Theater
As part of the NTCH’s New Idea Series, which focuses on Ming Dynasty playwright Tang Xianzu (湯顯祖), 1/2 Q Theatre’s (二分之一Q劇場) Dream Digger (掘夢人) draws from Tang’ Peony Pavilion (牡丹亭) to explore the playwright’s conception of love from a contemporary point of view.
■ Experimental Theater, Taipei City
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Godot Theatre Company’s (果陀劇場) The 39 Steps (步步驚笑) is a comedic espionage thriller adapted from the novel of the same title by John Buchan. The star-studded cast includes veteran thespians Chin Shih-chieh (金士傑) and Tien Hsin (天心) and television and theater actors Pu Hsueh-liang (卜學亮) and Renzo Liu (劉亮佐). The four play a total of 48 characters in the Chinese adaptation of the play. This is the first major Broadway production licensed in Chinese while the original continues to run in New York and London.
■ Metropolitan Hall (城市舞台), 25, Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德路三段25號)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
■ NT$500 to NT$2,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Man Gang — The Unarmed Men (男人幫—霸王卸甲) is a play by Taiwan Drama Performance (台灣戲劇表演家) that tells a story about five middle-aged men, their memories, yearnings and lost loves.
■ Taipei City Government Family Theater (台北市政府親子劇場), 2F, Taipei City Hall, 1 Shifu Rd, Taipei City (台北市市府路1號2樓)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm.
■ Tickets are NT$250 to NT$1,200, available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Taiwan Bangzi Company’s (台灣豫劇團) Bond (約/束) is a bangzi opera (梆子) (otherwise known as Henan opera or yu opera) adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. Wang Hai-ling (王海玲) plays Shylock, which requires the opera diva to shift between different role types ranging from sheng (生), or leading male, to chou (丑), the clown.
■ 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)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$600, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Legend Lin Dance Theatre (無垢舞蹈劇場) returns to the National Theater with a flagship production for the National CKS Cultural Center. Song of Pensive Beholding (Chants de la Destinee, 觀) is artistic director Lin Li-chen’s (林麗珍) first new work in eight years and completes the trilogy she began with Mirrors de Vie (醮) in 1995. Lin’s usual production team, including Academy Award-winning costume designer Tim Yip (葉錦添), ensures the show will be as eye-catching as her previous work. [See the full preview on Page 13 of the Dec. 4 edition of the Taipei Times].
■ National Theater (國家戲劇院), 21-1, Zhongshan S Rd, Taipei City (台北市中山南路21-1號)
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm, tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Seats remain for tomorrow afternoon in the NT$700 to NT$1,200 price range. All other performances are sold out. Tickets are available at through NTCH ticketing or www.artsticket.com.tw
The flying feet of Irish-American Michael Flatley and his Irish step-dancing company are back in Taiwan with their production of Feet of Flames. The two-act Feet of Flames by Flatley and Irish composer Ronan Hardiman has been wowing international audiences since 2000. The troupe performs in Taichung tonight, Taipei this weekend and Kaohsiung on Monday.
■ Taichung Arena (台中戶外圓滿劇場), also known as Taichung City Fulfillment Amphitheater (圓滿戶外劇場), in Wenhsin Park (文心森林公園), which is at the intersection of Wenhsin Road Section 1 (文心路一段) and Hsiangshang Road Section 2 (與向上路二段) in Taichung City’s Nantun District (台中市南屯區). Tonight at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$1,500 to NT$6,800
■ Taipei Arena (台北小巨蛋), 2 Nanjing E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市南京東路四段2號). Tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$800 to NT$8,000
■ Kaohsiung Stadium (高雄巨蛋), 200, Jhonghai Rd, Zuoying Dist, Kaohsiung City (博愛三路2號高雄市左營區). Monday at 7:30pm. Tickets are NT$1,500 to NT$6,800
■ Tickets can be ordered online at www. kham.com.tw or at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Classical music
Schumann’s Delusion of Fantasy, 1851 (舒曼的幻夢邊緣) features the National Symphony Orchestra (國家交響樂團) performing Schumann’s Symphony in D Minor, No. 4 and Bruckner’s Symphony in D Minor, No. 9.
■ Tomorrow 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 Taiwan Connection Music Festival — An Evening of Chamber Music (2009 Taiwan Connection音樂節 — 室內樂之夜) presents guest soloists Dong-suk Kang on violin and pianist Shigeo Neriki on piano performing with the Taiwan Connection Chamber Orchestra (TC室內樂團). The program will include Stravinsky’s Suite from “L’Histoire du Soldat” for Clarinet, Violin and Piano, Kreisler’s String Quartet in A Minor and Ernest Chausson’s Concerto for Piano, Violin and String Quartet.
■ Tomorrow 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$300 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Wang Yan-pei Clarinet Recital (王妍沛單簧管獨奏會), part of Music Forum’s (十方樂集) weekend concert series, has clarinetist Wang Yan-pei (王妍沛) performing works by German composers, including Spohr’s Andante mit Variationen, Sutermeister Capriccio, Barmann’s Introduction and Polonaise, Op.25 and Carl-Maria von Weber’s Grand Duo Concertant, Op.48.
■ Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Forum Auditorium (十方樂集音樂劇場演奏廳), 4, Ln 187, Minzu W Rd, Taipei City (台北市民族西路187巷4號)
■ Tickets are NT$250, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (紐約林肯中心室內樂協會音樂會), brings Arnold Steinhardt, Philip Setzer and Ani Kavafian on violin, Leon Fleisher on piano and David Finckel on cello under Wu Han (吳菡), the orchestra’s director, to Taipei to perform a program that includes Schubert’s Violin Sonata in A Major “Duo”, Shostakovich’s Piano Trio in E Minor, Op. 67, and Brahms’ Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 34.
