Theater
To celebrate the Xiahai City God’s
(霞海城隍) birthday, five Taiwanese opera troupes are staging the 2009 Taipei Xiahai City God Temple Cultural Festival (台北霞海城隍文化季), a 15-day marathon of performances in Dadaocheng (大稻埕). For more information, visit www.tmseh.gov.tw.
▲Daily from 3pm to 5pm and 7pm to 9pm until June 14
▲Yongle Square (永樂廣場), 21, Dihua St Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市迪化街一段21號)
▲Free admission
From Barcelona’s gypsy quarter comes 13-year-old flamenco prodigy El Yiyo, who became a professional dancer at the age of 8. A question and answer session after tomorrow’s show will be a rare chance to meet and talk to Yiyo and the ensemble of award-winning flamenco musicians and dancers from Spain. [See story on Page 15.]
▲Tonight and tomorrow at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm (Taipei), Monday at 7:30pm (Pingtung) and Tuesday at 7:30pm (Chiayi)
▲Novel Hall (新舞台), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號); Pingtung County Art Center (屏東縣藝術館), 427, Heping Rd, Pingtung City (屏東市和平路427號); Chiayi Performing Arts Center (嘉義縣表演藝術中心), 265, Jianguo Rd Sec 2, Minsyong Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣民雄鄉建國路二段265號)
▲Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,000 (Taipei), NT$200 to NT$800 (Pingtung) and NT$400 to NT$1,500 (Chiayi), available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Land of Clouded Leopard (雲豹之鄉) sees choreographer Liu Feng-shueh (劉鳳學) team up with award-winning composer Gerland Shih (史擷詠), cinematographer Deng Wen-bing (鄧文斌) and an ensemble of 59 Aboriginal performers to tell the story of two Aboriginal baseball players’ pursuit of their dream against all odds. [See story Page 15.]
▲Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
▲National Theater, Taipei City
▲Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Reflections (重返宓若思), the latest modern dance production by Sun-Shier Dance Theatre (三十舞蹈劇場), reflects on the myriad facets of femininity. [See story on Page 15.]
▲Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday
at 2:30pm
▲Experimental Theater, Taipei City
▲Tickets are NT$450, available
through NTCH ticketing or online at
www.artsticket.com.tw
Acme Physical Theatre’s (極至體能舞蹈團) unique dance production Puppet Ballet (掌中芭蕾) combines the tradition of Chinese hand puppetry with Western ballet. The performers assume different puppet roles and dance to a wide range of music, from traditional beiguan (北管) to electronica.
▲Tonight (Hsinchu) and tomorrow (Miaoli) at 7:30pm
▲Hsinchu Municipal Performance Hall (新竹市立演藝廳), 17, Tungta Rd Sec 2, Hsinchu City (新竹市東大路二段17號); Miaoli County Cultural Center Performance Hall (苗栗縣文化局演藝廳), 50 Tzuchih Rd, Miaoli City (苗栗市自治路50號)
▲Tickets are NT$300, available
through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical
Live from Buena Vista —
The Havana Lounge (樂士浮生錄—記憶哈瓦那) brings some of the biggest stars of Cuban music to Taiwan for three concerts in Taichung, Taipei and Tainan. The lineup includes vocals by Julio Alberto Fernandez Colina, Maria Victoria Rodriquez Sosa and Regla Teresa Garcia Caturla with an orchestra of outstanding instrumentalists.
