Upcoming
Michael Learns to Rock are big in Asia, partly because they do slow songs that you can study English too. Many thousands of Taiwanese have mastered the English language listening to the Danish trio's ballads. That's Why (You Go Away) and Take Me To Your Heart are two of their best-known songs. They will be playing two nights at the Taipei International Convention Center, on Friday, July 6 and Saturday, July 7. Tickets are priced from NT$1,000 to NT$4,200 and are available from Era.
- Tickets (www.ticket.com.tw), or call (02) 2341-9898. Concerts start 7:45pm. Find out for yourself why MLTR is the biggest-selling international band in Malaysia, without having to set foot in Kuala Lumpur.
PHOTO COURTESY OF EMI
Theater
M. Butterfly(蝴蝶君) is based on the play written by David Henry Wong. It tells the story of a French civil servant who falls in love with a beautiful Chinese opera star, who, following the tradition of Beijing opera where only males can perform, is a man masquerading as a woman. The opera star is also a Chinese spy who extracts information from him about the Vietnam War.
- Guling Street Theater (牯嶺街小劇場), 2, Ln 5, Guling St Taipei (台北市牯嶺街5巷2號)
- Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm and tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
- Tickets are NT$300 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artstickets.com.tw
Irma la Douce (巴黎花街) by Godot Theater (果陀劇場) tells the story of a fired cop on the steamy streets of 1960s Paris, who falls in love with a prostitute named Irma la Douce, who he meets at a seedy bar called the Cafe Moustache. After killing off La Douce's pimp, the ex-cop takes his place and gradually loses all sense of reality as he becomes increasingly jealous of the hooker's Johns. A highlight of the performance is the comedic acting talents of Chin Shih-jie (金士傑), who plays the role of the cafe owner.
- Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國父紀念館), 505 Renai Rd Sec 4, Taipei (台北市仁愛四段號505)
- Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
- Tickets are NT$400 to NT$2,000 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artstickets.com.tw
Italian Puppet Show: Sandrone (義大利木偶戲：桑得羅尼) by Taiyuan Puppet Theater Company (台原偶戲團) follows the hilarious exploits of Fagiolino and his friend Sandrone, the Laurel and Hardy of the Italian puppet stage.
- 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.artstickets.com.tw
Mom is so Annoying (媽媽好討厭) tells the amusing story of two daughters who, after being scolded by their mother, wish that she would disappear. To their astonishment, their mother does in fact disappear and their initial feelings of joy soon turn to sadness as they anxiously await her return.
- 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二巷99號)
- Tomorrow at 7:30pm
- Tickets are NT$200 to NT$400 and are available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artstickets.com.tw
Classical Music
Soprano Gigi Chan Solo Recital (女高音詹怡嘉2007獨唱會 - 愛的故事). Chan's 2006 release of a recording featuring Bach's Cantatas won critical acclaim. In addition, she is the sister of Chan Yi-yi (詹怡宜), a veteran anchorwoman at a local TV, who will preside at the recital. She will also be joined by violinist Roger Chiang (姜智譯) and pianist Lin Ya-hsu (林雅敘). The program is based on the theme voices of love, and will feature music by Rachmaninov, Richard Strauss, Faure, Satie, Romberg, Arditi, and Puccini.
- At the National Recital Hall, Taipei
- All tickets are sold out
- Tonight at 7:30pm
2007 Young Stars of Chinese Music (2007兩廳院傳統器樂新秀愛現一族 - 新世代的東方美學). The Young Stars series held by the NTCH has already successfully helped numerous talented young musicians attract the attention of local music lovers. To continue this concept, National Chinese Orchestra was commissioned to host the Young Stars of Chinese Music series. Through highly competitive auditions held in late 2006, three young artists Ma Shin-Yu (馬欣妤), Chang Ya-Ling (張雅玲), and Liang Jia-Ning (梁家寧) were chosen. Ma won the first prize in the liuqin (柳琴) category of the National Music Competition 2005; Chang, who plays the huqin (胡琴), is the recipient of the second prize in the International Yellow Bell Huqin Competition 2003; and Liang is the first prize winner in the pipa (琵琶) category of the Yellow Bell Chinese Music Competition 2005. They will display their outstanding skills in this joint concert.
