Theater
What is Fantasy? (西遊記) by Hong Kong director Edward Lam (林奕華), is a modern adaptation of the Chinese literary classic Journey to the West (西遊記). Rather than having his characters search for an ancient religious text, however, Lam's performers are on a search for self-discovery, which often places them in situations of extreme emotional stress.
- National Theater, Taipei
- Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
- Tickets are NT$400 to NT$2,500 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The Story of '87 (八七傳) by South Korean theater company Ilter, tells the story of a man who falls asleep in 1987 and wakes up 20 years later with mysterious abilities but no memory of the preceding two decades.
- Guling St Theater (牯嶺街小劇場), 2, Ln 5, Guling St, Taipei (台北市牯嶺街5巷2號)
- Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm and tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
- Tickets are NT$250 and are available through NTCH ticketing outlets or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Magic of the Dance (魔力之舞) comes to Taipei for a foot-stomping performance. Fusing modern and traditional Irish musical and dance elements, Magic of the Dance is the story of a young couple who fall in love in Ireland but are separated before departing to the US. The performance follows their efforts to reunite and celebrates the long history of Irish music and dance.
- Today at 7:30pm and tomorrow at 6:30pm at the Taipei International Convention Center (TICC, 台北國際會議中心), 1 Xinyi Rd Sec 5, Taipei (台北市信義路五段1號); Sunday at 7:30pm at the Chungli Arts Center (中壢藝術館), 16 Chungmei St, Chungli City (中壢市中美路16號)
- Tickets are NT$500 to NT$3,000 and are available through ERA ticketing
Communicating Doors (開錯門中門) is performed by Godot Theater (果陀劇場) and based on the play by Alan Ayckbourn. The screwball comedy takes place in a five-star hotel where an elderly man is about to reveal his complicity in the murders of his two former wives to his lover. But when his business partner catches wind of the plan, he attempts to foil the confession.
- Kaohsiung Cultural Center's Chih Teh Hall (高雄市立文化中心至德堂), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市五福一路67號)
- Tomorrow at 7:30pm
- Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,900 and are available through ERA ticketing
Classical Music
Taishin Arts Center Lunch Time Concert - Four Hands Piano Duet (台新金控藝文中心午間音樂會-鋼琴四手聯彈). Part of the Taishin Arts Center's (台新金控藝文中心) lunchtime concert series, this one-hour concert will feature pianists Artemis H.R. Yen (顏華容) and Tsai Shih-hao (蔡世豪). Yen is currently an assistant professor in the Music Department at Shih Chien University in Taipei. She is one of the most sought-after pianists in Taiwan. Yen is the first Taiwanese citizen to be awarded a Post-Graduate Diploma Aspirantura in piano performance from the famed Moscow State Conservatory. Tsai received a diploma from l'Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris in 2002. Currently, he is a part-time lecturer in the Music Department at Shih Chien University. The duo will perform Mozart's Sonata in D Major for Two Pianos, Rachmaninoff's Six Duets for Piano Four Hands, Op.11, and Ravel's Rapsodie Espagnole.
- At the Taishin Arts Center, 2F, 118 Renai Rd Sec 4, Taipei (台北市仁愛路四段118號2樓)
- Free admission
- Today at 12:30pm
Chee-Hsin Clarinet Choir - Traveling with Clarinet (知心單簧管室內樂團 - 帶著豎琴去旅行). Accompanied by pianist Hsieh Yi-fang (謝宜芳), the Golden Melody award-winning clarinetist, Chin Yu-chun (金玉君), will lead talented young clarinetists Lin Yi-hsuan (林易萱), Kuo Yu-shao (郭于韶) and Li Tzu-ying (李姿穎) to present two free concerts in Kaohsiung and Taoyuan. The program will include Arnold Cooke's Suite for Three Clarinets, James Waterson's Second Geand Trio Concertante, Michael Kibbe's Russian Suite, Lucio Agostini's Trio Quebecois For Clarinets, Yvonne Desportes' Suite Italienne: I.Roma, II.Firenze, III.Venezia, and IV.Napoli, Gary Schocker's Sonata for Clarinets and Piano, and Amilcare Ponchielli's Il Convegno Divertmento per due Clarinetti.
- Sunday at the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Kaohsiung County (高雄縣政府文化局岡山演藝廳), 42 Gangshan S Rd, Gangshan Township, Kaohsiung County (高雄縣岡山鎮岡山南路42號) and Sept. 30 at the Performing Arts Hall of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taoyuan County Government (桃園縣政府文化局演藝廳), 21 Xianfu Rd, Taoyuan County (桃園市縣府路21號).