▲Tuesday (Taichung), Wednesday (Taipei) and June 13 (Tainan) at 7:30pm
▲Taichung Chungshan Hall (台中市中山堂), 98 Syueshih Rd, Taichung City (台中市學士路98號); National Concert Hall, Taipei City; Tainan Municipal Cultural Center Performance Hall (台南市立文化中心演藝廳), 332, Jhonghua E Rd Sec 3, Tainan City (台南市中華東路三段332號)
▲Tickets are NT$600 to NT$2,500 (Taichung and Tainan) and NT$600
to NT$3,000 (Taipei), available
through ERA ticketing or online at
www.ticket.com.tw
Masters & NSO — Miraculously Poem Music (名家與NSO的對話系列—音幻之形、異想之間) sees the National Symphony Orchestra (國家交響樂團) performing under conductor Lu Shao-chia (呂紹嘉) and featuring soloist Gautier Capucon on cello. The program includes Debussy’s Jeux: Poeme Danse, Bloch’s Schelomo, Hebraic Rhapsody, Mahler’s Adagio from Symphony No. 10 and Bartok’s The Miraculous Mandarin Suite, Op. 19. Lu will conduct the orchestra in a second concert titled Pastorale in which the NSO will perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 in F Major and Brahms’ Piano Quartet in G Minor, Op. 25 as arranged by Schonberg.
▲Sunday and Thursday at 7:30pm
▲National Concert Hall, Taipei City
▲Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
2009 Ju Percussion Group Annual Cross Boarder Concert — Beatbox (2009朱宗慶打擊樂團年度跨界音樂會—擊樂人聲) once again shows Ju Percussion’s (朱宗慶打擊樂團) versatility in a concert featuring works that continue to push the art of percussion music to new levels.
▲Tuesday at 7:30pm
▲Sun Yat-sen Hall of the National Sun Yat-sen University Art Center (高雄中山大學逸仙館), 70 Lianhai Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市蓮海路70號)
▲Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,200, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Tomorrow night VU Live House hosts the premiere of Control, a music video by DJ and producer Sona, a Dallas transplant popular in Taipei’s house scene.
▲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 9pm
▲Entrance fee is NT$350, includes
one drink
Indie-pop trio Tizzy Bac puts on a doubleheader this weekend at The Wall (這牆), with shows tonight and tomorrow in support of their latest album, If I See Hell I Won’t Fear the Devil (如果看見地獄，我就不怕魔鬼). After the band’s set tonight, it’s Science of Sounds Round 2, a dance party with DJs Impulse from Spain, local legend A-tao and D7, as well as VJ Bruno, also from Spain. [See Vinyl Word on Page 15]. On Sunday, it’s alt-rock bands Understory (地下歲月) and Wavelight (波光折返). On Tuesday delta blues-punk rocker and one-man band Bob Log III returns for another show [See story above]. A new and expressly un-PC expat band, Homo Jews, is the opening act.
▲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
▲Shows start at 8pm tonight for Tizzy Bac and 11:30pm for the dance party, 8pm tomorrow and Sunday and 9pm on Tuesday
▲Entrance fee for Tizzy Bac is
▲NT$500 tonight and tomorrow; NT$600 for tonight’s dance party at the door or NT$400 in advance; Sunday and Tuesday’s shows are NT$400 each. All tickets include one drink. Advance tickets are available at White Wabbit Records inside The Wall’s shopping complex
Renowned fingerstyle guitarist Dong Yun-chang (董運昌) puts on a solo show tonight at Witch House (女巫店). Following Dong’s show is another acoustic performer, Koumis (蓓麗). Tomorrow indie-electronica band Nylas, which just released its latest album, takes to the stage. On Thursday, it’s solo acoustic act Easy and folk-pop singer Jasmin (假死貓).
▲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
Tonight goes classical at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) with the long-running student group Taipei Symphonic Band (台北青年管樂團). Tomorrow the venue hosts John Suming (約翰淑敏), singer and multi-instrumentalist from the popular college rock band Totem (圖騰). Performing on Sunday are hip-hop rockers Living Force (存活勢力) and young rockers Hi-Jack.
▲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
▲Shows start at 9:30pm tonight and 9pm tomorrow and Sunday
▲Entrance is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow and NT$350 Sunday
Tonight’s concert with songwriter David Huang (黃大煒) at Riverside Live House (西門紅樓展演館) has been canceled. But the weekend carries on with several Mando-pop singers. Tomorrow it’s female vocalist Shadya (藍又時). Then on Sunday it’s singer Peter Pan (潘裕文).
