Theater
Of Man and Object (人物語) is a modern dance performance by Taipei Dance Circle (光環舞集). Founder and choreographer Liou Shaw-lu (劉紹爐) usually drenches his dancers in baby oil before setting them loose to glide about the stage, but this time he's wrapped his dancers in what he calls sponges. The dancers roll up, roll out, bend and twist, constrained by their wrappings yet free to create forms, angles and movements that they could not do using bodies alone. A score played by seven live musicians accompanies the performance.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF TAIWANER ENSEMBLE
*Taipei National University of the Arts (國立臺北藝術大學音樂廳), 1 Xueyuan Rd, Beitou Dist, Taipei (北市北投區學園路1號)
*Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm
*Tickets are NT$250 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artstickets.com.tw
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE IMPERIAL HOTEL TAIPEI
The Passage (祕徑) by Sun Son Theater (身聲演繹劇場) is a unique performance that combines percussion with dance in the spiritually uplifting Bamboo Curtain Studio in Danshui.
*Bamboo Studio Theater (竹圍工作室), 39, Ln 88, Chungcheng E Rd Sec 2, Danshui, Taipei County (台北縣淡水鎮中正東路二段88巷39號)
*Today, tomorrow and Sunday at 7:30pm
*Tickets are NT$300 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
This is Tainan's last chance to see Godot Theater's (果陀劇場) Communicating Doors (開錯門中門). Based on the play by Alan Ayckbourn, this screwball comedy takes place in a five-star hotel where an elderly man is about to confess to complicity in murder. But when his business partner catches wind of the plan, he attempts to foil the confession.
*Tainan Municipal Cultural Center Performance Hall (台南市立文化中心演藝廳), 332, Chunghua E Rd Sec 3, Tainan City (台南市中華東路三段332號)
*Tomorrow at 7:30pm
*Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,900 and are available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Italian Puppet Show: Sandrone (桑得羅尼) by Taiyuan Puppet Theater (台原偶戲團). The performance follows the humorous buffoonery and exploits of the tall and wickedly intelligent Fagiolino and his short, daft friend Sandrone, the Laurel and Hardy of the puppet theater.
*Nadou Theater (納豆劇場), 79 Xining N Rd, Taipei (台北市西寧北路79號)
*Tomorrow at 3pm
*Tickets are NT$200 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Event
Though last week's typhoon washed out the Taipei Salon, it didn't dampen Rudolf Wagner's desire to speak on his chosen topic: German Unification: Popular Culture, Maoist Students and the Socialist Disneyland. The topic of last week's canceled Salon remains the same, and will be held tomorrow at Zhongshan Hall. One of Europe's foremost Sinologists, Wagner has extensively researched Buddhism, Taoist philosophy and contemporary Chinese politics and media.
*Zhongshan Hall (台北市中山堂), 98 Yenping S Rd, Taipei (台北市延平南路98號)
*Tomorrow from 2pm to 5pm
*Lectures are conducted in English with simultaneous interpretation in Chinese; admission is free but those attending must preregister by phoning (02) 3322-4907, or at www.civictaipei.org
Classical
Tchaikovsky Cycle 3: Pathetique (NSO 發現柴科夫斯基3 - 悲愴絕響) continues the NSO's journey through the music of the great Romantic composer with a program featuring his Pathetique Symphony No. 6 in B Minor. Also on the program is Tchaikovsky's Marche Slave and Szymanovski's Violin Concerto No. 1. Chien Wen-pin (簡文彬) will conduct with Li I-ching (李宜錦) as soloist on violin.
*Sunday 2:30pm
*National Concert Hall, Taipei
*Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,500 and are available through NTCH ticketing
Mad about Brahms - Outstanding Female Conductors with the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra Series 1 (狂戀布拉姆斯 - 高雄市交響樂團與傑出女指揮系列一) will feature guest conductor Hsu Ching-hsin (許靜心) in a program including the Tragische Overture, Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn and Hungarian Dances No. 4, 6 and 5.
