The Kuo Kuang Chinese Opera Company is a bastion of Taiwan's embattled Beijing opera scene and with its most recent work, Wang Shi Fong: The Most Scheming Woman in Dreams of the Red Chamber (
Wang Shi Fong was originally scheduled to hit the boards earlier this year, but was one of many victims of the SARS epidemic. The wait has done it no harm, and the presence of Beijing opera star Wei Haimin (
The Dream of the Red Chamber, from which the story is taken, is an undisputed classic of Chinese literature and has provided material for presentation in many other media, from comic books to opera.
The character Wang Shi-fong makes for brilliant drama and the opera has many aspects akin to a social drama, making it unusually easy to watch, especially for those unaccustomed to the ponderous tragedy that dominates Beijing opera plots. Caught inside the machinations of a huge extended family, Wang fights for survival using any tools available -- most notably a sharp tongue, a wily, not to say manipulative nature, and the ability to practice the art of flattery with a flagrance and shamelessness that stuns those around her.
Wang is one of the great characters of Chinese literature, a tough woman among dissolute and weak-willed men who nevertheless control the levers of power. In a world of petty cruelty and deceit, she is unafraid to be truly evil, blighting the lives of her enemies with a masculine determination that awes the many men in her life. She is Chinese literature's super bitch, drawn by Cao Hsue-chin (曹雪芹), the author of Dream of the Red Chamber, with such incredible detail and shading that one is never allowed to forget beneath all the guile and wickedness, there is a woman fighting for her life, keeping her head above water while weaker sisters fall victim to a male dominated world.
Wei Haiming does a splendid job of interpreting Wang, walking a fine line between the formalized conventions of Beijing opera and more informal character acting. The blend is appealing and makes Wang Shi Fong a great introduction to Chinese opera. Artistic director Wang An-hsin (
Wang Shi Fong will be at the Novell Hall today and tomorrow at 7:30pm, with a 2:30pm matinee on Sunday. Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,200 and are available from ERA ticketing and from the venue.
May 18 to May 24 Pastor Yang Hsu’s (楊煦) congregation was shocked upon seeing the land he chose to build his orphanage. It was surrounded by mountains on three sides, and the only way to access it was to cross a river by foot. The soil was poor due to runoff, and large rocks strewn across the plot prevented much from growing. In addition, there was no running water or electricity. But it was all Yang could afford. He and his Indigenous Atayal wife Lin Feng-ying (林鳳英) had already been caring for 24 orphans in their home, and they were in
On May 2, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), at a meeting in support of Taipei city councilors at party headquarters, compared President William Lai (賴清德) to Hitler. Chu claimed that unlike any other democracy worldwide in history, no other leader was rooting out opposing parties like Lai and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). That his statements are wildly inaccurate was not the point. It was a rallying cry, not a history lesson. This was intentional to provoke the international diplomatic community into a response, which was promptly provided. Both the German and Israeli offices issued statements on Facebook
Even by the standards of Ukraine’s International Legion, which comprises volunteers from over 55 countries, Han has an unusual backstory. Born in Taichung, he grew up in Costa Rica — then one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — where a relative worked for the embassy. After attending an American international high school in San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, Han — who prefers to use only his given name for OPSEC (operations security) reasons — moved to the US in his teens. He attended Penn State University before returning to Taiwan to work in the semiconductor industry in Kaohsiung, where he
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday delivered an address marking the first anniversary of his presidency. In the speech, Lai affirmed Taiwan’s global role in technology, trade and security. He announced economic and national security initiatives, and emphasized democratic values and cross-party cooperation. The following is the full text of his speech: Yesterday, outside of Beida Elementary School in New Taipei City’s Sanxia District (三峽), there was a major traffic accident that, sadly, claimed several lives and resulted in multiple injuries. The Executive Yuan immediately formed a task force, and last night I personally visited the victims in hospital. Central government agencies and the
RSS