THEATER
Judge Bao (遇見包青天) by National Guoguang Opera Company (國立國光劇團) follows three stories based on the life of the renowned and fair-minded Hunan judge Baozhen (包拯) of the Song Dynasty. The first story is about a scholar who hires a hitman to kill his wife so that he can get closer to a princess and thus ingratiate himself with the royal family. The second is about a mistake made by Judge Bao and how, through humility, he corrects it. The final story finds Judge Bao in ordinary clothing helping commoners deal with their legal problems.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF MOLMOL
* National Cultural Center, Kaohsiung City (高雄市文化中心), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市五福一路67號)
* Today, tomorrow and Sunday at 7:30pm
* Tickets are NT$300 and NT$500 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artstickets.com.tw
A Touch of Zen (正版--神武不二) is a unique theatrical experience by Taipei-based drumming performance group U-Theater. Using traditional Chinese martial arts and qi gong as the basis of the performance, the performance is a reflection on the relationship between percussion and meditation.
* Performance Hall of the Hsinchu County Cultural Affairs Bureau (新竹縣文化局演藝廳), 146 Hsiancheng 9th Rd, Chupei, Hsinchu County (新竹縣竹北市縣政九路146號)
* Tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
* Tickets are NT$350 to NT$2,000 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artstickets.com.tw
The Half-mile Great Wall (半里長城) by Ping Fong Acting Troupe (屏風表演班) takes a humorous look at the building of the Great Wall.
* Chiayi Performing Arts Center (嘉義縣表演藝術中心), 265 Jianguo Rd Sec 2, Minsyong Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣民雄鄉建國路二段265號)
* Tomorrow at 7:30pm
* Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,500 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artstickets.com.tw (Note: Only NT$2,500 tickets are available)
A Doll's House. Performed by Tellus Theater, the play was written in 1879 by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen and is a harsh criticism of Victorian marital life.
* Lien Te Vegetarian Restaurant (蓮德品素天地), B1, 82 Ningpo W St, Taipei (台北市寧波西街82號B1)
* Tomorrow at 6:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
* Tickets are NT$350 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
2007 -- Taipei Traditional Arts festival (2007 臺北市傳統藝術季). This is the final weekend to get out and take in some traditional Chinese and Taiwanese performance art. This weekend's celebrations are light on the Chinese and heavy on Taiwan. Taiwanese Opera, that is. One's Destiny is Not Determined by Fate (命運不是天註定) by Holo Taiwanese Opera Troupe (河洛歌仔劇團), followed tomorrow by Ruei-lien Liu Defends the Nation (劉瑞蓮護國), performed by Chun-Mei Taiwanese Opera Troupe (春美歌劇團). Sunday's performance is The Adorable Youth (可愛青春).
* Zhongshan Hall Plaza, Taipei Zhongshan Hall (台北市中山堂),
98 Yenping S Rd, Taipei (台北市延平南路98號)
* All performances begin at 7pm
* Admission is free
SPECIAL EVENTS
Participants are needed for a Living and Housing in the 3rd Millennium forum taking place in Taipei, starting Thursday and running until June 3. The workshop is tasked with developing strategies for improving the quality of life in the nation's capital city. German industrial designer Klaus Luig will be coordinating the workshop, which is organized by the German Culture Centre Taipei, the National Taipei University of Technology and the Hao Ran Foundation. Attendance is free. The workshop will be held at National Taipei University of Technology, 1 Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 3, Taipei (台北市忠孝東路三段1號). For further information contact Kathrin Hirth, at the German Culture Center Taipei, 12F, 20 Heping W Rd Sec 1, Taipei (台北市和平西路一段20號12樓). Call (02) 2365-7294.
www.dk-taipei.org.tw.
A fundraiser for Animals Taiwan will take place at the recently opened culture-art space, World in Taiwan, in Tianmu, where all profits will go to helping improve the livelihood of animals in Taiwan. The line-up of acts includes four fire spinners six belly dancers and musicians from around Taipei as well as an open mike. For more information call David at (09) 3288-9524 or checkout the Animals Taiwan Web site at www.animalstaiwan.org.
