Theater
Stan Lai's (賴聲川) latest play, Like Shadows (如影隨形), opens tomorrow at Taichung Chungshan Hall, and will be performed by Performance Workshop (表演工作坊) with Lai as artistic director. The play follows the life of a troubled teenaged girl, who investigates the cause of her mother's death and her father's mysterious disappearance and in the process becomes capable of communicating with the spirit world. Her engagement with the netherworld reveals shocking secrets about the family.
▲ Taichung Chungshan Hall (台中市中山堂), 98 Hsuehshi Rd, Taichung City (台中市學士路98號)
▲ Tomorrow and Sunday at 7:30pm
▲ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$2,800 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The Year Monster (怪獸阿年) is a performance for the whole family. Drawing on an ancient legend about an evil spirit that roams mountainous regions around Chinese New Year called the Year Beast (年獸), the story tells the tale of A-ping, a young boy who is sent as a sacrifice to the feared spirit. Through determination and goodwill, A-ping befriends the beast and brings good luck to his village for the New Year.
▲ Taipei Cultural Center, Wenshan Branch (社教館文山分館), B2, 32 Jingwen St, Taipei City (台北市景文街32號B2)
▲ Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm, tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm and Sunday at 10:30am
▲ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$500 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
Winter Daydreams - NSO Tchaikovsky's Cycle No. 6 (NSO 發現柴科夫斯基6－冬日之夢) will have the National Symphony Orchestra performing under its former musical director Chien Wen-pin (簡文彬) and featuring Elisso Virsaladze on the piano. The program includes Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 1 in G Minor "Winter Daydreams" and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor.
▲ Sunday 2:30pm
▲ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
▲ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,500 and are available through NTCH ticketing
2008 Hsu Wen-ting Zheng Recital (2008許雯婷古箏獨奏會) will feature the celebrated zheng (箏) soloist performing a series of works by Taiwanese composers.
▲ Tomorrow 7:30pm
▲ National Recital Hall, Taipei City
▲ Tickets are NT$200 to NT$400 and are available through NTCH ticketing
My Hometown in Our Homeland - An Evening of Chamber Music (我們的鄉 我的家－室內樂之夜) will see some of Taiwan's top chamber musicians coming together to perform works by young Taiwanese composers, including the world premiere of Chang Che-wei's (張哲瑋) That Summer, the Calm Ocean (那年夏天 寧靜的海) for a septet with four flutes and Li He-pu's (李和莆) new series based on Taiwanese melodies for an octet with piano and percussion.
▲ Wednesday 7:30pm
▲ National Recital Hall, Taipei City
▲ Tickets are NT$200 to NT$500 and are available through NTCH ticketing
A Night of Musical Magic with Chen Tien-ni (陳天霓與您共度"幻想交響夜"音樂會) will see the pianist Chen Tien-ni (陳天霓) perform with the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra (高雄市交響樂團) under the baton of Hsiao Pang-hsiang (蕭邦享). The program includes Wagner's Lohengrin, Prelude Act 3, Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major and Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique.
▲ Sunday 7:30pm
▲ 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)
▲ Tickets are NT$200 to NT$500 and are available through ERA ticketing
Evening of Violin Virtuoso (琴魔狂舞－卡門幻想曲) will see violinist David Grimal playing with the Taipei Symphony Orchestra (臺北市立交響樂團). The program will include Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol, Saint-Saens' Havanaise, Ravel's Tzigane, Strauss' Don Juan and Waxman's Carman Fantasy.
▲ Today 7:30pm
▲ Taipei Zhongshan Hall (台北市中山堂), 98 Yenping S Rd, Taipei City (台北市延平南路98號)
▲ Tickets are NT$200 to NT$800 and are available through NTCH ticketing
2008 Elite Chamber Ensemble Trio (2008菁英室內樂集三重奏) will see Yang Hui-chi (楊蕙祺) on flute, Tsen Shih-Fei (曾史妃) on cello and Tseng Yi-chun (鄭怡君) on piano perform works from Beethoven, Glinka and Berg. The concert will also be held at the National Recital Hall, Taipei City on Jan. 25.
