Theater
With music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice, the Disney-funded musical Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida is based on Giuseppe Verdi’s 1871 opera that tells the tale of the ill-fated romance between Egyptian general Radames and a Nubian slave, Aida. The production premiered on Broadway in 2000 and won four Tony Awards the same year.
■ National Theater, Taipei City
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$800 to NT$5,800, available through www.kham.com.tw and 7-Eleven ibon, FamilyMart (全家) FamiPort and Hi-Life (萊爾富) Life-ET kiosks
The Taiwan Women Theatre Festival 2012 (第五屆女節) continues this weekend with three theatrical productions, including Pisui Ciyo’s Silencio (寂靜時刻), which fuses the ancient chanting of the Atayal (泰雅) tribe, flamingo and northern Indian music with Aboriginal dance and ethnographic images. Led by a team of four local programmers, including Betsy Lan (藍貝芝) and Tu Hsih-hue (杜思慧), the festival is composed of 10 productions by female artists from Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Malaysia and runs through June 3. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/TaiwanWTF.
■ Guling Street Avant-Garde Theatre (牯嶺街小劇場), 2, Ln 5, Guling St, Taipei City (台北市牯嶺街5巷2號)
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$660, available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Monkey the Great (猴賽雷), the latest work by EX-Theatre Asia (EX-亞洲劇團), is a return to an Oriental tradition of oral narrative that blends songs and dances and tells of a monkey’s quest to learn about human civilization. The production is in Hakka, Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese), Amis and an Indian dialect as the troupe believes language is not a prerequisite to understanding theater.
■ The Red House Theater (西門紅樓), 10 Chengdu Rd, Taipei City (台北市成都路10號)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm, Saturday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$600, available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Being staged as part of Green Ray Theater’s ongoing “world theater” series, Proof (求證) is a local adaptation of David Auburn’s Pulitzer-winning play of the same title, which explores the affection and trust between a father and a daughter after the discovery of a proof of a mathematical theorem written in a notebook.
■ Metropolitan Hall (台北市社教館城市舞台), 25, Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德路三段25號)
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$600 to NT$2,000, available through ERA ticketing and online at www.ticket.com.tw
A collaboration between Taiwan’s Song Song Song Children’s and Puppet Theatre (九歌兒童劇團) and theater director Ivica Simic from Mala Scena Theatre in Croatia, The Tempest is a children-friendly rendition of William Shakespeare’s play of the same name.
■ Da-Dong Cultural Center (大東文化藝術中心), 161 Guangyuan Rd, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市光遠路161號), next to KMRT Dadong Station (高雄捷運大東站)
■ Saturday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,200, available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
Academy of St Martin in the Fields (英國聖馬丁學院管弦樂團) will perform in Taipei and Tainan next week in a concert featuring violin soloist Vilde Frang, with the orchestra conducted by Jonathan Cohen. The program includes Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36, and Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major and Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major.
■ Wednesday at 7:30pm and May 24 at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City and Tainan Municipal Cultural Center Performance Hall (台南市立文化中心演藝廳), 332, Jhonghua E Rd Sec 3, Greater Tainan (台南市中華東路三段332號)
■ Tickets are NT$1,200 to NT$3,600 for Taipei and NT$800 to NT$3,600 for Tainan, available through ERA ticketing and online at www.ticket.com.tw
Taipei Symphonic Winds 10th Anniversary Concert (台北市立交響樂團附設管樂團狂響十年) celebrates a decade of music making by the wind group in a concert featuring pianist Yi Fan-chiang (范姜毅) with the orchestra conducted by Hsu Shuang-liang (許雙亮). The program includes Toshio Mashima’s A Symphonic Poem “Taiwan,” Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565 and the fourth movement of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 47, as well as Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Spark’s Jubilee Overture.
■ Saturday at 7:30pm
■ Zhongshan Hall (台北市中山堂), 98 Yanping S Rd, Taipei City (台北市延平南路98號)
■ Tickets are NT$200 to NT$500, available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Masters and NSO — The Glamorous New World (NSO名家系列 — 璀璨新世界) sees the National Symphony Orchestra performing under conductor Gunther Herbig. The program includes Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, Op. 95 in E Minor.
