A never-seen-before performance combining music, dance, fireworks and multimedia technology will take place at Taipei’s Dachia Riverside Park (大佳河濱公園) on the night of Dec. 31 to mark the beginning of the Republic of China’s centenary celebrations, the Council for Cultural Affairs (CCA) said.
The brainchild of top artists from Asia including Lin Hwai-min (林懷民), Lin Keh-hua (林克華), Cai Guoqiang (蔡國強), Leo Cheung (張國永) and Wang Chia-min (王嘉明), the New Year’s Eve celebration is a 50-minute, four-act show that seeks to “convey the cultural depth of Taiwan and its people,” Council for Cultural Affairs Minister Emile Sheng (盛治仁) said.
“This is a performance without any superstars or celebrities,” he said. “But nearly 1,000 technical staff and performers will put on a show the likes of which has never been seen.”
WATER SCREEN
The world’s largest water screen, which is 200m wide, will be set up along the Keelung River. The names of 100,000 citizens and the performance of the night will be projected onto the giant screen.
The show will begin with a performance by renowned Aboriginal singer Samingad (紀曉君), followed by a dance, a drumming performance and an ensemble of 400 children singing with -Samingad in the fourth act.
U-Theatre founder-director Liu Ruo-yu (劉若瑀) said that drummers would have part of their bodies submerged in water for two minutes during their 10-minute segment, creating a very different sound.
RELATIONSHIP
Celebrated lighting and stage designer Lin Keh-hua (林克華), artistic director of the New Year’s Eve celebration, said the performance is about the relationship between people, Mother Nature and the universe, and through the combination of technology and art, he promises a splendid and spectacular night on the last day of the year.
Lin said the fireworks show designed by Cai is certainly one of the highlights of the show, but when it is time for the final countdown, there will be a climax and “everything happens.” Lin refused to elaborate.
With only 8,500 seats set up for the outdoor performance, the best way for most people to enjoy it will be sitting at home and watching the live TV broadcast, the council said.
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Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
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