▲ Today 7:30pm
▲ Chihshan Hall, National Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center (高雄中正文化中心至善廳), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市五福一路67號)
▲ Tickets NT$200 to NT$300
Contemporary
Chinese-Malaysian Mando-pop singer Penny Tai (戴佩妮) appears tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) for a mini-concert with band D Power. There's more Mando-pop tomorrow with boy band duo Awaking (元衛覺醒). Picking up the pace later in the evening are the girl alt-rockers of Cherry Boom (櫻桃幫). Color Band and Hong Ren (閎仁) perform on Sunday. Monday is Open-Jam Night, when anyone can show up and play a few songs on stage. Indie-rock band Elesha (伊蕾莎) performs on Tuesday, followed by Wiiky and her band. Rock bands Pick (痞克四) and Happy Circle perform on Wednesday. Then on Thursday, it's singer Bibi Chao (趙之璧) and her band, followed by singer Olivia Yan (閻韋伶).
▲ B1, 2, Ln 244, Roosevelt Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路三段244巷2號B1), next to the Taipower Building (台電大樓). Call (02) 2368-7310, or visit www.riverside.com.tw
▲ Shows start at 9pm tonight and 9:30pm
▲ NT$400 tonight and tomorrow; NT$350 Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Admission includes one free drink. There is a one-drink minimum on Mondays
Heavy metal rules this weekend at The Wall (這牆), with progressive rock/alt-metal band MontEs, pop-rock/metal act Mixer (混合物) and glam-metal band R'aie XIII performing tonight. There's more heavy metal tomorrow, with 13 (恕), Inferno Requiem (黑冥煞) and Triple Six (666). Then on Wednesday, it's country-rock band Slimo (啾吉惦惦) and indie-rock band Pepper Cat (胡椒貓).
▲ B1, 200 Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Call (02) 2930-0162 or log on at www.the-wall.com.tw for more information
▲ The music starts at 8pm. Indie-rock and heavy metal record stores, cafe, tattoo parlor and street fashion shops in the downstairs arcade are open daily
▲ Entrance for shows is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, and NT$300 Wednesday. Admission includes one drink
Ambient/electronica artist Viba, hip-hop/roots act Militant Hippi and The Pan Africana Cultural Troupe take to the stage tonight at Bliss. The DoLittles, a four-piece rock band from Changhua, performs tomorrow, along with Allison's Army.
▲ 148, Xinyi Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市信義路四段148號), one block east of Dunhua South Road (敦化南路). Call Bliss at (02) 2702-1855 or log on at www.bliss-taipei.com
▲ Tonight's music starts at 10pm. Bar/kitchen open from 7pm daily
▲ Entrance to the bar is free. Cover for the shows upstairs is NT$200
At Witch House (女巫店) tonight, it's Natural Q (自然捲), a band with vocals, guitar, violin, bass and hand drums. Alt-rock band Neon plays tomorrow.
▲ 7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Road Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號). Call (02) 2362-5494 or visit www.witchhouse.org
▲ Performances start at 9:30pm. Restaurant/bar with queer/feminist bookstore and large collection of board games open 11am to midnight Sunday to Wednesday; 11am to 1am Thursday to Saturday
▲ NT$300 entrance includes one drink
Underworld (地下社會) features punks Random (隨性) and pop-punk band Kenny From Casino (賭場肯尼) tonight. Brit-pop act Tube (地下鐵) plays tomorrow along with indie-rockers Freckles (雀斑). On Wednesday, it's Hakka rapper Kou Chou-ching (拷秋勤) with special guests.
