Fresh from their successful trip to the UK where Contemporary Legend Theater (當代傳奇劇場) presented a reworking of Kafka’s classic Metamorphosis, group founder Wu Hsing-kuo (吳興國) is preparing to launch the third installment of his Legend Opera (傳奇風雅) series next month.
The Taipei Times caught up with Wu at the small theater inside the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, a small theater space that in the past was used for lectures, but which has been adopted by Contemporary Legend for its considerably more colorful productions.
“It is quite a small theater space,” Wu said, “but in some ways it is ideal for Beijing Opera. It provides much greater intimacy.” The smaller capacity also allows for many shows over a longer period of time, providing the public with access to a variety of Contemporary Legend productions.
Photo Courtesy of Contemporary Legend Theater
The star turn in Legend Opera 3 is the new production titled Nezha (哪吒 — 少年風火輪), a tale that Wu believes has many elements that will appeal to a contemporary audience. The story itself, a bloody tale of family feuding, friendship and betrayal, has all the elements of a deliciously violent HBO series, and the central character of Nezha, a perpetual child riding round on wheels of fire — which he also uses as weapons — is a perfect excuse for Wu to revive and to develop new acrobatic moves onstage.
“The only person in Chinese opera to use these wheels is Nezha. We’ve had to develop a whole choreography for this character,” Wu said, clearly delighted at the challenge.
The opera itself is a new creation, for although Nezha exists as a character in various opera highlights, there is no opera that has him as the central character. “We have used bits from existing operas and brought the story together, making it more comprehensible to a modern audience,” Wu said. Wu has also added some contemporary elements and modern slang to the script, a device he has found helpful in drawing in younger audiences.
Photo Courtesy of Contemporary Legend Theater
Nezha, as the perpetual child, also provides opportunities for younger performers to take a substantial role in the production. Providing opportunities for young people to hone their skills in professional productions has been a major concern of Wu’s for many years. Wu said that the relative lack of productions of Beijing opera means that young performers rarely have an opportunity to shine. There will be a total of 18 performances of Nezha in Legend Opera 3.
Legend Opera 3, as in previous iterations, will also feature classic operas performed by Wu and other opera greats associated with Contemporary Legend, including opera diva Wei Hai-min (魏海敏).
Jason Han says that the e-arrival card spat between South Korea and Taiwan shows that Seoul is signaling adherence to its “one-China” policy, while Taiwan’s response reflects a reciprocal approach. “Attempts to alter the diplomatic status quo often lead to tit-for-tat responses,” the analyst on international affairs tells the Taipei Times, adding that Taiwan may become more cautious in its dealings with South Korea going forward. Taipei has called on Seoul to correct its electronic entry system, which currently lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan),” warning that reciprocal measures may follow if the wording is not changed before March 31. As of yesterday,
The Portuguese never established a presence on Taiwan, but they must have traded with the indigenous people because later traders reported that the locals referred to parts of deer using Portuguese words. What goods might the Portuguese have offered their indigenous trade partners? Among them must have been slaves, for the Portuguese dealt slaves across Asia. Though we often speak of “Portuguese” ships, imagining them as picturesque vessels manned by pointy-bearded Iberians, in Asia Portuguese shipping between local destinations was crewed by Asian seamen, with a handful of white or Eurasian officers. “Even the great carracks of 1,000-2,000 tons which plied
It’s only half the size of its more famous counterpart in Taipei, but the Botanical Garden of the National Museum of Nature Science (NMNS, 國立自然科學博物館植物園) is surely one of urban Taiwan’s most inviting green spaces. Covering 4.5 hectares immediately northeast of the government-run museum in Taichung’s North District (北區), the garden features more than 700 plant species, many of which are labeled in Chinese but not in English. Since its establishment in 1999, the site’s managers have done their best to replicate a number of native ecosystems, dividing the site into eight areas. The name of the Coral Atoll Zone might
Nuclear power is getting a second look in Southeast Asia as countries prepare to meet surging energy demand as they vie for artificial intelligence-focused data centers. Several Southeast Asian nations are reviving mothballed nuclear plans and setting ambitious targets and nearly half of the region could, if they pursue those goals, have nuclear energy in the 2030s. Even countries without current plans have signaled their interest. Southeast Asia has never produced a single watt of nuclear energy, despite long-held atomic ambitions. But that may soon change as pressure mounts to reduce emissions that contribute to climate change, while meeting growing power needs. The
RSS