- At the National Recital Hall, Taipei
- As of press time, NT$200 tickets are sold out, but NT$300 and NT$400 seats are still available through NTCH ticketing
- Tomorrow at 7:30pm
Deutsche Oper am Rhein and National Symphony Orchestra - Der Rosenkavalier (德國萊茵歌劇院與NSO - 玫瑰騎士). The last production of the NSO's 2006/2007 season features Richard Strauss' three-act comic opera Der Rosenkavalier in a joint production with Deutsche Oper am Rhein. This is the first time that a fully staged Der Rosenkavalier has been presented in Taiwan. The sumptuous sets, based on the production of Otto Schenk, will be a new visual and opera experience for the audiences in Taiwan. A pre-concert talk will be given by Hsing Tzu-ching (邢子青) in the lobby of the National Concert Hall 30 minutes prior to each of the four concerts in Taipei.
- At the National Concert Hall, Taipei
- As of press time, seats are still available from NT$1,800 to NT$3,000 for tonight's concert and from NT$2,400 to NT$3,000 for the concerts tomorrow and Sunday, and from NT$2,400 to NT$3,600 for the last concert on Monday. All tickets are available through NTCH ticketing
- Tonight, tomorrow, and Monday at 7pm and Sunday at 3pm
Amy Hsieh Cello Recital (謝孟容大提琴獨奏會). US-based Taiwanese cellist Hsieh was a prize-winner of the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society's Young Artists Competition in 1994 and in 1996. In 2002, she gave her New York Debut Recital at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall as the winner of Young Artists Cello Award of Artists International Competition of 2001. Joined by Europe-based Taiwanese pianist Liao Pei-chun (廖培鈞), Hsieh will present a program including Frescobaldi-Cassado's Toccata, Falla's Suite Populaire Espagnole, Stravinsky's Suite Italienne, and Shostakovich's Sonata for Cello and Piano No.2 in D minor, Op.40.
- July 3 at the Yuanlin Performance Hall, Changhua County (員林演藝廳), 99 Chungcheng Rd, Ln 2, Yuanlin Township, Changhua County (彰化縣員林鎮中正路二巷99號) and July 6 at the National Recital Hall, Taipei
- For the Changhua concert, tickets can be obtained free of charge at the service counter of the Yuanlin Performance Hall or call (04) 832-3410. For the Taipei concert, tickets range from NT$300 to NT$800 and are available through ERA ticketing
- Tuesday and July 6 at 7:30pm
2007 Elegant Art Chamber Concert (2007絃琴藝緻年度音樂會). The chamber quartet was founded in 2003 by violinists Chen I-lin (陳宜琳) and Chan Ching-ching (詹青青), violist Chen Yi-yuan (陳義元), and cellist Lin Yi-wen (林浥雯). All four instrumentalists are from Tainan. They will play Haydn's String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op.64, No.6, Debussy's String Quartet in g minor, Op.10, and Bartok's String Quartet, No.2, Op.17.
- At the National Recital Hall, Taipei
- Tickets range from NT$300 to NT$400 and are available through NTCH ticketing
- Wednesday at 7:30pm
Contemporary
Spaz-core pub circuit veterans 88 Balaz (顆芭樂籽), taike rapper Kou Chou Ching (拷秋勤) and happy punks Maho (馬猴) play tonight at Underworld (地下社會). Brit-pop revivalist Bitter and Tube (地下鐵) team up again tomorrow. Then on Wednesday, it's the melodic alt-rock Cigarette Band (哈根草) and funk rock four-piece Da Bones (骨頭).
- The bar opens at 8pm and bands start playing at 9pm
- Entrance is NT$300
- B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei (台北市師大路45號B1). Call (02) 2369-0103 or visit www.underworld-taipei.blogspot.com for more information
Tonight, Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) features acoustic and jazz standards by Real Collective (河岸留言精選爵士四重奏), one of club-owner and electric maestro Geddy Lin's (林正如) bands, with Toshi Fujii (藤井俊充) on drums, keyboardist Uno (烏野薰) and Kinya (池田欣彌) on double and electric bass. Tomorrow it's mainstream pop-rock band A-Pay (阿霈樂團). On Sunday it's heavy metal band Sonar (聲納) and shredder Marty Young, a versatile guitarist known for his bombastic live shows and technical proficiency, and his band. Monday night is open-jam night. Godfather (教父) and indie-rock outfit Candy Wine (糖果酒) play Tuesday. Funk/nu-metal band Coach (教練), Japanese po-punks Sobut and Crimerz, another Japanese band, perform Wednesday. Then on Thursday it's pop duo Walkie Talkie (錦繡二重唱) and Huang Chien-wei (黃建為), a college student who picked up the Golden Melody award for Best Newcomer this year with his folk debut Over the Way.
