Established in 1991 as a traditional Chinese ensemble, Chai Found Music Workshop (采風樂坊) has battled valiantly to broaden the appeal of traditional Chinese chamber music through the incorporation of modern musical styles and dramatic elements. This weekend, it presents Wuji (無極), the most recent composition by troupe founder and artistic director Huang Cheng-ming (黃正銘). This work, with its atmospheric stage setting and stylistic borrowings from the epics of martial arts and chivalry, aims to captivate a younger audience.
With Wuji, Huang has moved away from the overtly dramatic presentation of works such as 2005’s Ambush! — An Instrumental Musical (十面埋伏) and 2007’s The Journey of the Monkey King (西遊記), both of which were based on well-known stories. With Wuji, he has shifted toward something more abstract. This new work is a representation of the four seasons as felt by a nameless itinerant warrior. Why he is where he is and what led him there are all left up to the imagination of audience members, who can find their own interpretation of the tale as the changing moods of the seasons wash over them.
In this wider imaginative space, the musical instruments have greater scope for individual expression.
Photo courtesy of Chai Found Music Workshop
“For example, the deep, resonant sound of the ruan (阮) underscores a darker side to the protagonist’s character, which is juxtaposed against the strong, vibrant notes of the erhu (二胡) [the protagonist’s main instrument],” Huang said. “The two sides, darkness and light, struggle against each other.”
This abstract musical struggle is set against a visual backdrop inspired by martial arts epics and fantasy tales, with the costumed musicians also serving as performers and dancers. Huang achieved remarkable results in The Journey of the Monkey King, cajoling his young musicians to not only play their instruments, but also serve as characters in a story. In this more abstract work, the performers have an even more difficult task in being physically expressive without the aid of a narrative structure.
The use of backing music, notably some percussion, gives the production a driving energy, but from sections reviewed during a pre-debut lecture/performance last month, its effectiveness is questionable, for while it makes the music accessible, it also diminishes its rigor and character. It is clear that Huang is striving for a contemporary feel to this piece, and these efforts are laudable, but with Wuji one cannot get away from the feeling that the group is trying a little too hard to be all things to all people.
Photo courtesy of Chai Found Music Workshop
The skill and versatility of the Chai Found Music Workshop has been proved repeatedly in collaborations with experimental musical groups including the French contemporary Ensemble 2e2m and the Dutch Nieuw Ensemble. The troupe also continues to uphold the traditional skills of the Chinese ensemble orchestra and is engaged in the training of a new generation of performers. The venture into musical theater, which began in 2005, has already proved exciting, and Wuji, the third production of this type, is another chance for Chai’s young performers to show off their virtuosity.
Wuji premiers at the National Theater in Taipei City today at 7:30pm, with performances tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm. Tickets are NT$300 to NT$2,000. The production will also show in Hsinchu on Wednesday, with further performances in Jhongli and Taichung next month.
Cheng Ching-hsiang (鄭青祥) turned a small triangle of concrete jammed between two old shops into a cool little bar called 9dimension. In front of the shop, a steampunk-like structure was welded by himself to serve as a booth where he prepares cocktails. “Yancheng used to be just old people,” he says, “but now young people are coming and creating the New Yancheng.” Around the corner, Yu Hsiu-jao (饒毓琇), opened Tiny Cafe. True to its name, it is the size of a cupboard and serves cold-brewed coffee. “Small shops are so special and have personality,” she says, “people come to Yancheng to find such treasures.” She
Late last month Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro told the Philippine Senate that the nation has sufficient funds to evacuate the nearly 170,000 Filipino residents in Taiwan, 84 percent of whom are migrant workers, in the event of war. Agencies have been exploring evacuation scenarios since early this year, she said. She also observed that since the Philippines has only limited ships, the government is consulting security agencies for alternatives. Filipinos are a distant third in overall migrant worker population. Indonesia has over 248,000 workers, followed by roughly 240,000 Vietnamese. It should be noted that there are another 170,000
Hannah Liao (廖宸萱) recalls the harassment she experienced on dating apps, an experience that left her frightened and disgusted. “I’ve tried some voice-based dating apps,” the 30-year-old says. “Right away, some guys would say things like, ‘Wanna talk dirty?’ or ‘Wanna suck my d**k?’” she says. Liao’s story is not unique. Ministry of Health and Welfare statistics show a more than 50 percent rise in sexual assault cases related to online encounters over the past five years. In 2023 alone, women comprised 7,698 of the 9,413 reported victims. Faced with a dating landscape that can feel more predatory than promising, many in
“This is one of those rare bits of TikTok fitness advice with a lot of truth behind it,” says Bethan Crouse, performance nutritionist at Loughborough University. “Sometimes it’s taken a bit too literally, though! You see people chugging protein drinks as they’re scanning out of their gym.” Crouse recommends the athletes she works with consume 20-30g of protein within 30-60 minutes of finishing a resistance training session. “The act of exercising our muscles increases the breakdown of muscle proteins,” she says. “In order to restore, or hopefully improve them — and get gains such as increased muscle mass or strength —
RSS