▲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
▲Tomorrow at 8:30pm and Sunday at 7:30pm
▲Entrance fee is NT$450 tomorrow and NT$650 Sunday
Taking to the stage tonight at Sappho de Base is the Jo Jo Ma Quintet, a group led by saxophonist Joseph Marchione, a founding member of the Austin, Texas, large jazz ensemble the Creative Opportunity Orchestra. Tomorrow it’s Canadian singer-songwriter Mister Green and Highway 9 (九號公路). On Tuesday US saxophonist Dan Perkins appears with his quartet for an exclusive show [see story on Page 13]. Tammy and Friends play jazz and funk on Wednesday. Emo Jazz Trio takes to the stage on Thursday.
▲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 Fridays and Saturdays, 10pm
on weekdays
▲No admission fee
Every Wednesday night at the Cosmopolitan Grill there’s
an open mic hosted by Jake Stanley of the acoustic duo Stoked Pokey. All are welcome to participate, and participants receive 20 percent off drinks.
▲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
▲8:30pm 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 male crooner Huang Chung-yuan (黃中原), performing tonight. Julia Peng (彭佳慧), one of the venue’s major draws, appears every Tuesday.
▲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 (including two drinks) ranges from NT$600 to NT$850, depending on the performer. Call venue for exact fees
Veteran underground rockers Celluloid (賽璐璐), one of the best straight-up rock bands on Taipei’s pub circuit, play a rare show tonight at Underworld (地下社會). Brit-pop act Tube (地下鐵) opens. Taking to the stage tomorrow are noise band Shebang-a (死蚊子) and Baimi Zhadan (白米炸彈), or “white rice bomb,” a new band formed by a former member of anarchist punk band LTK (濁水溪公社). On Wednesday it’s new bands Few Months Ago and Happy Rocker.
▲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 are from 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 9pm to 11pm on Wednesdays
▲Entrance is NT$300 tonight and tomorrow and includes one drink, NT$100 on Wednesday
Franz and Friends (城市舞台藝文沙龍), an upscale restaurant and performance space in Taipei’s east district, hosts music shows every night. The music tends to play it safe, ranging from wistful love songs and opera to lounge jazz. Weekly highlights include Denise Juan (阮丹青), a former pop singer turned piano teacher, television presenter and traveler, and her band Sunshine Costa. They play tonight. Tomorrow it’s Buona Sera, a group featuring soprano Chang Hsiao-ni (張曉倪).
▲25, Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City
▲(台北市八德路三段25號B1). Call (02) 2579-0558 for reservations, or visit www.franzandfriends.com.tw for more information.
▲Minimum charge of NT$300 on Fridays and Saturdays, one-drink minimum on other nights
Exhibition
Ravenel will hold its spring auction this weekend. On the block are works by more than 130 of Asia’s top modern and contemporary artists in 175 lots.
▲Fubon Life Building (富邦人壽), B2, 108, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路一段108號B2). On the Net: www. ravenelart.com
▲Previews will be held today and tomorrow from 10am to 7pm. The auction takes place Sunday from 2:30pm to 7:30pm
Galaxy Domain (天河戈域) is a retrospective exhibit celebrating John Way’s (魏樂唐) 90th birthday and features a selection of the artist’s abstract and expressionist works that are informed by Chinese brush painting.
▲William Contemporary Art Space (威廉當代藝術空間), 356, Tiding Blvd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市提頂大道二段356號). Open Mondays to Saturdays from noon to 8pm. Tel: (02) 8502-5570. On the Net: www.williamartspace.com
▲Until June 25
Cultural Insights From Taiwanese Documentary Photography (台灣美術系列─紀錄攝影中的文化觀) explores Taiwan’s cultural values and social environment through 152 photographs covering the past century. The images are culled from the museum’s permanent collection.
▲National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (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 to Sundays from 9am to 5pm. Tel: (04) 2372-3552
▲Until July 19
A Thousand, Thousand Churning Waves — The Legendary Red Cliff Heritage (捲起千堆雪—赤壁文物特展) is an exhibit on the Battle of Red Cliffs (赤壁之戰), a famous engagement fought at the end of the Han Dynasty. The National Palace Museum revisits this legendary event with historical documents, books, works of art and prints depicting the period and its people.
