Theater
The prestigious Ballet Company and Orchestra of Russia’s Mariinsky Theater perform timeless classics Sleeping Beauty from tonight through Sunday and Swan Lake from Monday through Wednesday. Both are set to the luscious music of Peter Tchaikovsky. [See story on Page 13.]
▲National Theater, Taipei City
▲Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm, Monday to Wednesday at 7:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$800 to NT$8,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Part of the interactive installation A Jiaocha Experience (間), by Taiwanese theater and cinema artist Huang Pei-shan (黃佩珊) and artist and hacker BlueScreen, Puppet and Its Double Theater (無獨有偶工作室劇團) will perform live-action and puppet shows that encourage viewers to explore and experience different forms of communication.
▲Museum of Contemporary Art (台北當代藝術館), 39 Changan W Rd, Taipei City (台北市長安西路39號)
▲Today, tomorrow and Sunday at 7pm, 7:30pm, 8pm and 8:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$350, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
In four classic tales including Jou Chu Eradicates Three Evils (周處除三害) and Smash Down the Rank (大破銅旗陣), Hsiao Hsi Yuan Puppet Theater (小西園掌中劇團), led by puppet master Hsu Wang (許王), shows Taiwan’s traditional glove puppetry as a refined art form.
▲National Experimental Theater, Taipei City
▲Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Century Contemporary Dance Company (世紀當代舞團) presents Stravinsky’s Les Noces, which weds the Russian composer’s cantata with choreographer Yao Shu-fen’s (姚淑芬) contemporary vocabulary and painting by award-winning visual artist Wang Pan-yuan (王攀元).
▲Novel Hall (新舞台), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號)
▲Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$600 to NT$1,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
A daring collaboration between veteran Beijing opera director Li Xiao-ping (李小平) and a group of 20-something theater novices from Creative Society (創作社劇團), Bye Girl (掰啦女孩) tells the story of three lads and a mysterious girl.
Hip-hop beats abound in this play written by young playwright Feng Po-li (馮勃棣), who is also a rapper and magician.
▲Crown Art Center Theater (皇冠小劇場), B1, 50, Ln 120, Dunhua N Rd, Taipei City (台北市敦化北路120巷50號B1)
▲Today at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$450, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Classical
AMA Principal Soloists Series — Andrei Yeh (亞藝首席獨奏家系列 — 葉孟儒鋼琴獨奏會) sees Taiwan-born, Russian-trained pianist Andrei Yeh (葉孟儒) conclude his current Taiwan tour tomorrow at the National Recital Hall in Taipei City. The series opens tomorrow with a free performance in Taoyuan County. Yeh will perform a program that includes Debussy’s Preludes and Rachmaninoff’s Prelude Op. 23.
▲Tomorrow at 7:30pm
▲National Recital Hall
▲Tickets are NT$250 to NT$500, available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
The First Taipei International Lyricism in 20th Century
Music Festival (第一屆台北國際二十世紀美好音樂節) has the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra (長榮交響樂團) performing a series of concerts that run until April 15. In the first concert on Wednesday, the orchestra will be lead by guest conductor Israel Yinon and feature Gary Hoffman on cello. The program will include Braham’s Nanie, Op. 82 for Choir and Orchestra and Schicksalslied Op. 54, Franz Schreker’s Schanengesang and highlights from Alexander Zemlinsky’s opera Es War Einmal.
▲Wednesday at 7:30pm
▲National Concert Hall, Taipei City
▲Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,500, available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Sinfonia Pastorale (田園交響曲) sees the Taipei Symphony Orchestra (臺北市立交響樂團) performing under the baton of guest conductor Reinhard Seifried and featuring piano soloist Su Li-chun (蘇立群). On the program are Richard Strauss’ Suite From Der Rosenkavalier, Burleske for Piano and Orchestra and Eine Alpensinfonie Op. 64.
▲Tonight at 7:30pm
▲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, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
The Taipei County Government’s Bitan Music Festival (碧潭音樂節) concludes this weekend with free outdoor performances at the Bitan riverside area outside of Xindian MRT Station. Tomorrow’s program features ShantaaL, which plays music from India, Central Asia, the Middle East and Spain. The band is composed of Taiwanese multi-instrumentalist Janelle Chang (張宜蓁), and Waka and Yo, a Japanese duo who play tabla and sitar. Tomorrow the festival features vintage blues and jazz from David Chen and the Muddy Basin Ramblers. On the Net www.2009bmf.com.tw
▲The festival takes place at the Bitan riverside area, just outside of Xindian MRT Station (新店捷運站)
▲Shows go from 3pm to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday
▲No admission fee
Tonight VU Live House hosts UK group Super Milkmen, which mix hip-hop, drums ’n’ bass, electro and house. [See story on Page 15.] Tomorrow night Caribbean music DJ crew Island Jam presents Reggae Fever.
