Theater
Operas Old and New by Li Bao-chun (李寶春精演新老戲) presents a program of established works, including classics and new productions created by the Taipei Li-yuan Peking Opera Theater (台北新劇團). Li will reprise his innovative reworking of Morart’s Rigoletto in The Jester (弄臣), followed by his reworking of Zhao Kuang-yin (趙匡胤).
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm (The Jester) and Sunday at 3:00pm (Zhao Kuang-yin)
Photo courtesy of Brass Monkey
■ Novel Hall (新舞臺), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號)
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$1,500; available through ERA ticketing and online at www.ticket.com.tw
The Mercedes Benz Classical Arts Festival presents the Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater’s production of Swan Lake. The choreography is from Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov’s 1985 production, with revisions by Konstantin Sergeyev.
Photo courtesy of Brass Monkey
■ Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7:30pm
■ National Theater, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$1,200 to NT$6,800; available through ERA ticketing and online at www.ticket.com.tw
Legend Opera II — B.Box of Brother and Sister II (B.Box兄妹串戲II— 那一年,我們都挨打) is another production in Contemporary Legend Theater’s (當代傳奇劇場) Legendary Classic Drama Series. This daring mix of Beijing opera and contemporary slapstick aims to show that operatic skills are as pertinent to making good contemporary theater entertainment as they ever were.
■ Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm
■ Auditorium of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, 21 Zhongshan S Rd, Taipei City (台北市中山南路21號)
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$1,500; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Just Play It (彈琴說愛), a musical theater production by Performance Workshop written and directed by Ismene Ting (丁乃箏) and featuring pianist John Vaughan. This production follows on from the hugely popular tour of Taiwan and China that the show enjoyed in 2010. Just Play It creates something inspirational and warm-hearted from the simplest musical and dramatic elements, proof once again that Performance Workshop remains at the forefront of Taiwan’s creative development in theater.
■ Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm; tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Metropolitan Hall (城市舞台), 25 Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德路三段25號)
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$1,500; available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
The Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra pays a visit to Taiwan, with a program at the National Concert Hall that includes Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Overture to the Tsar’s Bride and Rachmanioff’s Symphony No. 2, Op. 27, E minor. The concert will be conducted by Yu Long (余隆) and features cellist Jian Wang (王健).
■ Tonight 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
Staatskapelle Dresden, formed in 1548 and one of the world’s oldest orchestras, performs on Sunday at the National Concert Hall. The concert, which will be conducted by Christian Thielemann, is sold out, but will be broadcast in the plaza outside of the concert hall.
■ Sunday, 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Sold out, but free admission to the outdoor broadcast at the Main Plaza of the National Concert Hall.
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 the reunion show of legendary 1990s riot grrl/punk band Ladybug (瓢蟲), which the band says will be their one and only reunion. Either way, it will be a show that fans of Taiwanese underground rock shouldn’t miss. Tomorrow’s show with comedy rockers Wonfu (旺福) is sold out.
■ 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)
■ Show starts at 7:30pm.
■ NT$600 tonight, sold out tomorrow. ■ Tickets for the venue’s concerts can be purchased at ERA ticketing outlets, online through www.ticket.com.tw, www.legacy.com.tw and at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Tonight The Wall (這牆), Taipei’s most prominent venue for indie rock artists, hosts pop punk band Fire EX (滅火器) and fellow punks from Osaka, Japan, locofrank. Later in the evening, it’s an electro-techno dance party featuring Delta Funktionen of the Netherlands.
■ 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
■ Shows start at 8pm, except Sunday’s, which starts at 7:30pm.
■ NT$900 tonight for concert and NT$1,000 for dance party, NT$1,900 on Sunday. Tickets for all shows, with discounts on advance tickets, can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight Witch House (女巫店), an intimate coffeehouse-style venue in the National Taiwan University area, hosts Amis Aboriginal TV show host and folk singer Ado (阿洛). Tomorrow it’s electronica outfit Fabric Factory (織品工廠) and Mando-pop/rock singer Fiona Wu (吳南穎).
■ 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
■ 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
■ Entrance for music shows is NT$300
Metal bands Ashen and psychedelic heavy rockers Sleaze (湯湯水水) play tonight at Underworld (地下社會), a small basement club in Taipei. Metalcore band Morals Abyss (道德深淵) and Cruel Desire take the stage tomorrow. On Wednesday, it’s indie upstarts December 31 and General Sky.
■ 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
■ Shows run from 9pm to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Underworld is open daily from 9pm, closed on Mondays. Happy hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays before midnight
■ Entrance for music shows is NT$300 on Fridays and Saturdays, which includes one drink. Entrance for Wednesday shows is NT$100
Tonight indie rock club Revolver hosts DJs Cotton Disco, NeonKidz and Put That On Your Face, among others. Tomorrow is a Halloween party featuring The Destroyers, Skaraoke and DJs James Ho and Bounce Girlz.
■ 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 10pm
■ Entrance is NT$250 tonight, NT$300 tomorrow. Admission includes one free drink.
Bobwundaye, a small pub on Heping East Road (和平東路) in Taipei, hosts an open mic every Wednesday.
■ 77, Hoping E Rd, Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市和平東路三段77號)
■ Shows start at 9:30pm
■ Free on Wednesdays
No shows are scheduled tonight as of press time at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Tomorrow, it’s indie electronica rock band 101A. On Sunday it’s rock band GooDDD (好端端樂團) and jazzy folk rockers Baba Band (爸爸辦桌).
■ 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
■ NT$400 tomorrow and NT$350 Sunday. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
Jazz group Mo-Men-T performs tonight at Sappho de Base, a late-night lounge bar. Tomorrow, it’s swing and jump blues group The Flat Fives takes the stage. On Tuesday, it’s N.E.S. Jazz and on Wednesday jazz outfit AM.FM features two saxophonists, a keyboardists and a drummer.
■ 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 at 10pm. The venue is closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ Entrance is NT$200 tonight and tomorrow, NT$300 on Wednesday.
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.
■ 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.
On Fridays at Italian restaurant Capone’s, 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. Duo Blurrs Bros perform blues and American songbook tunes on Thursdays.
■ 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.
The Wall (這牆), programs regular live rock shows at Kaohsiung’s Pier 2 Arts Center (高雄駁二藝術特區). On Sunday, it’s pop punk band Fire EX (滅火器) and fellow punks from Osaka, Japan, locofrank.
■ 1 Dayong Rd, Yancheng Dist, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市鹽埕區大勇路1號). On the Net: pierer-2.khcc.gov.tw, www.thewall.com.tw
■ Shows start at 7:30pm
■ NT$900, Tickets for all shows, with discounts on advance tickets, can be purchased online through www.thewall.com.tw and tickets.books.com.tw
The Mercury (水星酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung, hosts live music every Saturday. This weekend features OCD Girl (強迫女孩) and shoe-gazing/new-wave trio Fuguko (河豚子).
■ 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: mercurybar.blogspot.com
■ Starts at 9pm
■ Entrance is NT$200, includes one drink
Event
Taipei Discussion and Learning meets every Sunday at Wisteria Tea House (紫藤廬) to hear lectures and discuss topics such as philosophy, science, anthropology, globalization and alternative medicine. All discussions and lectures are conducted in English. This weekend’s lecture is titled “Heidegger’s Philosophy of Language.”
■ Wisteria Tea House (紫藤廬), 1, Ln 16, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段16巷1號)
■ Every Sunday at 8pm
■ Entrance is free. On the Net: www.taipeidiscussionandlearning.blogspot.com
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