■ Saturday at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing and 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. Japanese group Root Five (√5), formed by singers who gained popularity on video sharing site Nico Nico, will perform twice on Saturday. Touring from Atlanta, Georgia, indie rock band pacificUV makes its Taipei stop at Legacy on Sunday.
■ 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)
■ Shows starts at 2pm and 7pm on Saturday, and 8:20pm on Sunday
■ Tickets are NT$2,100 for Saturday’s performances and NT$1,500 on Sunday. Tickets available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw or www.legacy.com.tw and at 7-Eleven ibon electronics kiosks at 7-Eleven stores
Popular Japanese dance party Gan-Ban Night makes a Taipei stop at The Wall (這牆) tomorrow night, with Takkyu Ishino and Dexpistols performing. Underground rapper Soft Lipa and Japanese club jazz band Jabberloop perform Saturday.
■ 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
■ Music shows start 11:30pm tomorrow and 8pm Saturday
■ Entrance fee tomorrow night is NT$1,100 and NT$1,000 Saturday. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.thewall.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Indie pop group Moonteg and Sonic Deadhorse perform tonight at Witch House (女巫店). Singer-songwriter Europa Huang (黃建為) appears tomorrow night, while rockers Mary See the Future are on Saturday’s bill.
■ 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
■ Performances 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
■ Entrance fee for music shows is NT$300
Hong Kong singer Denis Ng (吳彤 ) and Angel Chen (陳思函) perform tonight at Riverside Music Cafe (河岸留言). Jazz sextet Timeless Fusion Party (無限融合樂團) appears tomorrow. Super Idol finalist Kevin Wu (吳海文) and Chen Yon-lon (陳永龍) are on Saturday’s lineup, followed by another Super Idol contestant, Lin Chung-hsin (林宗興), on Sunday.
■ 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
■ Shows start at 9pm tonight, 9:30pm tomorrow, 9pm Saturday and 8pm Sunday
■ Entrance fee is NT$350 tonight, NT$400 tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday
Comedian Teng Chih-hung (鄧志鴻), famous for his political impersonations, appears at Riverside Live House in Ximending tonight and tomorrow. Sunday’s roster features indie rockers Clockworkers (發條人) and Crystal Dancer (舞璃).
■ 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
■ Shows start tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 8:30pm
■ Entrance fee is NT$800 tonight and tomorrow, and NT$400 on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse and tickets.books.com.tw
Punk rockers Floaty and Inhuman Band (非人物種) perform at Underworld (地下社會) tomorrow night. Japanese rockers Tonic appear with the Flamencos on Saturday.
■ B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1), tel: (02) 2369-0103. On the Net: www.upsaid.com/underworld
■ Music shows run from 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 9pm to 11pm on Wednesdays. Underworld is open daily from 9pm, closed on Mondays. Happy Hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays before midnight
■ Entrance is NT$300, which includes one drink
Sappho de Base, a late-night lounge and jazz venue, hosts fusion jazz performer MAS tonight. The Yellow Lighter Dogma makes its farewell Taipei performance tomorrow and Musa’s Trio appears Saturday.
■ 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
■ Shows start 10pm tonight and tomorrow, and 11pm on Saturday
■ Entrance is NT$200
It’s Band Night tonight and tomorrow night at Revolver. Tonight’s lineup is Revolting Society (背骨), Panzer Warfare, No Order and DJ Physical Chemical Brother (理化兄弟). Tomorrow is the release party of Slack Tide’s latest EP, with Manic Sheep and OK Cars and several DJs also performing. The Black as Day, White as Night party on Saturday includes indie rock group Peaks, psychedelic rockers Blind Acid Date and DJs. Attendance in costume is strongly requested.
■ 1-2, Roosevelt Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路一段1-2號), tel: (02) 3393-1678
■ Shows start at 9:30pm tonight, 10pm tomorrow and 10pm Saturday
■ Entrance is NT$200 tonight, NT$250 Friday and NT$350 Saturday. All fees include one drink
Acclaimed Aboriginal singer Samingad (紀曉君) performs every Thursday at EZ5 Live House, which hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Highlights for the week ahead include male crooner Shin Lung (辛龍), who performs every Saturday, and Tiger Huang (黃小琥), who performs on Wednesdays.