* 6F, Ln 15, 8 Yusheng St, Taipei (台北市雨聲街15巷8號6樓)
* Tomorrow beginning at 5pm
* Entrance is NT$500
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Taishin Arts Center Lunch Time Concert--Taipei Percussion (台新金控藝文中心午間音樂會--台北打擊樂團). A part of the Taishin Arts Center's (台新金控藝文中心) "Good Afternoon" Music Series II (快樂時光系列II), Taipei Percussion will present a program of marimba-based works. Since its inception in 1986, Taipei Percussion has frequently traveled around the nation performing in towns and cities. It has cultivated numerous young talented percussionists and promoted percussion arts by holding music lectures. By merging various stage performances and spirits of experimentation, the ensemble has proactively published the works of several young domestic composers, whose works will also be presented in today's concert. Featuring percussionists Wei Hua-yao (魏華瑤), Yu Wen-chieh (尤文傑), Lin Yun-shan (林昀珊), and Wang Wei-ting (王瑋婷), they will present a program of works, including Takayoshi Yoshioka's Divertimento for Three Marimbas (嬉遊曲), Orgel
(管風琴奇想), When You Wish Upon A Star (在星星上的願望), Moon River (月河), Over the Rainbow (飛躍彩虹), Martin Mystrom's As the Deer (如鹿渴慕溪水), and Lien Ya-wen's (連雅文) arranged 12th Street Ragtime (12街).
* At the Taishin Arts Center, 2F, 118 Renai Rd Sec 4, Taipei (台北市仁愛路四段118號2樓)
* Free admission
* Today at 12:30pm
2007 Young Star Series--Chiu Meng-lu Harp Recital "Exploring the Beauty of Harp" (2007兩廳院樂壇新秀--邱孟璐豎琴獨奏會).
Harpist Chiu received her Bachelor's degree from the Queensland Conservatory of Music, Australia, the Master's degree in the harp performance and the diploma of music performance from the Indiana University with honors. When Chiu was still student at the Queensland Conservatory, she won first prize of the Philipa Power Harp Competition three years in a row. She also won the champion of the Una Morgan Prize in 2000 and had been invited to collaborate with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra for several times. Chiu will present a program of works, including Respighi's Sicilliana, Scarlatti's Sonata K208 and 209 in A Major, Pescetti's Sonata in C Minor, Alvars' Introduction, Cadenza and Rondo from the Fantasy on Italian Airs, Rosetti's Sonata No.2, Spohr's Variation for Harp on the Aria "Je suis encore dans mon printemps," Op.36, Hindemith's Sonata for Harp, and Grandjany's Phapsodie.
* At the National Recital Hall, Taipei
* Tickets range from NT$300 to NT$500 and are available through NTCH ticketing.
* Tomorrow at 7:30pm
The Rutgers University Queens Chorale Taiwan Concert Tour (美國羅格斯大學后聲合唱團2007台灣巡迴音樂會).
The Rutgers University Queens Chorale was founded in 1974 by a small group of women who wanted to sing traditional Rutgers music in a relaxed, social atmosphere. Originally named the "Rutgers Women's Chorale," members were also part of the Kirkpatrick Choir, a mixed-voice concert ensemble, directed by David Drinkwater. Now, thirty-two years later under the direction of Victor Shen (沈新欽), members of the chorale are from all of the undergraduate programs at the Rutgers University, and the repertoire has expanded to include concert music. The group will tour Taiwan to give four concerts in Yunlin, Tainan, Taipei, and Taichung. Joined by Yunlin Philharmonic Chamber Chorus (雲林愛樂室內合唱團) in Yunlin tonight, Tainan Teachers' Chorus (台南府城教師合唱團) in Tainan on Sunday, Taiepi Chin-sui Chorus (台北金穗合唱團) in Taipei on May 31, Tunghai University Modern Chorus (東海大學現代合唱團) in Taichung on June 1, the Rutgers University Queens Chorale will present a special music program which contains American contemporary choral works, including Josquin Des Prez's Ave Maria, glatia plena, Keith Hampton's Praise his holy name, John Rutter' Tell me where is Fancy bred, Riddle song, and others.
* Tonight at the Concert Hall of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Yunlin County Government (雲林縣政府文化局音樂廳), 310 Dasyue Rd Sec 3, Touliu City, Yunlin County (雲林縣斗六市大學路三段310號), Sunday at the Tainan Municipal Arts Center (台南市立文化中心演藝廳), 332, Chungshan E Rd Sec 3, Tainan City (台南市中華東路三段332號), May 31 at the Taipei City Government Family Theater (台北市立親子劇場), 2F, 1 Shifu Rd, Taipei (台北市市府路1號2樓), and June 1 at the National Taichung Library Chunghsing Concert Hall (台中市中興堂), 291-3 Chingwu Rd, Taichung City (台中市精武路219之3號).
* For the Taipei concert, tickets cost from NT$200 to NT$500 and are available through NTCH ticketing. For other concerts, please contact the box offices of the local performance venues.