*Sunday 7:30pm
*Kaohsiung Cultural Center, Chihteh Hall (高雄市文化中心至德堂)
*Tickets are NT$200 to NT$500
Auf dem Strom - A recital by Wang Wang-shu (2007王望舒獨唱會), will see the soprano perform a program of German songs with chamber orchestra including the works of Handel, Schubert and Spohr.
*Monday 7:30pm
*National Recital Hall, Taipei
*Tickets are NT$200 and are available through ERA ticketing
2007 NTSO International Music Festival Series 3 - Thomas Gal vs. Ernst Kovacic (2007 NTSO 國際音樂節系列3 - 大師傳「琴」) will feature guest conductor Thomas Gal and violinist Ernst Kovacic performing Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 and Britten's Violin Concerto Op. 14.
*Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30pm
*Tuesday at the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall (NTSO 演奏廳) at 738-2, Chungcheng Rd, Wufeng Township, Taichung County (臺中縣霧峰鄉中正路738之2號); and Wednesday at the Yuanlin Performance Hall, Changhua County (員林演藝廳), 99, Ln 2, Chungcheng Rd, Yuanlin Township, Changhua County (彰化縣員林鎮中正路2段99號)
*Tickets for the Taichung concert are NT$200 to NT$500; entry for the Changhua performance is free
Asia Pacific String Quartet 2007 Concert (2007亞太弦樂四重奏秋季音樂會) will feature Huang Wei-ming (黃維明) and Hsu Hsi-lung (徐錫隆) on violin, Chen Rui-hsian (陳瑞賢) on viola and Ouyang Ling-yi (歐陽伶宜) on cello.
*Tuesday 7:30pm
*Ilan Performance Hall (宜蘭演藝廳) at 482, Chungshan Rd Sec 2, Ilan (宜蘭市中山路二段482號)
*Tickets are NT$100 and are available through NTCH ticketing
Contemporary
Tonight at Bliss, it's hard rock bands Underflow and Mr Indie Rock, followed by solo acoustic acts Sahil and David Huskey. Tomorrow popular funk/groove rock band Public Radio plays its final show at Bliss before guitarist/singer Nate Javens returns to the US. Also performing tomorrow are The Dolittles, a four-piece rock band from Changhua. Ebeneeza will finish the night off on the turntables with industrial beats.
*Performances start at 10pm
*Entrance to the bar is free. On Fridays women wearing skirts get a free drink of their choice. Cover for the shows upstairs is NT$300 tonight and includes one drink
*148, Xinyi Rd Sec. 4, Taipei (台北市信義路四段148號). Call Bliss at (02) 2702-1855 or visit at www.bliss-taipei.com
Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) presents Dutch trumpet player Saskia Laroo and her international ensemble tonight. The combo, which headlined this year's Capetown Jazz festival in South Africa, plays straight ahead and hip-hop funky jazz. Tomorrow night it's the Rich Huang Group (黃瑞豐爵士五重奏), with lead drummer Rich Huang, saxophonist Dong Shun-wen (董舜文), pianist Lu Sheng-fei (呂聖斐), guitarist Eric Chuang (莊智淵) and bassist Jeff Chen (陳任佑), who trace various jazz styles back to bebop. On Sunday the music pub features sitar outfit Siyu Sitar (西尤) and new band Kong Xian (空弦). Monday is open-jam night. On Tuesday there's an album release party and concert with 2006 Ho-Hai-Yan music festival battle-of-the-bands winners Children Sucker (表兒). Rock/funk group Nekojamband (妮可醬) and indie-pop band Joker play Wednesday. And on Thursday it's Huang Chien-wei (黃建為), whose folk debut Over the Way earned him the Best Newcomer award at this year's Golden Melody awards, along with singer Debbie Hsiao (蕭賀碩).