▲B1, 77, Wuchang St Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市武昌街二段77號B1). Tel: (02) 2314-1868
▲Show begins at 11pm
▲Entrance fee is NT$400 for men and NT$300 for women tonight and NT$350 tomorrow, includes one drink
Tonight The Wall (這牆) hosts Chinese bands Snapline and Carsick Cars, who toured with Sonic Youth on their European tour in 2007 and are one of China’s most popular indie-rock bands. [Note: Last Friday’s edition of the Taipei Times incorrectly listed this show as have being scheduled for yesterday. We regret the error.] Later on, Earworm, a party dedicated to techno/minimal, holds its anniversary bash. The event features John Selway of CSM records and DJs BB, A-Tao, Databass and VJ Monkey Sun. [See Vinyl Word.] Tomorrow night Echo (回聲) brings its Brit-pop sound to the venue. On Sunday post-rock band The Cranes shares the bill with Engine No. 9 (九號引擎). On Wednesday Beijing rockers Muma (木瑪) and Third Party take to the stage. Pop jazz wunderkind Joanna Wang (王若琳) appears on Thursday.
▲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 visit www.thewall.com.tw for more information
▲8pm tonight for the bands and midnight for the DJs, 8pm tomorrow, Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday
▲Entrance fee tonight is NT$800 for the bands and NT$500 for the DJ party, NT$400 tomorrow, NT$300 on Sunday, NT$350 on Wednesday and NT$500
on Thursday
Orangegrass (橙草) performs tonight at Witch House (女巫店). Folk singer Panai (巴奈) appears tomorrow.
▲7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號). For more information, 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 Sundays through Wednesdays; 11am to 1am Thursdays through Saturdays
▲Entrance fee for music shows is NT$300, includes one drink
Jazz sounds swing Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) tonight with saxophonist Dong Shun-wen (董舜文) and friends. Cookie Monster (餅乾怪獸) and nu-metal/funk band Coach (教練) rock the house tomorrow night. College-pop favorite Crowd Lu (盧廣仲) appears on Sunday.
▲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 Taipower Building (台電大樓). Call (02) 2368-7310 or visit www.riverside.com.tw for more information
▲Show starts at 9:30pm tonight and 9pm tomorrow, 9pm on Sunday
▲Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$500 Sunday, includes one drink
Tonight at Riverside Live House (西門紅樓展演館), indie-folk rocker Ban Ban (斑斑) debuts her new band Boyz and Girl. Also appearing is another new band, The Little. Taiwan’s “King of Rock,” Wubai (伍佰), and his band China Blue play tomorrow night.
▲177 Xining S Rd, Taipei City (台北市西寧南路177號). Call (02) 2370-8805 or visit www.riverside.com.tw for more information
▲Shows start at 8:30pm
▲Entrance NT$400 tonight and NT$900 tomorrow, includes one drink
Jazz Your Mind plays tonight at Sappho de Base. The Double J Band plays tomorrow, the Jason Hayashi Trio appears on Tuesday and the Chris Stiles Jazz Trio plays on Wednesday. On Thursday the venue hosts its weekly jam session.
▲B1, 1, Ln 102, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市安和路一段102巷1號B1). Call (02) 2700-5411 (after 9pm) or visit www.sappho102.biz for more information
▲Performances begin at 10:30pm on weekends, 10pm on weekdays
▲No admission fee
Every Wednesday night at the Cosmopolitan Grill there’s a blues open mic held by the Blues Society on Taiwan. All are welcome to bring their instruments and sit in on guitar, bass or drums.
▲1F, 218 Changchun Rd, Taipei City (台北市長春路218號1樓). Call (02) 2508-0304 or visit www.cosmo.com.tw for more information
▲8pm to 11pm every Wednesday
▲No admission fee
EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Highlights this week include Hsing Lung (辛隆) tomorrow, Julia Peng (彭佳慧), a major draw who appears every Tuesday, and Liu Wei-zen (劉偉仁) on Tuesday and Wednesday.
▲211, Anhe Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市安和路二段211號). Call (02) 2738-3995 or visit www.ez5.com.tw for more information
▲Music shows run from 9:45pm to 12:30am
▲Entrance fee (including two drinks) ranges from NT$600 to NT$850, depending on the performer
Newcomers io, a group of Chinese-Canadians from Vancouver, appear tonight at Underworld (地下社會). They open for local indie veterans La Petite Nurse (小護士樂團). Tomorrow, Back 2 the Future (回到未來) holds its Friends From A-far party, with a lineup of DJs including Yang Yang (洋洋) of Beijing and house DJ Tsung Ming (宗明). According to the venue’s Web site, the party is being held to “welcome Carsick Cars’ and Snapline’s visit.”
▲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
▲Shows start at 9:30pm
▲Entrance is NT$300 tonight and tomorrow, includes one drink
Tonight at Tone 56 Live Bar is New Orleans funk band The Kenyatta Trio. No bands are scheduled for tomorrow as the venue will be showing English Premier League soccer live on TV. There’s an open jam on Sunday.