* May 25, 27, and 31, and June 1 at 7:30pm
John Villaveces Piano Recital (約翰凡亞塞斯鋼琴獨奏會).
Villaveces has been selected as one of the outstanding musicians by the YinQi Culture and Music Foundation (財團法人音契文化藝術基金會) to participate in the 2007 Bach New Generational Voice (巴赫新聲) concert series. The program of works will include Bach's Piano Suite No.4 in D Major, Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op.101, and Chopin's Scherzo No.4 in E Major, Op.54.
* At the Bach Hall (台北巴赫廳), B1, 53 Minquan W Rd, Taipei (台北市民權西路53號B1)
* Tickets can be obtained free of charge from the YinQi Culture and Music Foundation at 02-25850866.
* Tomorrow at 7:30pm
Alban Berg Quartett Super Concerts in Taiwan (阿班貝爾格四重奏訪台音樂會). For over thirty years the Alban Berg Quartet has performed regularly in music capitals and major festivals throughout the world. Since its inception, the Alban Berg Quartet have been prolific recording artists and have received over thirty major international awards. Press reviews for the Alban Berg Quartet confirm their reputation. More important to the quartet than the superlative praise in the press and the enthusiasm of the public is their self-appointed mission of giving the most harmonious interpretation of the works they perform and of extending their repertoire from the classical to the avant-garde. In 2005 the quartet suffered a painful loss with the death of their violist Thomas Kakuska. The Alban Berg Quartet continues its concert activities with Isabel Charisius, both out of conviction and in the spirit of Thomas Kakuska. Featuring violinists Gunter Pichler and Gerhard Schulz, violist Isabel Charisius, and cellist Valentin Erben, the qurtet will visit Taiwan as part of their final tour around the world and bid farewell after a 37-year career with a concert of Haydn, Beethoven, and 20th-century repertoire. There will be a pre-concert talk by renowned local cellist Chang Chen-chieh (張正傑) in the lobby of the National Concert Hall for the Taipei concert 30 minutes prior to the concert on Sunday.
* Sunday at the Concert Hall, Taipei, and Tuesday at the Chih-De Hall, National Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center, Kaohsiung City (高雄中正文化中心至德堂), 67, Wufu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市五福一路67號)
* As of press time, all tickets for the Taipei concert are sold out. For the Kaohsiung concerts, NT$500, NT$800, NT$2,000, and NT$5,000 are still available through NTCH ticketing.
* Sunday and May 29 at 7:30pm
Richard Darren Saunders Piano Recital -- French Connections (Richard Darren Saunders 鋼琴獨奏會) and Clarinet, Viola, and Piano Trio Concert (豎笛、中提琴與鋼琴三重奏). Music Forum (十方樂集) in Taipei will present a piano recital tonight and a trio concert on Sunday. French and English piano music includes many works that are all too rarely played. Tonight, Saunders will present a selection of these unknown gems, including three pieces by Deodat de Severac, once considered equal to his contemporaries Debussy and Ravel. Also played tonight is a fine suite by Ernest Chausson, two folksong-inspired pieces by the English composer E. J. Moeran and an extraordinary piece in Oriental style by Cyril Scott. Tonight's music may be unfamiliar, but all of it deserves a place in the repertoire of pianists everywhere. The Sunday concert will feature clarinetist Huang Chen-hua (黃貞華), violist Yang Jui-se (楊瑞瑟), and pianist Chung Chia-wei (鍾家瑋), and the trio will present Mozart's "Kegelstatt" Trio in E-flat Major, K.498, Schumann's Fairy Tales, Op.132, and Bruch's EightPieces, Op.83.
* At the Forum Auditorium (十方樂集音樂劇場演奏廳), 4, Ln 187, Minzu W Rd, Taipei City (台北市民族西路187巷4號)
* All tickets cost NT$250 and are available through NTCH ticketing or call Music Forum at (02) 2593-5811
* Tonight and Sunday at 7:30pm
CONTEMPORARY
Tonight at The Wall, it's post-rock bands The Peppermints (薄荷葉) and Orange Grass (橙草). Tomorrow features indie-pop band Electric Q and the ethereal groove to power rock sound of I.R.I.S. Taking the stage on Wednesday is Sonic Deadhorse, who combine drum 'n' bass beats with atmospheric guitar and soaring keyboard, and folk-rock artist Ah Pei (阿焙).
* Entrance tonight and tomorrow is NT$400. Wednesday is NT$300
* Shows start at 8pm
* B1, 200 Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1).