- Shows start at 9:30pm
- Entrance tonight, tomorrow, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday is NT$350. 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
The Wall (這牆) presents speed, death, thrash and heavy metal bands Forgiveness (恕), Horsemen, Beyond Cure, Silent Hell Crusher, SOE and Chthonic (閃靈) in a concert organized by TRA Music. Kaohsiung's Fire Extinguisher (滅火器), one of Taiwan's most popular punk/hardcore bands, play tomorrow and will be promoting their album Let's Go!. Wednesday's lineup features pop-punk/indie-rock bands Pa Pang (怕胖團), The White Eyes (白目) and Aphasia (阿飛西雅).
- Entrance tonight is NT$700. Tomorrow NT$400. Wednesday is NT$300
- Shows start at 6pm tonight, and 8pm tomorrow and Wednesday
- 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 www.the-wall.com.tw
Velvet Underground (地下絲絨), across from Taipei Main Station, presents Lucifer, Candy Box (糖果盒), Virus (病毒) and BSD tonight. Heavy metal, punk and idie-rock bands Children Sucker (表兒), Rolling Dice (搖滾骰子), Survival Influence (存活勢力), Band Monk (歹和尚) and Iron Banana play tomorrow.
- Bands take the stage at 8pm tonight and 7:30pm tomorrow
- Admission tonight is NT$350. Tomorrow is NT$400
- B1, 50 Zhongxiao W Rd Sec 1, Taipei (台北市忠孝西路一段50號B1). Call (02) 2314-1868 or visit www.velvet-underground.com.tw
The Fever Cats and Longplaying 52Hz (黑膠52) perform tonight at the Living Room (小客廳). Tomorrow it's Rice Magnet and No Name. Performances start at 9pm tonight and 8pm tomorrow
- There is a minimum charge of NT$300, with suggested donations for each act
- 3F, 8 Nanjing E Rd Sec 5, Taipei (台北市南京東路五段8號3樓). Call (02) 8787-4154 or visit www.livingroomtaipei.com
At Taichung's Grooveyard there's a School Is Out for Summer party featuring Chrome Relic, a Spinal Tap-esque band that is both funny and musically proficient. Tomorrow, Grooveyard celebrates its second anniversary with six quality bands: The Idiots, New Hong Kong Hair City, Boogie Chillin', Milk, Public Radio and The Money Shot Horns. Meanwhile, Groovecity continues to feature Aboriginal musicians Eagle Lin and Gu La Pau tonight and again tomorrow. Thursday at Grooveyard, as usual, is Taiwan Exposed open-mic night.
- At Grooveyard the music starts at 9:30pm and 6pm tomorrow. At Groovecity, the music runs from 8pm to 10pm both nights. Thursday's open-mic night starts at 9pm
- Grooveyard cover is NT$200 tonight and NT$300 tomorrow. Groovecity entrance is NT$300. There's no cover for open-mic night
- Groovecity is inside Tiger City (台中老虎城旁停車場) at 120 Henan Rd Sec 3, Taichung (台中市河南路三段120號老虎城). 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
Exhibitions
Mou.i.kai - The Exhibition by Handtoo Art Group (魔藝尬 － 悍圖2007). Celebrating the art group's 10th anniversary, the exhibition features 30 works including oil painting, animation, installation and multimedia art that reflect its members' artist-as-social critic philosophy.
- Taipei National University of the Arts - Guandu Arts Museum (台北藝術大學關渡美術館), 1 Xueyuan Rd, Peitou, 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 July 15
Good Things Happen?! (好事發生?!). Dazzling diamonds, svelte models and cutting-edge 3C products are part of our wonderful life - but this self-dubbed "multimode" exhibition aims to reveal the inconvenient truths behind the glamour. Every visitor to the cafe is part of the project as they see, listen, play, talk and are seen.
