Theater
European House — Hamlet’s Prologue Without Words by Spain’s Teatre Iliure dispenses with language to tell a tale of a quasi-Shakespearean familial war in a voyeuristic manner as the audience is allowed to see what takes place in each room of the family’s three-story house.
■ Metropolitan Hall (城市舞台), 25, Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德路三段25號)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 8pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$450 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Artist Hung Hung (鴻鴻) and his Dark Eyes Performance Lab (黑眼睛跨劇團) presents Der Hassliche (醜男子), an adaptation of German playwright Marius von Mayenburg’s play about plastic surgery. In this dark comedy, an ugly man seeks revenge after surgery improves his looks. The cast includes pop idol Bryant Chang (張睿家) and Hsiao-ying (小應) of indie-rock band the Clippers (夾子).
■ Zhongshan Hall (台北市中山堂), 98 Yenping S Rd, Taipei City (台北市延平南路98號)
■ Tonight at 8pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 8pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,200, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
A collaboration between the Taipei Chinese Orchestra (台北市立國樂團) and Cloud Gate 2, What a Tone! (跳Tone!) is a surprising fusion of traditional Chinese music conducted by Chien Wen-pin (簡文彬) and contemporary dance choreographed by 25-year-old Huang Yi (黃翊) .
■ Novel Hall (新舞臺), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 8pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,200, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Together choreographer Wu I-fang (吳義芳) and three other dancers present the lighthearted contemporary piece Summer Haruki (夏˙春上村樹).
■ Taipei Cultural Center, Wenshan Branch (台北市立社會教育館文山分館), 32, Jingwen St, Taipei City (台北市景文街32號)
■ Tonight at 8pm and tomorrow at 2:30pm and 8pm
■ Tickets are NT$600, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Tainaner Ensemble’s (台南人劇團) Love Life (愛情生活) tells the story of the battle between a male dog and a female cat.
■ 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)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
Wei-Wei Lan Pipa Recital (琵琶獨奏會) is part of the Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra’s (小巨人絲竹樂團) series of cross-strait exchange events. This recital will feature pipa (琵琶) specialist Lan Weiwei (蘭維薇), who is also currently teaching at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music (中央音樂學院).
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm
■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Lost in Wonderland — Girls Gone Mad (兒童樂園 — 姊妹狂歡) sees the Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra (台北市愛樂管弦樂團) continue its series of children’s concerts with pianists Yang Chien-ying (楊千瑩) and Stella Cheng (鄭佳姍). The program will include Poulenc’s Sonata for Piano for Four Hands, Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals, and Ketelby’s In the Persian Market.
■ Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra and Maestro Henry Mazer Music and Culture (台北愛樂暨梅哲音樂文化館), B1, 7, Jinan Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市濟南路一段7號B1)
■ Tickets are NT$250, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
2009 Ju Percussion Group Children’s Concert Tour (2009朱宗慶打擊樂團兒童音樂會全國巡演) kicks off on Thursday at Novel Hall.
■ Thursday at 7:30pm
■ Novel Hall (新舞臺), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號)
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
2009 Marimba Competition Final Concert (2009台灣擊樂菁英馬林巴大賽決賽者暨音樂會) organized by Lien Percussion (連雅文打擊樂團) will feature aspiring percussionists pushing their skills to the limit.
■ Sunday at 7:30pm
■ National Recital Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$100, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Roxy Roots hosts a benefit to raise money for Typhoon Morakot relief this weekend. Tonight’s lineup features live music from Taitung reggae rockers Matzka and De Hot, funk and nu-metal band Coach (教練) and Jamaican sound system Black Reign International Sound. Tomorrow it’s rock and reggae group Dangzai Kongzhong, reggae roots band High Tide and ska-meisters Skaraoke. There will be raffles tonight for free airline tickets to Hong Kong and tomorrow for tickets to Hong Kong and 42-inch televisions. [See story on Page 14.]
