Theater
The Palace of Eternal Youth (長生殿) by the Shanghai Kun Opera Company (上海崑劇團) is a major operatic event that presents the work’s entire 50 scenes, in what is being billed as the first time in more than 300 years that this has been achieved. The Palace was written by Hong Sheng (洪昇) during the Qing Dynasty and tells of the love story between the Tang Dynasty Xuanzong emperor (712-756) and his concubine, Lady Yang. The troupe began working on the original script in 2002 and premiered the complete version in Shanghai five year later.
■ National Theater, Taipei City
■ Tonight and Monday at 7:30pm, tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$3,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
The 2010 Traditional Performing Arts Festival (2010傳統表演藝術節) comprises a rich lineup of bangzi opera (梆子), nanguan (南管) and beiguan (北管) music, Taiwanese glove puppetry and Taiwanese and Beijing opera. Highlights include performances by bangzi opera diva Wang Hai-ling (王海玲), beiguan maestro Chiu Huo-jung (邱火榮) and doyen of Taiwanese opera Liao Chiung-chih (廖瓊枝). The festival starts tomorrow and runs through May 1.
■ Events take place at venues in Yilan, Taipei and Kaohsiung
■ For more information, go to
www.ncfta.gov.tw/events/art2010
Keep Shooting (一直社) brings its fifth production, Endgame, which was adapted from the one-act play of the same title by Samuel Beckett, to the stage. The play revolves around the protagonist Hamm, who is old and blind, and his servant Clov.
■ Guling Street Avant-Garde Theatre
(牯嶺街小劇場), 2, Ln 5, Guling St, Taipei City (台北市牯嶺街5巷2號)
■ Tonight 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.artsticket.com.tw
Theatre de la Sardine (沙丁龐克劇團) mixes together pantomime and theater for its clown show, which was inspired by everyday-life situations. The show is family-friendly.
■ Wenshan Theater (文山劇場), 32 Jingwen St, Taipei City (台北市景文街32號)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$200, available through NTCH ticketing or online at
www.artsticket.com.tw
The National Palace Museum (國立故宮博物院) tomorrow continues its Saturday Night at the NPM series of performances with Tzu Wan Jan Puppet Theater’s (子宛然掌中劇團) glove puppet show. For the series other performance schedules, visit www.npm.gov.tw/events
/98events/saturdaynight_9807
■ B1 lobby at 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)
■ Tomorrow at 6pm
■ Admission is free
Classical music
The Brothers Kevin — Beneath the Canopy (凱文兄弟玩音樂 — 打擊樂與長笛的當代音樂花園) presents a novel classical pairing: flute and percussion. The program includes Tauno Marttinen’s Alfa, David Gillingham’s Five Fantasies on Natural Origin, Paul San Gregory’s Informal Discourse, Philip Parker’s Beneath the Canopy and Peter Klatzow’s Figures in a Landscape, among other works.
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm
■ 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$350, available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Concert (上海交響樂團音樂會) presents one of the first and most highly regarded of Asia’s symphony orchestras under music director Yu Long (余隆) and featuring soprano Huang Ying (黃英), tenor Mo Hualun (莫華倫) and counter tenor Liao Changyong (廖昌永). The program will range from modern Chinese composers such as Qing Zhu (青主), whose work I Live at One End of the Yangtzi River (我住長江頭) will be presented, to an operatic selection from Gounod and Bizet.
■ Tuesday at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$300 to NT$2,000, available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
The Listener (搗蛋鬼大鬧星芙尼) is a children’s concert by the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra (國立臺灣交響樂團) featuring the American Magic Circle Mime Company presenting a program that includes Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol, themes from Britten’s A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Bernstein’s Candide Overture and other works that are likely to appeal to an audience that includes young children.
■ Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Yuanlin Performance Hall (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)
■ Tickets are NT$300 and NT$500, 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), hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts. Tonight’s show with Norwegian indie folk-pop duo Kings of Convenience is sold out. No shows are scheduled for tomorrow. Taitung reggae rockers Matzka and Di Hot make their semi-regular appearance on Wednesday. On Thursday the venue hosts The Next Big Thing, a showcase of up-and-coming indie bands. This week features low-key duo Zag Lope (柴可洛噗) and Hakka rock band Zenkwun (神棍樂團).
■ Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), Center Five Hall (中五館), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
■ Shows start at 8pm tonight, 8:30pm Wednesday, 8pm Thursday
■ Tonight’s show is sold out. NT$400 on Wednesday and NT$200 on Thursday. Prices include one drink. Tickets available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw or www.legacy.com.tw or at ibon kiosks at 7-Eleven stores
With Spring Scream taking place this weekend, no shows are scheduled tonight at The Wall (這牆). But on Sunday, fans of Taiwanese metal are in for a triple treat of Nemesis (天譴), Mutaker, which mixes electronica and black metal, and Infernal Chaos, the side band of Chthonic (閃靈) guitarist Jesse Liu (小黑). On Wednesday it’s punk band Beright and on Thursday electronica performers Frande and Zhong Chi (鐘茌) of China take 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
■ Music shows start at 8pm Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday
■ Entrance fee is NT$500 (NT$400 in advance) on Sunday, NT$300 on Wednesday and Thursday. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.thewall.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight Witch House (女巫店) hosts Iris Lin a young up-and-coming pop singer whose music has a bossa nova flavor. Tomorrow indie rock veterans The Peppermints (薄荷葉) take the stage. On Thursday it’s Supergotan (探戈四重奏), a group with an erhu (二胡) player that plays tango-influenced music.
■ 7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號). Tel: (02) 2362-5494. On the Net: 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
Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) tonight hosts Real Collective Jazz Quartet (爵士四重奏). Fingerstyle guitarist pair Woody Woody performs tomorrow night. On Sunday it’s Mando-pop singers Kelvin Tan (陳偉聯) and Chiang Tao (姜道). Monday is the venue’s weekly open jam.
■ 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 all other nights. For a list of standard songs and ground rules for the open jam, visit the venue’s Web site
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$350 Sunday and NT$150 on Monday
Popular Taiwanese shredder Marty Young (楊沛霖) appears tonight at Riverside Live House (西門紅樓展演館). He shares the bill with veteran pop-rock band Rock Oriental Express (搖滾東方). Tomorrow night is a set of young indie bands Teens Edge (青春邊緣) and Ground Zero (放射空間), who open for 36 Roundhouse Kicks (三十六迴旋踢). On Thursday it’s garage rockers Mary See the Future.
■ 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, 8pm tomorrow and 8:30pm Thursday
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight, NT$350 tomorrow and NT$200 Thursday. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
Heavy metal bands Epitaph and HardSmooth (兇澄) play tonight at Underworld (地下社會). Tomorrow noise band Sunset Rollercoaster (落日飛車) shares the bill with Parallel Pyres. On Wednesday it’s Tough Black Tea (硬式紅茶) and XOXO (叉圈叉圈).
■ 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 on Fridays and Saturdays is NT$300, which includes one drink; NT$100 on Wednesdays. No admission fee on other nights or after music shows
The Round Midnight Jazz Ensemble appears tonight at Sappho de Base. Tomorrow it’s Blurred Lines, which combines world beat, pop and jazz. On Tuesday the venue hosts The Sound of Jazz Quartet, which includes as a member the young and talented drummer Doris Lin (林文昱). On Wednesday Taipei-based jazz drummer Ed Schaefer performs with his group TNT Jazz hosts an open jam 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
■ Music shows begin at 10pm. Closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ Entrance is NT$100 tonight, tomorrow and Tuesday, free on other nights
Tonight Roxy Roots hosts an evening of blues rock with Rocky and the Barfly and jazz fusion group Gina’s Can (吉那罐子樂團). Black Mirror plays rock tomorrow night. Expat acoustic duo T-Bone and Yasu hosts the venue’s weekly open jam.
■ 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
■ Entrance is NT$300 on Fridays and Saturdays (NT$200 credited toward food and drinks)
EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Highlights for the week include beloved female singer Tiger Huang (黃小琥), who performs two sets every Monday, Julia Peng (彭佳慧), a major draw who appears every Tuesday, and male crooner Shin Lung (辛隆), who performs every Saturday.
■ 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 fee (includes two drinks) ranges from NT$600 to NT$850, depending on the performer
Taipei Swing holds dance socials on Friday nights at Capone’s, with live music from blues band BoPoMoFo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ). Dancers of all levels are welcome, and beginner lessons are offered while the band takes a break. Tomorrow it’s Salsa night with live music from Latin on Fire.
■ 312, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City
(台北市忠孝東路四段312號)
■ Live music from 9pm to 11:30pm on Fridays, 8pm to 11:30pm on Saturdays
■ On Fridays there’s a minimum order of one drink per person; dancers receive a free drink coupon. On Saturdays the minimum charge is NT$300
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