- Cafe Ole, 113 Xinyi Rd Sec 4, Taipei (台北市信義路四段113號). Open Monday to Sunday from 1pm to 2am. Call (02) 2703-4050
- Until July 29
Season Two: Resident Artist's Group Show (第二季駐村藝術家聯展). The exhibit features works of current resident artists such as Geraldine Mills from New Zealand who investigates the mechanics of nostalgia and kitsch through various displays. Marcos Zacariades from Brail addresses political and philosophical realities facing both cultures in Igatu, Brazil, and Taipei through his dramatic video work while Lee Szu-hui (李思慧) of Taiwan seeks to design a divine space for meditation and relaxed art-making. Zacariades and Lee will hold discussion sessions on their works on July 14 and July 18, respectively.
- Taipei Artist Village (台北國際藝術村), 7 Beiping E Rd, Taipei (台北市北平東路7號). Open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 6pm. Call (02) 3393-7377
- Until Aug. 12
Dreaming Alice (夢遊愛莉絲). The event on Sunday is simultaneously an art fair, group installation and photography exhibition on the world's beloved dolls such as Blythe, Pullip, Barbie, Jenny and Momko. For more information, visit alicemarket.uto.tw
- Nanhai Gallery (南海藝廊), 3 Ln 19, Chongqing S Rd Sec 2, Taipei (台北市重慶南路二段19巷3號). Open Wednesday to Sunday from 2pm to 9:30pm. Call (02) 2392-5080
- On Sunday
Exhibition of Koxinga (婆裟之眼 － 國姓爺足跡文物特展). Whether he was Koxinga on foreign accounts, or the Yanping King, a title bestowed on him by the Southern Ming regime, Cheng Cheng-kung (鄭成功) is a historical figure of utmost importance in the history of Taiwan. He played a vital role in the complex, tangled relationship that linked Taiwan, China and Japan in the last years of the Ming Dynasty and the early years of the Qing Dynasty. The museum's special exhibition presents a wide range of historical artifacts and documents in relation to Cheng with collections on loan from museums and private collectors in Japan, China and Taiwan, and aims to show the interaction between Taiwan and the rest of the world during the 17th to 19th centuries.
- 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 Aug. 12
Jan. 6 to Jan. 12 Perhaps hoping to gain the blessing of the stone-age hunter-gatherers that dwelt along the east coast 30,000 years ago, visitors to the Baxian Caves (八仙洞) during the 1970s would grab a handful of soil to bring home. In January 1969, the nation was captivated by the excavation of pre-ceramic artifacts and other traces of human habitation in several caves atop a sea cliff in Taitung County. The majority of the unearthed objects were single-faced, unpolished flake tools fashioned from natural pebbles collected by the shore. While archaeologists had found plenty of neolithic (7,000 BC to 1,700
Famed Chinese demographer Yi Fuxian (易富賢) recently wrote for The Diplomat on the effects of a cross-strait war on demography. He contended that one way to deter the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is by putting the demographic issue front and center — last year total births in the PRC, he said, receded to levels not seen since 1762. Yi observes that Taiwan’s current fertility rate is already lower than Ukraine’s — a nation at war that is refusing to send its young into battle — and that its “demographic crisis suggests that Taiwan’s technological importance will rapidly decline, and
When the weather is too cold to enjoy the white beaches and blue waters of Pingtung County’s Kenting (墾丁), it’s the perfect time to head up into the hills and enjoy a different part of the national park. In the highlands above the bustling beach resorts, a simple set of trails treats visitors to lush forest, rocky peaks, billowing grassland and a spectacular bird’s-eye view of the coast. The rolling hills beyond Hengchun Township (恆春) in Pingtung County offer a two-hour through-hike of sweeping views from the mighty peak of Dajianshih Mountain (大尖石山) to Eluanbi Lighthouse (鵝鑾鼻燈塔) on the coast, or
Her greatest fear, dormant for decades, came rushing back in an instant: had she adopted and raised a kidnapped child? Peg Reif’s daughter, adopted from South Korea in the 1980s, had sent her a link to a documentary detailing how the system that made their family was rife with fraud: documents falsified, babies switched, children snatched off the street and sent abroad. Reif wept. She was among more than 120 who contacted The Associated Press this fall, after a series of stories and a documentary made with Frontline exposed how Korea created a baby pipeline, designed to ship children abroad as quickly as
RSS