■ 90 Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松仁路90號). Tel: (02) 2725-3932. On the Net: www.roxy.com.tw
■ Shows start at 10pm
■ NT$200 recommended donation per person
Pop jazz wunderkind Joanna Wang (王若琳) appears at an already sold-out show tonight at The Wall (這牆). Tomorrow Chthonic (閃靈), Taiwan’s internationally renowned black metal act, celebrates the release of its new album, Mirror of Retribution (十殿). On Sunday it’s nu-rock and nu-metal bands Poguang Shefan (波光折返) and Beright, along with post-rock-ish group Sun of Morning (晨曦光廊) and power-pop band Mister Mouth (嘴哥). On Wednesday, indie-rockers Love Manana (愛的大未來) take to the stage.
■ B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1).
Tel: (02) 2930-0162. On the Net: www.thewall.com.tw
■ Shows start at 8pm
■ Tonight’s show is sold out. Entrance fee is NT$500 tomorrow and NT$300 on Sunday and Wednesday. Advance tickets can be purchased online on the venue’s Web site
Tonight Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) hosts jazz guitarist Yang Ting-yu (楊騰佑) and Friends. Mando-pop singer Shadya (藍又時), a regular at the venue these days, performs tomorrow. On Sunday it’s rock, fusion and jazz with three different groups led by three different guitarists: Lin Chen-yi (林振益), Hsieh Hua-chou (謝華洲) and Chung Cheng-yang (鍾承洋). Monday is open-jam night.
■ 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). Tel: (02) 2368-7310. On the Net: www.riverside.com.tw
■ Shows start at 9:30pm tonight and 9pm tomorrow and on Sunday. Open jam starts at 9pm. For a list of standard songs and ground rules, visit the venue’s Web site
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight and on Sunday, NT$450 tomorrow and NT$150 on Monday
Tonight Riverside Live House (西門紅樓展演館) presents a program titled Levites’ Gospel Night, featuring evangelist Scott Brenner and his gospel group Tribe of Levi, and Mando-pop singer Shadya (藍又時). Tomorrow night the venue hosts Korean hip-hop and rock group Nevada 51, up-and-coming pop singer Mia Liu (劉虹翎) and pop-punk rockers The Fen-Fens (紛紛樂團). No shows are scheduled for Sunday. Taking to the stage on Thursday is io, a group of Chinese-Canadians from Vancouver, and Mando-rock band Picks (痞克四), who are perhaps best-known for their song Fly Away, from the sound track to the hit film Orz Boyz (囧男孩).
■ 177 Xining S Rd, Taipei City (台北市西寧南路177號). Tel: (02) 2370-8805. On the Net: www.riverside.com.tw
■ Shows start at 8:30pm tonight, 7:30pm tomorrow and 8:30pm on Thursday
■ Entrance fee is NT$450 tonight and NT$400 tomorrow and on Thursday. Advance tickets can purchased online at www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight at Underworld (地下社會) Until Seeing Whale’s Eyes opens for post-rock band Aphasia (阿飛西雅). [See Highlight.] Tomorrow it’s emo-punk band Sponge Body and garage rockers Duct Tape (大力膠). On Wednesday the venue hosts Wild Vision and Epitaph.
■ B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1). Tel: (02) 2369-0103. On the Net: www.upsaid.com/underworld
■ Shows run from 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 9pm to 11pm on Wednesdays. Underworld is open daily from 9pm, closed on Mondays. Happy Hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays before midnight
■ Entrance is NT$300 tonight and tomorrow and includes one drink, NT$100 on Wednesday
The Claude Diallo Jazz Trio performs tonight at Sappho de Base. Diallo, a Swiss pianist based in New York City, is making his second appearance in Taiwan. Jo Jo Ma Quartet, a group led by saxophonist Joseph Marchione, appears tomorrow. On Tuesday it’s Ginger Men, a quartet playing funk and Latin music. On Wednesday, Sappho hosts an open jam. T and T Jazz Trio and Friends play 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).
