Migration Music Festival
A fascinating mix of music groups from the four corners of the globe gave Da'an Forest Park an eclectic and festive atmosphere over two weekends in October. After last year, when the festival didn't take place, organizers went all out for a special series of shows complemented by well-attended seminars and workshops by the visiting musicians.
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Liang Shan-po and Chu Ying-tai (The Love Eterne)
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The craze for huang-mei musicals has not dimmed in the past 40 years, partly because of the classic movie The Love Eterne (
Wedding Memories
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With Wedding Memories (女兒紅), Hugh Lee (李國修) and the Ping Fong Acting Troupe managed to prove themselves wrong about the demise of Taiwanese drama. (Lee had even thought about closing up shop because of poor ticket sales.) To sell-out crowds, he presented his new show, which premiered on Nov. 3 this year and had audiences of all ages in tears and earned standing ovations from emotional crowds that must truly have warmed his heart. Wedding Memories follows in a line of semi-autobiographical works, in this case dealing with his family's relocation to Taiwan and his mother's nervous breakdown, all handled in a fine melodramatic tradition that touched a nerve among many Taiwanese. The work, which spans over two decades and switches between Shantung dialect, Mandarin, Taiwanese and Hakka, and deals with complex political and emotional issues, tries to encompass a uniquely Taiwanese experience and is a worthy successor to Beijing Opera: The Revelation.
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Tibetan Freedom Concert
Taiwan hosts some grand outdoor music festivals, but few concerts boast international names as big as the Beastie Boys. While their performance would have faired better in a smaller venue (minus a few thousand drunk and aggressive foreigners), an important cause, great sound quality and a highly charged atmosphere helped the occasion.
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Matsu Procession Festival
No event can unveil the genuine colors of Taiwan's religious culture better than the yearly procession of Matsu, a sea-goddess worshipped by fishermen, in central Taiwan. The event, which falls on the third month of the lunar calendar, lasts seven nights and eight days and goes from Dajia, Taichung County, to Hsingang, Chiayi County, covering a distance of more than 280km. To show their belief in the goddess, thousands of followers each year make the trip on foot and sleep in temples along the way to practice the virtue of thrift. Many residents on the procession route offer free drinks and food to the adherents to display their appreciation for the goddess' blessings.
National Symphony Orchestra: Tosca
The best show we saw in 2003 took place in the early hours of the year when Chien Wen-pin (
Cat Power gig at Taipei's Zeitgeist
The New York-based indi-rocker Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) performed live in Taiwan for the first time, after establishing a small but avid fan base here with her 1998 album Moon Pix, a collection of poignant songs. After one hour of warm-up by Taiwanese singer-songwriter Sandy Chen (
Beneath the Red Banner
A dramatic work will occasionally gain importance for its place in history and occasionally for its exceptional literary value. Rarely will it be endowed with both. Beneath the Red Banner (
Ho-Hai-Yan Rock Festival in Taipei County
What a great idea: music, sun, sea and sand at a location conveniently close to Taipei. The Ho-Hai-Yan Rock Festival proved to be a big hit with little trouble and plenty to be happy about. One of the best things about the event -- apart from the perfect weather -- was the number of families that took part. Children played, adults watched and teens danced all day long. The main event for domestic bands was the Taiwan Indie Music Award, with NT$200,000 up for grabs, which was won by XL. One of the highlights of the show was a performance of the traditional Eight Generals, with Huang Yi-chin (黃一晉) of downtempo group 78Bpm, drum n' bass by DJ Ty and hip hop by DJ J4. On the Sunday, Magic Tribe, an Atayal Aboriginal rock band from Wulai, Taipei County, Junk Band from Hong Kong and Macau, and finally Jaurim and the Perishers, from Sweden, hit the stage. The outstanding performance, however, came from local stars Sticky Rice, who pretty much capped off a great weekend.
The Wedding Banquet
A combination of memorable performances by Welly Yang, Dina Lynne Morishita and Tyley Ross, a catchy score by Woody Pak and Jim Noone's creative and slick set design that made insightful use of projections saw John Tillinger's musical production of Ang Lee's (
That US assistance was a model for Taiwan’s spectacular development success was early recognized by policymakers and analysts. In a report to the US Congress for the fiscal year 1962, former President John F. Kennedy noted Taiwan’s “rapid economic growth,” was “producing a substantial net gain in living.” Kennedy had a stake in Taiwan’s achievements and the US’ official development assistance (ODA) in general: In September 1961, his entreaty to make the 1960s a “decade of development,” and an accompanying proposal for dedicated legislation to this end, had been formalized by congressional passage of the Foreign Assistance Act. Two
Despite the intense sunshine, we were hardly breaking a sweat as we cruised along the flat, dedicated bike lane, well protected from the heat by a canopy of trees. The electric assist on the bikes likely made a difference, too. Far removed from the bustle and noise of the Taichung traffic, we admired the serene rural scenery, making our way over rivers, alongside rice paddies and through pear orchards. Our route for the day covered two bike paths that connect in Fengyuan District (豐原) and are best done together. The Hou-Feng Bike Path (后豐鐵馬道) runs southward from Houli District (后里) while the
March 31 to April 6 On May 13, 1950, National Taiwan University Hospital otolaryngologist Su You-peng (蘇友鵬) was summoned to the director’s office. He thought someone had complained about him practicing the violin at night, but when he entered the room, he knew something was terribly wrong. He saw several burly men who appeared to be government secret agents, and three other resident doctors: internist Hsu Chiang (許強), dermatologist Hu Pao-chen (胡寶珍) and ophthalmologist Hu Hsin-lin (胡鑫麟). They were handcuffed, herded onto two jeeps and taken to the Secrecy Bureau (保密局) for questioning. Su was still in his doctor’s robes at
Mirror mirror on the wall, what’s the fairest Disney live-action remake of them all? Wait, mirror. Hold on a second. Maybe choosing from the likes of Alice in Wonderland (2010), Mulan (2020) and The Lion King (2019) isn’t such a good idea. Mirror, on second thought, what’s on Netflix? Even the most devoted fans would have to acknowledge that these have not been the most illustrious illustrations of Disney magic. At their best (Pete’s Dragon? Cinderella?) they breathe life into old classics that could use a little updating. At their worst, well, blue Will Smith. Given the rapacious rate of remakes in modern
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