays and received free sugar products. By this time, the state-run Taiwan Sugar Corporation (台糖, Taisugar) had managed to connect the previously separate east-west lines established by Japanese-era sugar factories, allowing the anti-communist train to travel easily from Taichung to Pingtung’s Donggang Township (東港). Last Sunday’s feature (Taiwan in Time: The sugar express) covered the inauguration of the
The corruption cases surrounding former Taipei Mayor and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) head Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) are just one item in the endless cycle of noise and fuss obscuring Taiwan’s deep and urgent structural and social problems. Even the case itself, as James Baron observed in an excellent piece at the Diplomat last week, is only one manifestation of the greater problem of deep-rooted corruption in land development. Last week the government announced a program to permit 25,000 foreign university students, primarily from the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, to work in Taiwan after graduation for 2-4 years. That number is a
In a stark demonstration of how award-winning breakthroughs can come from the most unlikely directions, researchers have won an Ig Nobel prize for discovering that mammals can breathe through their anuses. After a series of tests on mice, rats and pigs, Japanese scientists found the animals absorb oxygen delivered through the rectum, work that underpins a clinical trial to see whether the procedure can treat respiratory failure. The team is among 10 recognized in this year’s Ig Nobel awards (see below for more), the irreverent accolades given for achievements that “first make people laugh, and then make them think.” They are not
This Qing Dynasty trail takes hikers from renowned hot springs in the East Rift Valley, up to the top of the Coastal Mountain Range, and down to the Pacific Short vacations to eastern Taiwan often require choosing between the Rift Valley with its pineapple fields, rice paddies and broader range of amenities, or the less populated coastal route for its ocean scenery. For those who can’t decide, why not try both? The Antong Traversing Trail (安通越嶺道) provides just such an opportunity. Built 149 years ago, the trail linked up these two formerly isolated parts of the island by crossing over the Coastal Mountain Range. After decades of serving as a convenient path for local Amis, Han settlers, missionaries and smugglers, the trail fell into disuse once modern roadways were built