Tel: (02) 2700-5411. On the Net: www.sappho102.biz
■ Shows start at 10:30pm on weekends, 10pm on weekdays. Sappho is closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ No entrance fee
Every Wednesday night at the Cosmopolitan Grill there’s an open mic hosted by keyboardist Andrew Page, with the music mainly covering blues and jazz. 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). Tel: (02) 2508-0304. On the Net: www.cosmo.com.tw
■ 8:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday
■ No entrance fee
EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Highlights this week include male singers Huang Chung-yuan (黃中原) tonight and Hsing Lung (辛隆) tomorrow. Pub legend and songstress Tiger Huang (黃小琥) performs every Monday, while Julia Peng (彭佳慧) is another major draw who appears every Tuesday.
■ 211, Anhe Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北 市安和路二段211號). Tel: (02) 2738-3995. On the Net: visit www.ez5.com.tw
■ Music shows run from 9:45pm to 12:30am
■ Entrance (including two drinks) ranges from NT$600 to NT$850, depending on the performer
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). Tel: (02) 2579-0558. On the Net: www.franzandfriends.com.tw
■ Minimum charge of NT$300 on Fridays and Saturdays, on other nights there’s a one-drink minimum
The Other Side is a new nightclub opened by Ling Wei (凌威), the owner of Taipei’s long-standing Roxy venues. The new club is a “party-until-the-sun-comes-up” spot like one of Ling’s past ventures, the now-closed Roxy Vibe, but The Other Side promises a classier atmosphere, with sofa seating and a modern lounge interior befitting of its locale in Taipei’s East District. House DJs spin classic dance and rock from bands like Nirvana, The Ting Tings, Oasis, The Cure and Michael Jackson
■ B1, 20, Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路20號B1). Tel: (02) 2723-3257. On the Net: www.roxy.com.tw
■ Open on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10pm until 4am, and on Fridays and Saturdays from 10pm until 7am
■ Cover charge for women is NT$300, except Wednesdays, when they get in free. Cover charge for men is NT$400 on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and on Fridays and Saturdays before 1am. After 1am on weekends cover charge for men is NT$500
Last month historian Stephen Wertheim of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace published an opinion piece in the New York Times with suggestions for an “America First” foreign policy for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Of course China and Taiwan received a mention. “Under presidents Trump and Biden,” Wertheim contends, “the world’s top two powers have descended into open rivalry, with tensions over Taiwan coming to the fore.” After complaining that Washington is militarizing the Taiwan issue, he argues that “In truth, Beijing has long proved willing to tolerate the island’s self-rule so long as Taiwan does not declare independence
Big changes are afoot in global politics, which that are having a big impact on the global order, look set to continue and have the potential to completely reshape it. In my previous column we examined the three macro megatrends impacting the entire planet: Technology, demographics and climate. Below are international trends that are social, political, geopolitical and economic. While there will be some impact on Taiwan from all four, it is likely the first two will be minor, but the second two will likely change the course of Taiwan’s history. The re-election of Donald Trump as president of the US
The Mountains to Sea National Greenway (山海圳國家綠道) draws its name from the idea that each hiker starting at the summit of Jade Mountain (玉山) and following the trail to the coast is like a single raindrop. Together, many raindrops form life and prosperity-bringing waterways. Replicating a raindrop’s journey holds poetic beauty, but all hikers know that climbing is infinitely more appealing, and so this installment picks up where the last one left off — heading inland and uphill along the 49.8-kilometer Canal Trail (大圳之路) — second of the Greenway’s four sections. A detailed map of the trail can be found
Gunshots, screams, eerie laughter: South Korea’s border island Ganghwa is being bombarded nightly with blood-curdling sounds, part of a new campaign by the nuclear-armed North that is driving residents to despair. Before it started, 56-year-old Kim Yun-suk fell asleep to the hum of insects and woke to the chirping of birds. Now, she is kept awake every night by what sounds like the soundtrack of a low-budget horror movie at top volume. “The peaceful sounds of nature... have now been drowned out,” Kim said. “All we hear is this noise.” The campaign is the latest manifestation of steadily declining ties between the two Koreas
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