- Free admission
- Sunday and Sept. 30 at 2:30pm
National Symphony Orchestra Tchaikovsky Cycle I - To My Dearest Friend (國家交響樂團柴科夫斯基系列一 - 致最親密的朋友). Featuring Maestro Lu Shao-chia (呂紹嘉), famous for his crystal-clear interpretations and pellucid insight, Lu will conduct the NSO and present Tchaikovsky's Symphony No.4 in F Minor, Op.36, which was composed to reimburse the composer's patroness Madame Nadezhda von Meck, whose friendship and financial support rescued Tchaikovsky from mental and physical collapse resulting from a doomed marriage. The concert also features pianist Roger Muraro, who is laureate of both the International Franz Liszt Competition in Parma and the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. He will be joined by the NSO to present Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 in B Flat Minor, Op.23. Other works to be presented in this concert include Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, Op.71a. A pre-concert talk will be held in the lobby of the National Concert Hall in Taipei 30 minutes prior to the concert.
- At the National Concert Hall, Taipei
- As of press time seats are sold out
- Sunday at 2:30pm
Lee Che-yi Theater Music Episode (李哲藝劇場音樂四部曲). Taiwan's award-winning composer and harpist Lee Che-yi (李哲藝) will team up with violin soloist Lin Tien-chi (林天吉), erhu player Wang Ming-yu (王銘裕) and the 30-member Taiwan Just Music Philharmonic Orchestra (宙斯愛樂管弦樂團) featuring conductor Heng Li-pin (鄭立彬) and concertmaster Roger Chiang (姜智譯) to present a special concert with a program of Lee compositions.
- At the National Concert Hall, Taipei
- Tickets range from NT$300 to NT$2,000 and are available through NTCH ticketing
- Monday at 7:30pm
2007 Chang Jui-chih Oboe Recital (2007張瑞芝雙簧管獨奏會). Accompanied by pianist Ting Hsin-ru (丁心茹), Chang will present a program of 20th-century English oboe classics, including Benjamin Britten's Six Metamorphoses After Ovid, Op. 49 for Oboe Solo, Richard Rodney Bennett's After Syrinx I, Malcolm Arnold's Sonatina for Oboe and Piano, Eugene Goossens' Concerto in One Movement and Herbert Howells' Sonata for Oboe and Piano.
- At the National Recital Hall, Taipei
- As of press time, all NT$500 tickets are sold out, but NT$300 seats are still available through ERA ticketing
- Monday at 7:30pm
Contemporary
Tonight Underworld (地下社會) showcases Mary See the Future and Kenny From Casino (賭場肯尼), who combine emo, punk, Brit pop, hip-hop, and garage elements in their music. Indie-rock band Freckles (雀斑) and talented new indie-electronica band Space Cake (太空蛋糕) play tomorrow. Wednesday features minimalist expat post-rock band To a God Unknown and Taiwanese shoegazer indie-electronica outfit Orange Doll (橘娃娃).
- The bar opens at 8pm and bands start playing around 9pm
- Entrance is NT$300
- 45 Shida Rd, Taipei (台北市師大路45號B1). Call (02) 2369-0103 or visit www.underworld-taipei.blogspot.com for more information
The Little, a new band formed by Back Quarter's (四分衛) Ah-shan (阿山) and 8mm Sky bassist Sun-ni (孫彼), and The Peppermints (薄荷葉) perform tonight at The Wall (這牆). Tomorrow it's distortion box-driven power chord band Assassin's (刺客) 20th anniversary concert (刺客成軍20週年演唱會). New band Pink Guitar (粉紅吉他托比兔), garage-rock four-piece Rabbit Is Rich (兔子很有錢) and indie-electronica band Digihai play Wednesday. Pop-rock band 13 (拾參) and singer-songwriter Deserts Chang (張懸) perform Thursday.
- Entrance tonight and Thursday is NT$400. Tomorrow is NT$500. Wednesday is NT$300. Admission includes one free drink
- Bands take the stage at 8pm tonight, Wednesday and Thursday, and at 9pm tomorrow
- B1, 200 Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Call (02) 2930-0162 or visit www.the-wall.com.tw
House jazz combo JEG ("這個"爵士樂團) plays jazz standards, Latin, funk, rock and fusion tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Tomorrow there's a Rock Oriental Express (搖滾東方) mini concert. Talented young Taiwanese-American jazz singer and guitarist Joanna, followed by Puyuma musician Hao-en (吳昊恩) and Chi Jia-ying (紀家瑩), aka Hao-en and Jia-jia (家家與昊恩), who picked up the gong for Best Singing Group at this year's Golden Melody awards. Monday, as usual, is open-jam night. Indie bands Red Flower (紅花) and Mary See the Future play Tuesday. Newly emerged singer-guitarist Wing (羅文裕) and new band Happy Circle take the stage Wednesday. MOS and No Name perform Thursday.
- Shows start at 9:30pm
- Entrance tonight is NT$350. Tomorrow is NT$400. Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday is NT$300. Thursday is NT$350. On Monday there is a one-drink minimum
- B1, 2, Ln 244, Roosevelt Rd, Sec 3, Taipei (台北市羅斯福路三段244巷2號B1). Call (02) 2368-7310, or visit www.riverside.com.tw
Bliss presents 5 to 7 tonight and incendiary rock band The Unrelentless tomorrow (see story on page 14).