▲National Palace Museum (國立故宮博物院), 221, Zhishan Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市至善路二段221號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9am to 5pm; open until 8:30pm on Saturdays. Tel: (02) 2881-2021. On the Net: www.npm.gov.tw
▲Until August 31
Pan Ping-yu (潘娉婷) weaves together a variety of media such as fabric, wire, colored beads and spangles into dreamlike sculptures in Eternal Nature (永恆是情景的回復).
▲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; open until 8:30pm on Saturdays. Tel: (02) 2595-7656. On the Net: www.tfam.museum
▲Until June 28
Tu Pei-shih (杜珮詩) investigates the vagaries of human nature in her solo exhibition Happy Bubble Life (快樂泡沫生活). Tu uses collage as her primary medium.
▲Project Fulfill Art Space (就在藝術空間), 2, Alley 45, Ln 147, Xinyi Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市信義路三段147巷45弄2號). To arrange a viewing call (02) 2325-0023
▲Until June 21
Group exhibition Matter and Medium (物質•中界) features sculpture and installation work by six contemporary Taiwanese artists.
▲My Humble House Art Gallery, B1, 12, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路一段12號B1). Call (02) 3322-3833. On the Net:
▲www.myhumblehouse.com
▲Until June 15
Taiwan’s plants, animals and folk customs serve as Hsiao Mei’s (蕭媺) visual language in her solo exhibit Here Is Where We Meet (飄遊·境遇). The show features more than 30 of her dreamlike oil paintings created between 2003 and this year.
▲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; open until 8:30pm on Saturdays. Tel: (02) 2595-7656. On the Net: www.tfam.museum
▲Until June 26
Japanese artist Maruyama Junko uses recycled materials such as cooking oil and plastic bags for installations and sculpture in her solo exhibit Cancam.
Taipei National University of the Arts—Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts
▲(台北藝術大學關渡美術館), 1 Xueyuan Rd, Beitou Dist, Taipei City (台北市北投區學園路1號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am to 5pm. Tel: (02) 2893-8871
▲Until June 21
In Taiwan’s politics the party chair is an extremely influential position. Typically this person is the presumed presidential candidate or serving president. In the last presidential election, two of the three candidates were also leaders of their party. Only one party chair race had been planned for this year, but with the Jan. 1 resignation by the currently indicted Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) two parties are now in play. If a challenger to acting Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) appears we will examine that race in more depth. Currently their election is set for Feb. 15. EXTREMELY
Last week saw the appearance of another odious screed full of lies from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian (肖千), in the Financial Review, a major Australian paper. Xiao’s piece was presented without challenge or caveat. His “Seven truths on why Taiwan always will be China’s” presented a “greatest hits” of the litany of PRC falsehoods. This includes: Taiwan’s indigenous peoples were descended from the people of China 30,000 years ago; a “Chinese” imperial government administrated Taiwan in the 14th century; Koxinga, also known as Cheng Cheng-kung (鄭成功), “recovered” Taiwan for China; the Qing owned
Jan. 20 to Jan. 26 Taipei was in a jubilant, patriotic mood on the morning of Jan. 25, 1954. Flags hung outside shops and residences, people chanted anti-communist slogans and rousing music blared from loudspeakers. The occasion was the arrival of about 14,000 Chinese prisoners from the Korean War, who had elected to head to Taiwan instead of being repatriated to China. The majority landed in Keelung over three days and were paraded through the capital to great fanfare. Air Force planes dropped colorful flyers, one of which read, “You’re back, you’re finally back. You finally overcame the evil communist bandits and
They increasingly own everything from access to space to how we get news on Earth and now outgoing President Joe Biden warns America’s new breed of Donald Trump-allied oligarchs could gobble up US democracy itself. Biden used his farewell speech to the nation to deliver a shockingly dark message: that a nation which has always revered its entrepreneurs may now be at their mercy. “An oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms,” Biden said. He named no names, but his targets were clear: men like Elon Musk
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