▲ B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1). Call (02) 2369-0103 or visit www.upsaid.com/underworld for more information
▲ Bands start playing after 9pm. The bar is open from 8pm daily, except Mondays
▲ Entrance for shows is NT$300 and includes one free drink
Seventeen-year-old singer/songwriter Chris Huskey performs tonight at the Living Room (小客廳). Tomorrow, it's DJ Island. Tuesday is Tarot Night with house regular Eiffel (艾菲爾), who promises to read your future and offer useful life tips. Folk guitarist Shotetsu (舒吉吉) returns to the Living Room this Thursday
▲3F, 8, Nanjing E Rd Sec 5, Taipei City (台北市南京東路五段8號3樓). Call (02) 8787-4154 or visit www.livingroomtaipei.com
▲7:30pm to 11am Tuesday; 8pm to 9pm Thursday
▲NT$150 minimum charge plus NT$50 donation tonight and tomorrow. NT$1,000 admission and purchase of one drink required for Tuesday's tarot; NT$300 admission and NT$50 recommended donation Thursday
In Taichung, it's Salsa Night tonight at Grooveyard, a non-smoking event with professional instructors who teach salsa and merengue to the tune of Cuban music. On Sunday, Grooveyard is hosting a jam session after the Whose Travel's fourth annual book exchange at the Frog 1 restaurant. Performing at the book exchange are the Money Shot Horns, Mostly Handsome, Russel Rogers and Reider, with table magic by Colin Gardner.
▲Grooveyard is located at 2F, 105 Huamei W St, Taichung City (台中市華美西街105號二樓). Visit www.grooveyardtaiwan.com or call 0939-574-737 for more information.
▲Frog 1 is located at 106, Huamei W St Sec 1, Taichung City (台中市華美西街一段106號). For more information on the book exchange, call Dale Mackie at 0921-315-080
▲Tonight's salsa runs from 8pm to 10pm. The book exchange at Frog 1 runs on Sunday from noon to 7pm
▲There is no cover for any of the above events
Exhibition
Encounter With Beauty - Exhibition of Contemporary Taiwan Female Artists (艷遇台灣當代女性藝術家作品展). Featuring works by female artists from three generations, the exhibition aims to show the different creative energies each artist exudes as well as distinct trends and sensitivities unique to their times.
▲Jia Art Gallery (家畫廊), 1F-1, 30, Zhongshan N Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市中山北路三段30號1-1F). Open Tuesday to Saturday from 12pm to 6pm. Call (02) 2591-4302
▲Until Jan. 24
Flower and Hammer - Huang Ming-che Solo Exhibition (花與鐵鎚-黃銘哲個展). A unique effort to fuse the art of sculpture with that of painting by the romantic Huang Ming-che, who is inspired by the eternal conflict between the ideal and reality, sensibility and rationality.
▲Main Trend Gallery (大趨勢畫廊), 209-1, Chengde Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市承德路三段209-1號). Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 7pm. Call (02) 2587-3412
▲Until Jan. 26
2007 Chinese Calligraphy Biennial: Tradition and Experimentation (2007傳統與實驗書藝雙年展). Based on the theme of popular cultural and language, the exhibition features works on pop and old songs, mottos, contemporary slang, commercial slogans, proverbs and reflections on life.
▲Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall (國父紀念館), 505, Renai Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市仁愛路四段505號). Open daily from 9am to 5pm. Call (02) 2758-8008
▲Until Jan. 20
Rainbow-wave: Selection of Interdisciplinary Creations of Figure Models (台灣玩偶模型跨界創作選件展). To create a dialogue with the ongoing exhibition of Desire and Consumption-Kaiyodo and Otaku Culture, the exhibit leads a study on the art of figure models by Taiwanese artists and designers. From an artist's viewpoint, the creation of figure models forms a close relation with plastic art.
▲Taipei Fine Arts Museum (台北市立美術館), 181, Zhongshan N Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市中山北路三段181號). Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30am to 5:30pm. Call (02) 2595-7656
▲Until Jan. 31
Lee Yi-hong's Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition (回首向來 - 李義弘書畫展). Part of the Kuandu Arts Festival that celebrates the 25th anniversary of Taipei National University of the Arts, the exhibition acknowledges the accomplishment of one of the university's faculty professors.
▲Taipei National University of the Arts ─ Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts (台北藝術大學關渡美術館), 1 Xueyuan Rd, Beitou Dist, Taipei City (台北市北投區學園路1號). Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Call (02) 2893-8871
▲Until Jan. 27
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