*Shows start at 9:30pm
*Entrance tonight is NT$450. Tomorrow is NT$400. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday is NT$350. Tuesday is NT$300. Cover charge includes one drink. 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
Brit-pop band Bitter, indie-rock group Lucky Pie (拉奇派) and atmospheric alt-rock band Fuzzy play tonight at Underworld (地下社會). Sugar Plum Fairy (甜梅號), one of Taipei's oldest and best shoe-gazer bands, take the stage tomorrow, along with Vera Queen. Twice a Week (一週兩次) and post-rock band Emily (艾蜜莉) play Wednesday.
*Bands start playing around 9pm. The bar is open from 8pm to 4am on weekdays, 8pm to 5am on weekends, and is closed on Mondays
*Entrance for shows is NT$300 and includes one free drink
*B1, 45, Shida Rd, Taipei (台北市師大路45號B1). Call (02) 2369-0103 or visit www.upsaid.com/underworld for more information
Tonight at The Wall (這牆), it's noise band Black Faith With Sonic Pace and singer-songwriter Deserts Chang (張懸). Tomorrow features pop-rock band 13 (拾參) and indie-rock group Rose Din (螺絲釘). Aboriginal rocker outfit Totem (圖騰) performs Sunday, Crescent Lament and Jie Jin (捷進) play Wednesday, and Thursday is another installment of Challenging the Fire (火焰大挑戰), a battle of new or otherwise unknown bands.
*Entrance fees have not been published as of press time
*The music starts at 8pm, except for Thursday's battle of the bands, which runs from 7pm to 11:30pm
*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 the venue's temporary Web site at www.thewall.com.tw
The O-Brothaz sound system hosts Reggae Crazy every Thursday night at club Plan B. Drinks are NT$150 and DJs spin reggae, calypso, soca and dancehall until the early morning.
*NT$400 cover includes one drink
*10:30pm to 4:30am
*29-1, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei (台北市安和路一段29-1號). Call (02) 2775-5855 or visit www.obrothaz.com for more information
At Grooveyard in Taichung, Friday night is Salsa Night, when professional instructors teach salsa and merengue to the tune of Cuban music. Afterwards, it's Public Radio, who play funk, rock and groove. Country-rock band Dirty Skies plays tomorrow. Guitarist Russel Rogers plays blues, jazz, Middle Eastern- and African-influenced music on Wednesday, which is ladies night with drink specials for women. Thursday is Taiwan Exposed open-mic night.
*Salsa night runs from 8pm to 10pm. Public Radio takes the stage at 10pm. Tomorrow's live music starts at 9:30pm. Wednesday's music starts at 10pm. Open-mic night starts at 9pm
*Grooveyard cover for the bands is NT$200 tonight and tomorrow. There's no cover Wednesday and Thursday
*Grooveyard is located at 2F, 105 Huamei W Rd, Taichung (台中市華美西街105號二樓). Visit www.grooveyardtaiwan.com or call 0939-574-737 for more information
Exhibition
Dare to Art - The Genealogy of TNUA Fine Arts College (藝門好傑-國立台北藝術大學校友展). As part of the Kuandu Arts Festival in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Taipei National University of the Arts, the art feast features a diverse lineup of art works ranging from paintings, block prints, sculptures, video, installation and conceptual arts by nearly 100 TNUA alumni including Yuan Goang-ming (袁廣鳴), Tsui Kuang-yu (崔廣宇) and Yao Jui-chung (姚瑞中).
*Taipei National University of the Arts ─ Guandu Arts Museum (台北藝術大學關渡美術館), 1, Hsuenyuan Rd, Beitou, Taipei (台北市北投區學園路1號). Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Call (02) 2893-8871
*Until Oct. 28
The Sounds of Silence (無聲之音-董陽孜作品展暨系列活動). Aiming to reinvigorate the art of calligraphy as a lively contemporary art form, the exhibition features 11 large calligraphy works by artist Tong Yang-tze (董陽孜), a series of lectures that explore the ancient calligraphy's affinity with Chinese literature, music and philosophy as well as four displays of digital calligraphy art by young artists from Taiwan, China and Hong Kong. At Eslite Bookstore, Xinyi branch. For more information, visit www.mw.net.tw/user.eslite.