■ 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
■ Shows run from 9:45pm to 12:30am
■ Entrance fee (includes two drinks) ranges from NT$600 to NT$850, depending on the performer
Guitar duo Blurrs Bros perform American songbook tunes tonight at Italian restaurant Capone’s. On Fridays, Taipei Swing holds dance socials with live music from electric blues band Bopomofo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ). On Saturday, drummer Abe Nbugu Kenyatta leads a band playing music from his hometown of New Orleans. Iris sings “romantic chansons” Sunday nights and on Wednesdays, it’s Latin music from guitarist Roberto Zayas.
■ 312, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段312號), tel: (02) 2773-3782
■ Live music from 9pm to 11:30pm on Fridays, 8pm to 11:30pm on Saturdays
■ On Fridays, minimum charge of one drink. On Saturdays, minimum charge is NT$300
On Saturday, Bobwundaye, a small neighborhood pub on Taipei’s Heping East Road (和平東路), hosts Japanese blues guitarist Shun Kikuta, formerly a member of blues legend Koko Taylor’s band. The venue holds an open mic every Wednesday.
■ 77, Heping E Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市和平東路三段77號)
■ Shows start at 9:30pm
■ NT$300 on Saturday with a NT$50 drink discount
The Mercury (水星酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung, hosts live music every Saturday. This week’s lineup is comprised of acoustic folk-rock performer John Lo (羅崇漢) and folk duo Weekendpie (周末派).
■ 46 Liwen Rd, Zuoying Dist, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市左營區立文路46號), tel: (07) 550-8617. On the Net: visit mercurybar.blogspot.com
■ Starts at 9pm
■ Entrance is NT$250, which includes one drink
The Wall (這牆) programs regular live rock shows at Kaohsiung’s Pier 2 Arts Center (高雄駁二藝術特區). Indie rock band Slimo (黏菌) celebrates the release of its latest EP tomorrow night with the 19th Port (十九號港口). Singer LaLa Hsu (徐佳瑩) performs Saturday. Sunday’s roster is Soft Lipa and Jabberloop.
■ 1 Dayong Rd, Yancheng Dist, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市鹽埕區大勇路1號). On the Net: pier-2.khcc.gov.tw, www.thewall.com.tw
■ Show starts at 7:30pm
■ Entrance tomorrow and Saturday is NT$500 and NT$800 on Sunday
Last week Joseph Nye, the well-known China scholar, wrote on the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s website about how war over Taiwan might be averted. He noted that years ago he was on a team that met with then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), “whose previous ‘unofficial’ visit to the US had caused a crisis in which China fired missiles into the sea and the US deployed carriers off the coast of Taiwan.” Yes, that’s right, mighty Chen caused that crisis all by himself. Neither the US nor the People’s Republic of China (PRC) exercised any agency. Nye then nostalgically invoked the comical specter
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April 15 to April 21 Yang Kui (楊逵) was horrified as he drove past trucks, oxcarts and trolleys loaded with coffins on his way to Tuntzechiao (屯子腳), which he heard had been completely destroyed. The friend he came to check on was safe, but most residents were suffering in the town hit the hardest by the 7.1-magnitude Hsinchu-Taichung Earthquake on April 21, 1935. It remains the deadliest in Taiwan’s recorded history, claiming around 3,300 lives and injuring nearly 12,000. The disaster completely flattened roughly 18,000 houses and damaged countless more. The social activist and
Over the course of former President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) 11-day trip to China that included a meeting with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping (習近平) a surprising number of people commented that the former president was now “irrelevant.” Upon reflection, it became apparent that these comments were coming from pro-Taiwan, pan-green supporters and they were expressing what they hoped was the case, rather than the reality. Ma’s ideology is so pro-China (read: deep blue) and controversial that many in his own Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) hope he retires quickly, or at least refrains from speaking on some subjects. Regardless