▲1F, 56, Minquan E Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市民權東路三段56號1樓), near the corner of Fuxing North (復興北) and Minquan East (民權東) roads.
Tel: (02) 2517-3869
▲The music starts at 9:30pm tonight and tomorrow, the open jam goes from 7pm to 10pm on Sunday
▲No admission fee
Exhibition
Collision Between Taboo and Desire: Hou Chun-ming Works of Print, 1992-2008 (六腳侯氏—衝撞在慾望與禁忌之間的版畫創作1992-2008) displays 13 sets of the artist’s printmaking. Bearing titles such as Erotic Paradise and Paradise Lost for the Heterosexuals, the pieces uncompromisingly explore religion, sexual desire and the life experiences of the artist.
▲National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung (國立台灣美術館), 2, Wucyuan W Rd Sec 1, Taichung City (台中市五權西路一段2號). Open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9am to 5pm. Tel: (04) 2372-3552
▲Until May 24
Tu Wei-cheng (涂維政), Zhang Hong-tu (張宏圖) and Yang Mao-lin (楊茂林) use sculpture and oil painting to investigate history, both real and imaginary, in Mythologies of Contemporary Art by Three Artists (當代藝術神話—三人展).
▲Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM), 181, Zhongshan N Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市中山北路三段181號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9:30am to 5:30pm, closes at 8:30pm on Saturdays. Tel: (02) 2595-7656. On the Net: www.tfam.museum
▲Until May 3
Lee Tsai-chien’s Solo Exhibition (李再鈐雕塑個展) features 18 metal objects by Taiwan’s preeminent master of geometrical sculpture. Ancient Greek ideal forms and Buddhist and Taoist philosophy inspire Lee’s monumental creations incorporating circles, triangles and squares.
▲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 Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11am to 7pm. Tel: (02) 2587-3412. On the Net:
www.maintrendgallery.com.tw
▲Until April 25
The natural cycle of growth and decay informs The Day I Saw Past and Future Sceneries Playing (那天我看見昨天和明天風景在遊戲), a solo exhibition by Jang Tarng-kuh (張堂庫). Employing a visual aesthetic that harks back to early modern traditions of landscape painting, Jung’s pastoral canvases depict scenes of overgrown gardens, running brooks, and mountains shrouded in mist.
▲Metaphysical Art Gallery (形而上畫廊), 7F, 219, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路一段219號7樓). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 11am to 6:30pm. Tel: (02) 2711-0055. On the Net: www.artmap.com.tw
▲Until April 8
Explore is a group exhibition that includes works by Hubert Cance, Iskren Semkov and Luiz Cavalli. The artists hailing from France, Bulgaria and Brazil use abstraction, expressionism and realism to “explore” landscape and still life.
▲X-Power Gallery (影響力藝術中心), 98, Xinyi Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市信義路四段98號). Open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 6pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 11am to 8pm.
Tel: (02) 2708-0929. On the Net:
www.xpgallery.com.tw
▲Until March 31
The Yingge Ceramics Museum investigates the human form in Passionate Beings: Contemporary Ceramics of Museum Collection (多情.人—當代陶藝典藏展), an exhibit of 35 sculptures from its permanent collection.
▲Yingge Ceramics Museum (鶯歌陶瓷博物館), 200 Wenhua Rd, Yinge Township, Taipei County (台北縣鶯歌鎮文化路200號). Open Tuesdays to Fridays from 9:30am to 5pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30am to 6pm. Tel: (02) 8677-2727. On the Net: www.ceramics.tpc.gov.tw
▲Until April 19
Ancient Pottery of the Paiwan Tribe in Taiwan (祖靈的居所—台灣排灣族古陶壺特展) shows how ceramics are closely associated with the legends of the Paiwan tribe’s origins, and how pottery helps to perpetuate the tribe’s social hierarchy.
▲National Museum of Natural Science (國立自然科學博物館), 1, Kuanchien Rd, Taichung City (台中市館前路1號). Open from 9am to 5pm, closed Mondays. On the Net: www.nmns.edu.tw
▲Until May 17
The God of Earth in Taiwan (台灣土地公特展) explains the origins of the Earth God (土地公) and why it continues to play an important role in folk worship throughout the country.
▲National Museum of Natural Science (國立自然科學博物館), 1, Guancian Rd, Taichung City (台中市館前路1號). Opens from 9am to 5pm, closed Mondays. On the Net: www.nmns.edu.tw
▲Until May 31
Madden Reality: Post-Taipei Art Group (叛離異象:後台北畫派) brings together 72 works by eight of Taiwan’s most well-respected contemporary artists.
▲Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM), 181, Zhongshan N Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市中山北路三段181號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9:30am to 5:30pm, closes at 8:30pm on Saturdays. Tel: (02) 2595-7656. On the Net: www.tfam.museum
▲Until April 5
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