*Art and Performance Center at Eslite Bookstore, Xinyi Branch (誠品信義店展演中心), 6F, 11, Songgao Rd, Taipei (台北市松高路11號6樓). Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 10pm. Call (02) 8789-3388
*Until Nov. 4
Maze: Howard Chen Solo Exhibition (陳浚豪個展:迷宮). Using black, white and red glossy thumbtacks and the nuanced plays of light and shade artist Chen creates a mesmerizing visual maze where images and patterns appear and disappear along with the changing viewpoints of the viewer.
*VT Artsalon (非常廟藝文空間), B1, 47, Yitong St, Taipei (台北市伊通街47號B1). Open Tuesday to Thursday from 2pm to 12am, Friday and Saturday from 2pm to 2am. Call (02) 2516-1060
*Until Nov. 3
Mutation - Kuo I-chen Solo Exhibition (突變-郭奕臣個展). The exhibition is divided into four phases: spirit to corps, corps to city matrix, separation from the city matrix and return to spiritual matrix. The works on display force city dwellers to view their surroundings in a new perspective and examine the relation between the spiritual body and the urban matrix. For more information visit www.kuoichen.net.
*At Galerie Grand Siecle (新苑藝術), Taiwan International Visual Arts Center (台灣國際視覺藝術中心) and on the television walls of Eslite 116 building (誠品116大樓) in Ximending and Longmen Building (龍門大廈) on Zhongxiao East Road, Taipei
*Until Nov. 7
Treasures of Southeast Asia: Folk Artifacts of the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia (菲越泰印:東南亞民俗文物展). In light of the increasing numbers of Southeast Asian immigrants choosing Taiwan as their home, the exhibition aims to highlight immigrants' different cultures and ways they have helped to enrich society.
*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 Dec. 12
Nine Taiwanese nervously stand on an observation platform at Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport. It’s 9:20am on March 27, 1968, and they are awaiting the arrival of Liu Wen-ching (柳文卿), who is about to be deported back to Taiwan where he faces possible execution for his independence activities. As he is removed from a minibus, a tenth activist, Dai Tian-chao (戴天昭), jumps out of his hiding place and attacks the immigration officials — the nine other activists in tow — while urging Liu to make a run for it. But he’s pinned to the ground. Amid the commotion, Liu tries to
The slashing of the government’s proposed budget by the two China-aligned parties in the legislature, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), has apparently resulted in blowback from the US. On the recent junket to US President Donald Trump’s inauguration, KMT legislators reported that they were confronted by US officials and congressmen angered at the cuts to the defense budget. The United Daily News (UDN), the longtime KMT party paper, now KMT-aligned media, responded to US anger by blaming the foreign media. Its regular column, the Cold Eye Collection (冷眼集), attacked the international media last month in
Feb. 10 to Feb. 16 More than three decades after penning the iconic High Green Mountains (高山青), a frail Teng Yu-ping (鄧禹平) finally visited the verdant peaks and blue streams of Alishan described in the lyrics. Often mistaken as an indigenous folk song, it was actually created in 1949 by Chinese filmmakers while shooting a scene for the movie Happenings in Alishan (阿里山風雲) in Taipei’s Beitou District (北投), recounts director Chang Ying (張英) in the 1999 book, Chang Ying’s Contributions to Taiwanese Cinema and Theater (打鑼三響包得行: 張英對台灣影劇的貢獻). The team was meant to return to China after filming, but
On a misty evening in August 1990, two men hiking on the moors surrounding Calvine, a pretty hamlet in Perth and Kinross, claimed to have seen a giant diamond-shaped aircraft flying above them. It apparently had no clear means of propulsion and left no smoke plume; it was silent and static, as if frozen in time. Terrified, they hit the ground and scrambled for cover behind a tree. Then a Harrier fighter jet roared into view, circling the diamond as if sizing it up for a scuffle. One of the men snapped a series of photographs just before the bizarre