■ Monday at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$2,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Legacy Taipei, located in a former warehouse at Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), is Taipei’s newest mid-sized rock venue for top local bands and international acts. Tonight the venue hosts Taiwan’s top rocker, Wu Bai (伍佰) and his band China Blue. Tomorrow US indie-rock group Yo La Tengo takes the stage, with high-energy garage rockers 88 Balaz (八十八顆芭樂籽) opening. DJ Floaty keeps the party going after the show. On Wednesday it’s reggae-rock group Matzka and Di Hot.
■ 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
■ Shows start at 8pm tonight, tomorrow and Wednesday
■ Entrance tonight is NT$1,200, NT$2,000 tomorrow (NT$1,800 in advance) and NT$400 on Wednesday. Prices include one drink. Tickets for tomorrow’s and Wednesday’s shows are available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw or www.legacy.com.tw
Tonight Rainbow Cafe is celebrating its opening with a performance by Pierre Hujoel (胡月), a Belgian singer, pianist, author and composer who produces “classical electronic fusion combined with Chinese lyrics.” Hujoel will sing in Mandarin, play piano and add an electronic background while accompanied by three Taiwanese string players: two violins and a cello. He’ll perform four songs from his first album, a work in progress he plans to release next summer, including two pieces from his Wu Zhi Yuzhi Le (吾知魚之樂) series that are inspired by the life of Zhuangzi (莊子) and play on the Taoist philosopher’s famous quip about knowing what fish think.
■ 5, Alley 6, Ln 170, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段170巷6弄5號)
■ Show starts tonight Friday (Dec 18) at 8pm
■ Entrance is free, drinks and a free buffet will be provided
Singer-songwriter William Wei Li-an (韋禮安) plays soul pop tonight at the The Wall (這牆) [see story above]. Tomorrow’s show with Japanese rock band Plastic Trees is sold out. Later on, it’s Dim Your Mak, featuring DJs Mark, Ugly, Fat Dirty and Spykee Fat. On Sunday goofball rocker A Chord (謝和弦) makes an appearance for a show called “Going into the army is actually not so dangerous.”
■ 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
■ Performances start at 8pm, except for Plastic Trees, which starts at 7pm. Tomorrow’s DJ show starts at 11pm
■ Entrance is NT$400 tonight. Tomorrow’s show with Plastic Trees is sold out. The DJ show tomorrow is NT$300. Sunday and Wednesday’s music shows are also NT$300. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.thewall.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Performing tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) are the veteran session musicians of RAY Band (雷樂隊), who play power rock originals and covers. Tomorrow Mando-pop singer Shadya (藍又時) makes one of her regular appearances at the venue. On Sunday the venue hosts indie act Wizard of Oz (綠野仙蹤) and pop-rock band Clockworker (發條人). An open jam takes place every Monday.
■ 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, 9pm tomorrow and Sunday. Open jam starts at 9pm. For a list of standard songs and ground rules, visit the venue’s Web site.
■ Entrance is NT$400 tonight, NT$450 tomorrow, NT$350 Sunday and NT$150 Monday
Tonight Riverside Live House (西門紅樓展演館) hosts a trio of established indie bands: Brit-pop-influenced 1976, post-rock/folk-rock band We Save Strawberries (草莓救星) and hilarious and wacky rockers The Clippers (夾子電動大樂隊). Tomorrow Aboriginal pop heartthrob Van Fan (范逸臣) takes the stage. On Sunday folk singer-songwriter Hsiao Huang-chi (蕭煌奇) holds a concert to promote a new album of tunes sung in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese). On Thursday indie-pop duo JS, signer Tong En (同恩) and pop-punk group The Fen-Fens (紛紛樂團) split the bill.
■ 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 and tomorrow, 8pm Sunday and 8:30pm Thursday
■ Entrance is NT$400 tonight, NT$450 tomorrow, NT$500 Sunday and NT$450 Thursday. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight at Underworld (地下社會) Until Seeing Whale’s Eyes (直到看見鯨魚的眼睛) and metal band Ashen open up for indie-pop group Boyz and Girl (男孩們女孩). The Drum and Bass Reborn party with DJs Lai, Legacy, Dino and Spykee that was originally scheduled to take place at Underworld has moved to The Wall (這牆) [See Highlight]. Tomorrow the venue hosts Crystal Dancer (舞璃), who spins a mix of electronic melodic metal, and alt-rock band the Blue Velvets (藍絲絨). On Wednesday Australian electro band Godswounds shares the stage with Drum ‘n’ Keyboard (鼓打鍵盤).
■ 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
■ Music 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, which includes one drink. Cover charge for tonight’s late night dance party tonight is NT$250, which includes one drink. Entrance on Wednesday is NT$100
The Mercury (水星酒館), a new club that opened a few months ago in Kaohsiung, features performances by indie bands. Appearing tomorrow is solo artist Luke Woo, who plays soul pop on acoustic guitar.
■ 46 Liwen Rd, Zuoying Dist, Kaohsiung City (高雄市左營區立文路46號). Tel: (07) 550-8617. On the Net: mercurybar.blogspot.com
■ Shows start at 9:30pm
■ Entrance is free
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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
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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
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