Call (02) 2930-0162 or visit www.the-wall.com.tw
If you like 1980s power rock bands like Bad Company and Deep Purple, Ray Band, who perform covers and originals tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言), are always a good bet. Tomorrow it's pop-rock band Relax One (輕鬆玩). On Sunday indie-pop band Joker take the stage, along with Candy Wine (糖果酒). Monday, as usual, is open-jam night for anyone with an instrument to play or song to sing. Then on Tuesday it's Small Universe (小宇宙) and Your Low End (憂樂團), followed by indie-pop band Lucky Q and all-girl alt-rock quartet Cherry Boom (櫻桃幫) on Wednesday, and more indie pop with Penny and Room19musik and the versatile funk/nu-metal Coach (教練) on Thursday.
* Shows start at 9:30pm
* Entrance tonight, tomorrow and Wednesday is NT$350. Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday is NT$300. On Monday there is a one-drink minimum
* B1, 2, Ln 244, Roosevelt Rd Sec 3, Taipei (台北市羅斯福路三段244巷2號B1). Call (02) 2368-7310, or visit www.riverside.com.tw
Tonight, 30-something rockers 1976, who normally play larger venues, can be seen in the intimate, smoke-filled environs of Underworld (地下社會). Tomorrow features Varo and expat funk quartet New Hong Kong Hair City. And on Wednesday it's Cosmos People (宇宙人) and Bone (骨頭).
* The bar opens at 8pm and bands take the stage at 9pm
* Entrance is NT$300
* B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei (台北市師大路45號B1). Call (02) 2369 0103 or visit www.underworld-taipei.blogspot.com for more information
Tonight at the Living Room (小客廳) it's flamenco with Rosa de Sevilla (塞維亞玫瑰藝術舞坊), then Drunk and Friends (酒客樂團), and rounding out the evening is expat pop-rock five-piece The Antagonauts. Tomorrow it's Candy Wine (糖果酒) -- "metal, city-girl style" -- then Martin Acoustic Jazz Trio. On Tuesday it's tarot master Eiffel (塔羅老師艾菲爾) and folk singer-songwriter Hank. On Wednesday there's a dinner magic show (晚餐魔術秀), followed by bluegrass band the Soggy Bagel Boys. Thursday features post-grunge act Under Flow and Anties, who are "anti-everything."
* Tonight's flamenco runs from 8pm to 9pm. The bands come on at 9:30pm and 10:30pm. Tomorrow's performances start at 9pm and 10pm. Tuesday's both start at 8pm. Wednesday's magic runs from 6:30pm to 9:30pm, followed by the bluegrass at 10pm. Thursday's shows runs from 9pm to 11pm.
* There is a minimum charge of NT$300 for each musical performance. Wednesday's magic show is NT$500 and the minimum charge for Tuesday's tarot is NT$300
* 3F, 8 Nanjing E Rd Sec 5, Taipei (台北市南京東路五段8號3樓).
Call (02) 8787-4154 or visit www.livingroomtaipei.com
Tonight at Velvet Underground (地下絲絨) it's Infinite Magic (無限魔幻), Survival Influence (存活勢力), Rolling Dice (搖滾骰子) and La Petite Nurse (小護士). Tomorrow it's The Impressionists (印象主義) and Mixman, Tuesday it's Shengna (聲納), Wednesday it's TBL and Vanilla Latte (香草拿鐵), and Thursday it's Malnourished (營養不娘).
* Bands take the stage tonight at 8pm, tomorrow at 7:30pm, Tuesday at 9pm, Wednesday at 8pm and Thursday at 9pm
* Admission has not been listed for several dates, but generally is NT$350 and NT$200 for students
* B1, 50 Zhongxiao W Rd Sec 1, Taipei (台北市忠孝西路一段50號B1).
* Call (02) 2314-1868 or visit www.velvet-underground.com.tw
Tonight at Grooveyard in Taichung, it's new combo 3-Legged Cat. Tomorrow there's a Compass Food Festival after party, featuring Public Radio, and DJs Edifly, Dan, Groove and Z. At Groovecity, Aboriginal folk singer Eagle Lin performs both tonight and tomorrow.
* The music starts at 8pm at Grooveyard and 8:30pm at Groovecity
* Grooveyard cover is NT$200. Groovecity entrance is NT$300
* Groovecity is inside Tiger City (台中老虎城旁停車場) at 120 Henan Rd Sec 3, Taichung (台中市河南路三段120號老虎城). Grooveyard is located at 2F, 105 Huamei W Rd, Taichung (台中市華美西街105號二樓).
