The banks of the Tamsui will come alive with the sound of boisterous gongs and drums as 10 select puppet troupes stage their finest plays for 10 days starting Friday.
Organized by the National Traditional Arts Center, the 2004 Joint Outdoor Puppet Performance and Contest for Promising Young Leading Performers will start wowing onlookers at Tamsui's Chingshui Temple courtyard and at the Golden Shore, the waterfront walkway between the Tamsui MRT station and the ferry pier, at 7:30pm every day until Aug. 29.
In addition to these performances, an exhibition of puppets, stage settings and props will entertain visitors. Classes for making puppets will also be offered.
"Traditional Taiwanese puppetry plays an important role in transmitting Hoklo [commonly known as Taiwanese] culture to the next generation, and is a highly effective means of preserving local languages," said Wu Chin-fa (吳錦發), vice chairman of the Council for Cultural Affairs, at a press conference yesterday to announce the event.
"During an earlier period when economic conditions were more difficult, Taiwanese puppetry nourished the people with its educational and entertaining elements," Wu said. "It is rich in cultural material."
Wu said that the council has dedicated itself to promoting Taiwanese puppetry and Taiwanese opera by holding such festivals, which offer opportunities to local troupes to learn from each other.
"I expect the shows to inspire our audiences to feel love for Taiwanese cultures," he said.
Detailed information about the event, including a program schedule, can be obtained at the Web site www.ncfta.gov.tw.
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