Theater
Shim-Chung by the Universal Ballet of Korea draws on a Korean folk story about a young girl and her filial love for her blind father. The company, founded in 1984, is known for infusing Russian romantic ballet with a Korean sensibility.
■ National Theater, Taipei City
■ Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$3,600, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Meirenjian (美人尖) is Taiwan Bangzi Company’s (台灣豫劇團) latest production of bangzi opera (梆子), otherwise known as Henan or Yu opera (豫劇). Scripted by theater scholar Liu Hui-fen (劉慧芬) and directed by renowned filmmaker Lin Cheng-sheng (林正盛), the performance tells of a Taiwanese woman’s drama-filled battle with her husband’s traditional family.
■ Metropolitan Hall (城市舞台), 25, Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德路三段25號)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,600, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
All U People Theater’s (全民大劇團) Television Station in Chaos (瘋狂電視台—相聲了沒) returns to Taipei with 12 shows starting tonight. The stand-up comedy performed in Mandarin tells the story of five workers who try to rescue the TV company they work for from bankruptcy. The cast includes comedian Bacy Tang (唐從聖) and theater veteran Luo Bei-an (羅北安).
■ Novel Hall (新舞臺), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號)
■ Tonight, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$350 to NT$2,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
For its rendition of Cinderella (仙履奇緣), the Kaohsiung City Ballet (高雄城市芭蕾舞團) teams up with the Kaohsiung City Symphony Orchestra (高雄市交響樂團) and brings Romanian ballet choreographer Ioana Vasilescu on board as dance adviser. The show is part of the ongoing Kaohsiung Spring Arts Festival (高雄春天藝術節, w4.khcc.gov.tw/ksaf2011). [See Highlight.]
■ Kaohsiung Chihteh Hall (高雄至德堂), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市五福一路67號)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Being staged as part of the Taiwan International Festival of Arts (2011台灣國際藝術節, tifa.ntch.edu.tw), Crosstalk Travelers (那一夜,在旅途中說相聲) is the newest installment of Performance Workshop Theatre’s (表演工作坊) popular cross talk series, which began in 1985 with the smash hit play That Night We Performed Crosstalk (那一夜我們說相聲). The product of a collaboration between renowned playwright and theater director Stan Lai (賴聲川) and television guru Wang Wei-chung (王偉忠), Crosstalk Travelers tells the tale of two wanderers who recount past adventures and reflect on life.
■ Tainan Municipal Cultural Center (台南市立文化中心), 332, Jhonghua E Rd Sec 3, Greater Tainan (台南市中華東路三段332號)
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,800, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
Ray Chen Violin Recital (陳銳小提琴演奏會) brings 22-year-old Taiwan-born violin prodigy Ray Chen (陳銳) back to Taiwan following his success as the winner of the Yehudi Menuhin Competition in 2008 and the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2009. The program includes Cesar Franck’s Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major, JS Bach’s Chaconne From Partita in D Minor for Solo Violin, BWV 1004, and Wieniawski’s Legende’s Variations for Violin on an Original Theme, Op. 15 as well as Saltarelle, arranged by Kreisler. Chen will be accompanied on piano by Julien Quentin.
■ Today at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Hilary Hahn & ECO (希拉蕊韓&英國室內管弦樂團) is a concert by the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Stephanie Gonley featuring American violin soloist Hilary Hahn. The program includes Haydn’s Symphony No. 44 in E Minor “Trauer,” Mozart’s Violin Concerto in A, K. 219 and Dvorak’s Nocturne and Serenade for Strings.
■ Wednesday at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$1,000 to NT$4,200, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
A Concert of Russian Ballet Music by Chen Rueibin (陳瑞斌俄羅斯芭蕾鋼琴音樂會) presents the highly acclaimed Taiwan-born concert pianist Chen Rueibin (陳瑞斌) performing a program that includes selections from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcraker, and Stravinsky’s Petrouchka.