* Visit www.grooveyardtaiwan.com or call 0939-574-737 for more
information
EXHIBITIONS
Open Fun -- 2007 Taipei International Modern Calligraphy Exhibition (開Fun -- 2007台北國際現代書法展). Featuring works by around 100 calligraphers from home and abroad, the large-scale exhibition covers extensively generations of artists in the hope of exploring modern calligraphy art perceived as the abstract painting that is expressed through brushes, auras and spacial interplay.
* Taipei Fine Arts Museum (台北市立美術館), 181 Zhongshan N Rd Sec 3, Taipei
(台北市中山北路三段181號).
* Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30am to 5:30pm.
* Call (02) 2595-7656
* Until August 5
Ballet Premier (芭蕾首演). The exhibition features Guan Ze-ju's (關則駒) series of paintings in which exhibit the artistic influences of scholasticism and symbolism while elements of impressionism and surrealism are also apparent. Techniques and skills are not the end. Guan's aim is the expression of the images in his mind.
* Imavision Gallery (晴山藝術中心), 13F, 224 Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei (台北市忠孝東路四段224號13樓).
* Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 6:30pm.
* Call (02) 2773-5155
* Until Wednesday
Fashion Accidentally (流行的意外). Featuring innovative clothing items by 15 artists from 11 countries, the exhibition invites viewers to see how contemporary artists use clothing as an interface to express their reflection on the issues of fashion as a social and cultural subject in the context of globalization. Issues like body politics, racism, class struggle, self-identity, cultural colonialism, and labor exploitation and environmental crises in the so called post-globalization era are all played out in the show.
* Museum of Contemporary Art (台北當代藝術館), 39 Changan W Rd, Taipei
(台北市長安西路39號).
* Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm
* Call (02) 2552-3721
* From tomorrow through July 22
Taiwan Contemporary Art in Wonderland (綠野仙蹤 -- 台灣當代藝術的奇想世界).
Featuring works by 15 Taiwanese contemporary artists who turn to the hollowness and cold irony of the material age to bring about a personal "re-blossoming," the exhibition aims to contribute to the genealogy of Taiwanese contemporary art and invites viewers to enter the artists' dream-like, virtual worlds and commune with their private emotions and thoughts from the dim recesses of their minds.
* National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung (國立台灣美術館), 2 Wuchuan W Rd Sec 1, Taichung (台中市五權西路一段2號).
* Open Tueseday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
* Call (04) 2372-3552
* Until Aug. 5
In late October of 1873 the government of Japan decided against sending a military expedition to Korea to force that nation to open trade relations. Across the government supporters of the expedition resigned immediately. The spectacle of revolt by disaffected samurai began to loom over Japanese politics. In January of 1874 disaffected samurai attacked a senior minister in Tokyo. A month later, a group of pro-Korea expedition and anti-foreign elements from Saga prefecture in Kyushu revolted, driven in part by high food prices stemming from poor harvests. Their leader, according to Edward Drea’s classic Japan’s Imperial Army, was a samurai
Located down a sideroad in old Wanhua District (萬華區), Waley Art (水谷藝術) has an established reputation for curating some of the more provocative indie art exhibitions in Taipei. And this month is no exception. Beyond the innocuous facade of a shophouse, the full three stories of the gallery space (including the basement) have been taken over by photographs, installation videos and abstract images courtesy of two creatives who hail from the opposite ends of the earth, Taiwan’s Hsu Yi-ting (許懿婷) and Germany’s Benjamin Janzen. “In 2019, I had an art residency in Europe,” Hsu says. “I met Benjamin in the lobby
April 22 to April 28 The true identity of the mastermind behind the Demon Gang (魔鬼黨) was undoubtedly on the minds of countless schoolchildren in late 1958. In the days leading up to the big reveal, more than 10,000 guesses were sent to Ta Hwa Publishing Co (大華文化社) for a chance to win prizes. The smash success of the comic series Great Battle Against the Demon Gang (大戰魔鬼黨) came as a surprise to author Yeh Hung-chia (葉宏甲), who had long given up on his dream after being jailed for 10 months in 1947 over political cartoons. Protagonist
Peter Brighton was amazed when he found the giant jackfruit. He had been watching it grow on his farm in far north Queensland, and when it came time to pick it from the tree, it was so heavy it needed two people to do the job. “I was surprised when we cut it off and felt how heavy it was,” he says. “I grabbed it and my wife cut it — couldn’t do it by myself, it took two of us.” Weighing in at 45 kilograms, it is the heaviest jackfruit that Brighton has ever grown on his tropical fruit farm, located