Two weeks ago, in the run-up to her Taiwan debut, Sammi Cheng (鄭秀文) appeared at the Golden Horse Awards, Taiwan's "Oscars," as a nominee for Best Actress. Although she was never seriously in contention, this didn't prevent her from being one of the star attractions of the event.
Accompanied by Needing You (孤男寡女) co-star Andy Lau (劉德華), she grabbed her share of the limelight, not least because of her sexy semi-transparent silver gown.
TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
But for Sammi's first concert in Taiwan tomorrow, she will be more than just glamorous. A stage chameleon famous for her regular style transformations, Sammi has prepared eight costumes, all specially made for the occasion of her first Taipei concert, and will be working through her large repertoire, aiming to captivate her audience with a mixture of melodious ballads and dynamic dance routines.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER MUSIC
Already a huge hit with local audiences, Sammi has been dubbed the "Queen of Karaoke" for tracks such as Never Enough (永遠都不夠), Out of Control (出界), a delightful soft rock number and If I Were You (如果我是你), all of which are in massive demand at KTVs and record stores.
Although she's already a household name and has staged more than 80 concerts in Asia, Sammi said of her debut appearance in Taipei: "It's like being a bride on her wedding day."
CNA FILE PHOTO
She has also downplayed speculation of nervousness she may have felt over her concert following hot on the heels of shows by pop divas Faye Wong (王菲) and Karen Mok (莫文蔚).
Last month, thousands of fans attended a promotion event in Kaohsiung, while a pre-concert album of greatest hits released last month has already sold 200,000 copies.
With such ardent fans, it is not surprising that every detail of her life is the focus of media attention, with endless speculation over her relationship with on-screen boyfriend Andy Hui (許志安) or her latest look -- with hair covering half of her face -- that she will sport in a movie by Chong Wu-yen (鍾無艷).
Hong Kong's leading stage designer Chou Bing-kun (周炳坤) has been brought in to design a state-of-the-art stage for Sammi, with a central performance area and two wings stretching in a "Y" shape into the audience. Special effects will be a major feature at the concert, including a fast-moving escalator, fireworks and 10 "flying fire" pillars. Given the dangers inherent in such a technically complex environment, her agent has taken out a NT$200 million insurance plan to cover Sammi for the show.
Sammi will be performing with 12 dancers and a 9-person band, drawing on hits from the 30 albums she has released since 1990.
A great show is guaranteed after the success of her Taichung concert on Dec. 9 which sold over 10,000 tickets, a high number for any city outside Taipei.
What: His & Her: Sammi Cheng live concert (鄭秀文眉飛色舞演唱會)
When: 7:30pm, Dec.16, 2000
Where: Taipei Municipal Stadium (台北市立體育場), 10 Nanking E. Rd. (南京東路四段10號)
Tickets: NT$900 and NT$1,500; tel:call ERA ticket outlets at 2341-9898
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