■ Wednesday at 7:30pm
■ Chunghsing Concert Hall, Taichung (台中中興堂), 291-3 Cingwu Rd, Greater Taichung (台中市精武路291之3號)
■ Tickets are NT$800 to NT$4,800, available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Singers Tour Concert (丹麥人聲樂團Singers巡迴音樂會) presents Danish a cappella group Singers as part of the 2011 Vocal Spring Festival (2011春唱).
■ Today at 7:30pm
■ Pingtung Jong-Jeng Gallery and Music Hall (屏東縣中正藝術館), 427 Heping Rd, Pingtung City (屏東市和平路427號)
■ Tickets are NT$200, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
2011 Asia Pacific String Quartet Concert in Spring (2011亞太弦樂四重奏春季音樂會) presents Huang Wei-ming (黃維明) and Hsu Hsi-lung (徐錫隆) on violin, Chen Ruei-hsien (陳瑞賢) on viola and Chen Chien-an (陳建安) on cello. They will perform a program that includes Beethoven’s String Quartet No.14 in C-Sharp Minor and String Quartet in F Major.
■ Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Taichung City Seaport Art Center (台中市立港區藝術中心), 21 Jhongjhen Rd, Cingshuei District, Greater Taichung (台中市清水區忠貞路21號); a second concert will be held in Taipei at 7:30pm on April 15 at the National Recital Hall
■ Tickets are NT$200 for Taichung and from NT$300 to NT$1,000 for Taipei, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Legacy Taipei, located in a former warehouse at Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts. Tonight the venue hosts happy-go-lucky indie rock band Relax One (輕鬆玩). Tomorrow, Chicks on Speed, an all-girl art-punk band from Germany, takes to the stage. On Wednesday, it’s two up-and-coming rock bands, Pumpkinney Fan Club (南瓜妮歌迷俱樂部) and garage rockers Mary See the Future.
■ Shows start at 8pm
■ Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), Center Five Hall (中五館), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
■ Ticket price tonight not available as of press time, NT$1,250 tomorrow (NT$950 in advance), NT$500 on Wednesday (NT$400 in advance). Tickets for the venue’s concerts can be purchased at ERA ticketing outlets, online through www.ticket.com.tw or www.legacy.com.tw or at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
The Wall (這牆), Taipei’s most prominent venue for indie rock artists, tonight hosts a benefit concert for Japanese tsunami victims, which is being held by the Japanese-run, Beijing-based label People’s Records. Bands include Japanese punk groups Mix Market and Samurai Attack and Taiwanese pop-rock bands P!SCO and Slimo. Tomorrow, two J-pop artists, Tamaki Nami and Momoi Haruko, take to the stage. On Wednesday, it’s funk and soul group PageDown and rock outfit Electric Q.
■ Show starts at 8pm tonight and Wednesday, 7:30pm tomorrow
■ B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1), tel: (02) 2930-0162. On the Net: www.thewall.com.tw
■ NT$500 (NT$400 in advance) tonight, NT$1,600 tomorrow, and NT$400 on Wednesday. Tickets for all shows can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Folk rocker Jih Ching-chiang (日京江) appears tonight at Witch House (女巫店), which regularly hosts shows from both indie rock bands and folk artists in a coffeehouse setting.
Aboriginal folk singer Panai (巴奈) performs tomorrow and on Thursday, indie-folk star Cheer Chen (陳綺貞) takes to the stage for a show that’s already sold out.
■ Shows start at 9:30pm. Restaurant/bar with queer/feminist bookstore and large collection of board games open 11am to midnight Sundays through Wednesdays, 11am to 1am Thursdays through Saturdays
■ 7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號), tel: (02) 2362-5494. On the Net: www.witchhouse.org
■ Entrance for music shows is NT$300. Thursday’s show is already sold out
Tonight Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) hosts rock and jazz fusionists Yellow Funky Stuff. Tomorrow folk-pop duo JS performs Japanese pop and on Sunday, Taiwanese American pop singer Lara Veronin (梁心頤), best known as one of Jay Chou’s (周杰倫) backing singers, takes to the stage. Monday is the venue’s weekly open jam.
