The National Central Library (NCL) yesterday unveiled its newly upgraded multipurpose performance hall, while announcing that writers Pai Hsien-yung (白先勇) and Chiang Hsun (蔣勳) are scheduled to hold talks there later this year.
Among the guests at the opening ceremony were figures from the local arts and culture scene, including Pai, U-Theatre (優人神鼓) founder Liu Ruo-yu (劉若瑀) and Tang Mei Yun Taiwanese Opera Company (唐美雲歌仔戲團) founder Tang Mei-yun (唐美雲).
The performance hall — on the basement level of the Taipei library — had been an auditorium for lectures, awards ceremonies and other events not requiring a large stage, NCL Director-General Tseng Shu-hsien (曾淑賢) said.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
For theatrical productions, set designers needed skill to overcome the physical limitations of the former stage, which was narrow and plain, she said.
The new space, which can seat up to 500 people, provides young performers who might not be ready for more professional venues with an additional place to practice their craft, she said.
The improvements were made possible with financial support from the Trend Education Foundation, as well as a team of experts that it provided, she said.
The stage’s functionality was upgraded, and new lighting equipment and curtains were bought, she said.
The changes follow a global trend of libraries being transformed into spaces where people gather to learn, be inspired and be creative, she added.
Sound-absorbing panels were installed, as well as a reinforced steel grid above the stage, foundation CEO Jenny Chen (陳怡蓁) said.
The work on the performance hall was done from Nov. 2 last year to Thursday last week, she said.
Pai, who has given seven lectures over the past two years, is to lecture at the multipurpose performance hall on May 8 and May 22, Chen said.
Chiang, who gives a lecture each year, is to give another one on Nov. 27, she said.
This year, the foundation has scheduled 10 free programs to be held in the space, she added.
Additional reporting by Rachel Lin
The Grand Hotel Taipei on Saturday confirmed that its information system had been illegally accessed and expressed its deepest apologies for the concern it has caused its customers, adding that the issue is being investigated by the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau. The hotel said that on Tuesday last week, it had discovered an external illegal intrusion into its information system. An initial digital forensic investigation confirmed that parts of the system had been accessed, it said, adding that the possibility that some customer data were stolen and leaked could not be ruled out. The actual scope and content of the affected data
DO THEY BITE IT? Cats have better memories than people might think, but their motivation is based entirely around the chance of getting fed Cats can remember the identity of the people who fed them the day before, Taipei-based veterinarians said on Friday, debunking a popular myth that cats have a short memory. If a stray does not recognize the person who fed them the previous day, it is likely because they are not carrying food and the cat has no reason to recognize them, said Wu Chou Animal Hospital head Chen Chen-huan (陳震寰). “When cats come to a human bearing food, it is coming for the food, not the person,” he said. “The food is the key.” Since the cat’s attention is on the food, it
A New York-based NGO has launched a global initiative to rename the nation’s overseas missions, most of which operate under the name "Taipei," to "Taiwan Representative Office (TRO)," according to a news release. Ming Chiang (江明信), CEO of Hello Taiwan, announced the campaign at a news conference in Berlin on Monday, coinciding with the World Forum held from Monday through Wednesday, the institution stated in the release. Speaking at the event, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Huang Jie (黃捷) said she believed this renaming campaign would enable the international community to see Taiwan
TOO DANGEROUS: The families agreed to suspend crewed recovery efforts that could put rescuers in danger from volcanic gases and unstable terrain The bodies of two Taiwanese tourists and a Japanese pilot have been located inside a volcanic crater, Japanese authorities said yesterday, nearly a month after a sightseeing helicopter crashed during a flight over southwestern Japan. Drone footage taken at the site showed three bodies near the wreckage of the aircraft inside a crater on Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, police and fire officials said. The helicopter went missing on Jan. 20 and was later found on a steep slope inside the Nakadake No. 1 Crater, about 50m below the rim. Authorities said that conditions at the site made survival highly unlikely, and ruled
RSS