- Performances start at 10pm
- Entrance to the bar is free. On Fridays women wearing skirts get a free drink of their choice. Cover for tonight's show is NT$200. Tomorrow it's NT$150
- 148 Xinyi Rd Sec 4, Taipei (台北市信義路四段148號). Call Bliss at (02) 2702-1855 or log on at www.bliss-taipei.com
The Living Room (小客廳) and Fu-Jen University present three young turntablists, drum 'n' bass DJ Shin (遜), techno DJ Hey-ling (黑玲) and trance DJ A-le (小謝), for tonight's FJUDMC DJ Party (輔大窮人電音派對).
- The music runs from 11pm to 2:30am
- Entrance is free
- 3F, 8 Nanjing E Rd Sec 5, Taipei (台北市南京東路5段8號3樓). Call (02) 8787-4154 or visit www.livingroomtaipei.com
The O-Brothaz sound system hosts Thursday Reggae Oasis every Thursday night at Club Plan B.
- NT$200 entrance includes one drink.
- 9pm to 1am
- 29-1 Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei (台北市安和路一段29號之1). Call (02) 2775-5855 or visit www.obrothaz.com for more information
On Tap shows English Premier League games starting at 7pm on Saturdays and Sundays upstairs on its big-screen TV. On Wednesdays the pub hosts Underdog, Taipei's mid-week funk and acid jazz bonanza, with Shorty. The DJ starts at 10pm and spins until 3am or 4am. And on Thursdays, the bar shows classic and contemporary British and Irish comedy on a big screen TV upstairs. The shows include The Office, Extras, Peep Show, Phoenix Nights, Father Ted and Fawlty Towers.
- 49, Ln 308, Guangfu S Rd, Taipei (台北市光復南路308巷49號). Call (02) 2741-5365
Exhibitions
Pieta/Kuan Yin 2007 (聖殤像及觀音像). Consisting of two fiber-glass sculptures both equipped with LCD screens, the latest works by acclaimed visual artist Peng Hung-chih (彭弘智) take a sober look at cultural conflicts in the era of globalization. For Pieta, visitors view themselves supporting the sculpture of Jesus on the screen and watch a video about the Buddhas of Bamyan, which were destroyed by the Taliban, inside the Kuan Yin sculpture.
- Taishin Financial Tower (台新金控大樓), 118 Renai Rd Sec 4, Taipei (台北市仁愛路四段118號). Open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 6pm. Call (02) 3703-6955
- Until Sept. 28
Ceramics, Now and Then (陶器:人間). Featuring collection pieces and art works from eleven local artists and private collectors, the exhibition aims to introduce visitors to the history of Taiwan's ceramic art from the ancient Celadon fragments of the Yue kiln found in Penghu, the large amount of pottery brought by Han settlers from southern China since the end of Ming Dynasty to the rise of the kiln industry in Nantou, Yingge, Miaoli and Beitou.
- Shihsanhang Museum (十三行博物館), 200 Museum Rd, Bali Township, Taipei County (台北縣八里鄉博物館路200號). Open Tuesday to Friday from 9:30am to 6pm; Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am and 7pm. Call (02) 2619-1313
- Until Oct. 28
The Music of Printmaking - Exhibition of Prints Donated by Chi Chang Yuan (彩印樂章 - 寄暢園捐贈版畫展). A veteran private collector of all types of art works, Chang Yeun-chung (張允中), the owner of Chi Chang Yuan, has donated art work to the museum, including 122 modern printmaking pieces by 15 artists from different countries. Diverse in style, the works are full of strange fantasies, symbols and allegories that take viewers to mystical and far-away lands.
- National Museum of History (國立歷史博物館), 49 Nanhai Rd, Taipei (台北市南海路49號). Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Call (02) 2361-0270
- Until Oct. 14
Made in New York - Solo Exhibition by Kuo Hsu-ta (郭旭達個展 - Made in New York). Combing his artistic trainings in painting and sculpture, artist Kuo creates a series of abstract ceramic sculptures inspired by Oriental thinking and aesthetics.
- Eslite Gallery (誠品畫廊), B2, 245, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1, Taipei (台北市敦化南路一段245號B2). Open Tuesday to Sunday at 11am to 7pm. Call (02) 2775-5977
- Until Sept. 30
Journey to Yushan - Lee Yi-hong's Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition (玉山行回首向來 - 李義弘書畫展). Noted for his compositional blending technique that creates a unique artistic vocabulary, the respected educator and artist uses ink paintings to capture his deep feelings for southern Taiwan and to explore the relationship between ink, brush and artist.
- National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung (國立台灣美術館), 2 Wuchuan W Rd Sec 1, Taichung (台中市五權西路一段2號). Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm. Call (04) 2372-3552
- Until Oct. 7
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