■ Show starts tonight at 9:30pm, 9pm on all other nights. For a list of standard songs and ground rules for the open jam, visit the venue’s Web site
■ B1, 2, Ln 244, Roosevelt Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路三段244巷2號B1), next to Taipower Building (台電大樓), tel: (02) 2368-7310. On the Net: www.riverside.com.tw
■ NT$400 tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday and NT$150 Monday. Tickets can be purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight Riverside Live House hosts Mando-pop singers Nylon Chen (陳乃榮) and Justine Chi (紀文蕙). Tomorrow, it’s a benefit concert for Japanese tsunami victims featuring Mando-pop singers Singger Liu (劉行格) and Debbie Huang (黃荻鈞), who is also a star actress in Rookies’ Diary (新兵日記), a popular FTV TV drama about Taiwanese military life. Indie pop singer-songwriter Peggy Hsu (許哲珮) takes to the stage on Monday with her group Circus (馬戲團).
■ Shows start at 8:30pm
■ 177 Xining S Rd, Taipei City (台北市西寧南路177號), tel: (02) 2370-8805. On the Net: www.riverside.com.tw
■ Entrance is NT$400 tonight, NT$450 tomorrow, NT$550 on Monday (NT$450 in advance). Tickets can be purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
Jazz quintet Oren performs tonight at Sappho de Base, a late night lounge bar that hosts mostly live jazz and blues performances. Tomorrow, it’s trumpeter Danny Deysher and his quartet. On Tuesday, it’s a band called Jazzy Bounce, and MaJam Jazz Quartet (麻將爵士樂團) plays jazz, fusion, funk and blues on Wednesday.
■ Shows start at 10pm. The venue is closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ B1, 1, Ln 102, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市安和路一段102巷1號B1), tel: (02) 2700-5411. On the Net: www.sappho102.biz
■ Entrance is NT$200 tonight and tomorrow, free on other nights
EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Highlights for the week ahead include Mando-pop songstress Julia Peng (彭佳慧) on Tuesday, and male crooner Shin Lung (辛龍), who performs every Saturday. Acclaimed Aboriginal singer Samingad (紀曉君) performs on Thursdays.
■ Shows run from 9:45pm to 12:30am
■ 211, Anhe Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市安和路二段211號), tel: (02) 2738-3995. On the Net: visit www.ez5.com.tw
■ Entrance fee (includes two drinks) ranges from NT$600 to NT$850, depending on the performer
Taipei Swing holds dance socials on Friday nights at Italian restaurant Capone’s, with live music from electric blues band Bopomofo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ). Dancers of all levels welcome. Tomorrow, drummer Abe Nbugu Kenyatta leads a band playing music from his hometown of New Orleans.
■ Live music from 9pm to 11:30pm on Fridays, 8pm to 11:30pm on Saturdays
■ 312, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段312號)
■ On Fridays, minimum charge of one drink. On Saturdays, minimum charge is NT$300
New wave rockers Supercharged Northern Comfort (超快速北方安逸) and Black Summer Days perform tomorrow at The Village Cafe (村落餐廳), a bar and cafe located at the Taipei Artist Village (台北國際藝術村), which hosts shows every Saturday night.
■ Tomorrow at 9pm
■ 7 Beiping E Rd, Taipei City (台北市北平東路7號), tel: (02) 3393-7377, X207
■ Entrance is NT$300, includes one drink
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
Approaching her mid-30s, Xiong Yidan reckons that most of her friends are on to their second or even third babies. But Xiong has more than a dozen. There is Lucky, the street dog from Bangkok who jumped into a taxi with her and never left. There is Sophie and Ben, sibling geese, who honk from morning to night. Boop and Pan, both goats, are romantically involved. Dumpling the hedgehog enjoys a belly rub from time to time. The list goes on. Xiong nurtures her brood from her 8,000 square meter farm in Chiang Dao, a mountainous district in northern Thailand’s
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