Theater
High School Musical Live on Stage is the theatrical adaptation of the smash-hit Disney Channel movie about a boy-meets-girl fantasy set in a US high school. This is squeaky-clean entertainment par excellence.
■ Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國父紀念館), 505, Renai Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市仁愛路四段505號)
Photo Courtesy of KHAM
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$1,200 to NT$4,200, available online at www.kham.com.tw or through 7-Eleven ibon, FamilyMart (全家) FamiPort and Hi-Life (萊爾富) Life-ET kiosks (seat selection not available through Life-ET kiosks)
After a tour of Europe last year that took in Paris, Avignon and Lisbon, Taiwanese dancer and choreographer Su Wen-chi’s (蘇文琪) much lauded Loop Me lands in Taipei for five shows. The performance is divided into two parts with Su dancing a slow solo in the first, which will be recorded and projected onto the backdrop in the second half of the show. In the latter segment, Su retires from the stage and the digitally manipulated images are played in a continuous loop, which creates a new onstage character.
Photo Courtesy of ESO
■ 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 8pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 8pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$350, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Photo courtesy of Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra Foundation
For Blossom of the Fallen Flower, Notset’s (空集合創作體) newest theatrical production, the company took its cue from Lin Daiyu (林黛玉), one of the heroines of Cao Xueqin’s (曹雪芹) Dream of the Red Chamber (紅樓夢).
■ Experimental Theater, Taipei City
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
Photo: Taipei Times
■ Tickets are NT$500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Tainaner Ensemble’s (台南人劇團) Mulan (木蘭少女) is a contemporary treatment of Hua Mulan (花木蘭), the Chinese legend about a girl who passes herself off as a man to join the army, touching on identity politics, gender issues and homosexuality.
■ National Theater, Taipei City
Photo Courtesy of Xie Yi-jin
■ Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$600 to NT$2,800, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw as well as 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
Inspired by the work of Taiwanese illustrator Jimmy Liao (幾米), NX Theatre’s debut production, One More Day With You (走向春天的下午), tells the story of a sentimental boy who meets a girl whose best friend has just passed away. The production combines magic tricks with other performance arts.
■ Plum Wine Factory (烏梅酒廠), Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 10:30am, 3:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday at 10:30am, 2:30pm and 5:30pm, Wednesday and Thursday at 3:30pm and 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$600, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical music
Dance With Johann Strauss (與約翰史特勞斯共舞) sees the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra (長榮交響樂團) and its musical director Gernot Schmalfuss take what at first sight might seem like a rather prosaic program title and turn it into an exciting concert program that includes Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier Suite, Jan Koetsier’s Tuba Concerto, which showcases the talent of prize-winning tuba player Tsai Meng-hsin (蔡孟昕), and Weber’s Andante e Rondo Ungarese, in which local bassoonist Hsu Chia-hua (許家華) is the soloist.
■ Tonight at 7:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$1,500, with discounts available, including 50 percent off for students, available through ERA ticketing or online at www ticket.com.tw. Also available before the day of the performance through 7-Eleven ibon, FamilyMart (全家) FamiPort and Hi-Life (萊爾富) Life-ET kiosks (seat selection not available through Life-ET kiosks)
Taipei Philharmonic Opera Studio — Wu Xia Opera (武俠歌劇 — 倚天屠龍記) is an operatic concert sponsored by the Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra Foundation that takes its inspiration from the chivalric works of Louis Cha (查良鏞). This genre-crossing work, which presents the Chinese martial arts epic The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (倚天屠龍記) in Western operatic style, follows a string of successful literary adaptations. The production brings together some of Taiwan’s top operatic talents, who will be supported by the Taipei Philharmonic Chorus (台北愛樂合唱團) and the Taipei Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (台北愛樂青年管弦樂團).
■ Tomorrow and Sunday 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
Classic Orchestra 2011 New Year Concert (古典管絃樂團2011新年音樂會) welcomes the Lunar New Year with a diverse program that includes Britten’s Simple Symphony, Vivaldi’s Concerto in B Minor for Four Violins, Sarasate’s Navarra and Kreisler’s Liebesfreud and Liebesleid. Violinist Vesseline Paraschkevov will join the orchestra, which will be conducted by Kuo Lien-chang (郭聯昌), as a soloist.
■ Wednesday at 7:30pm
■ Taichung Chungshan Hall (台中市中山堂), 98 Syueshih Rd, Greater Taichung (台中市學士路98號)
■ Tickets are NT$100 and NT$200, available through ERA ticketing and online at www.ticket.com.tw. Also available before the day of the performance through 7-Eleven ibon, FamilyMart (全家) FamiPort and Hi-Life (萊爾富) Life-ET kiosks (discount tickets not available through convenience store outlets, seat selection not available at Life-ET)
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, it’s Japanese stadium rocker Fukuyama Yoshiki, a guitarist best known for his anime soundtracks. Tomorrow the venue presents a showcase of Taiwan’s better indie bands, including Hoklo-singing rock trio Windmill (風籟坊), indie-poppers Macbeth (馬克白) and My Skin Against Your Skin. The showcase, dubbed the Next Big Thing continues on Sunday with a lineup that includes alt-rock groups Silent Toads and Queen Suitcase (皇后皮箱).
■ 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)
■ 7:30pm tonight, 8pm tomorrow and Sunday
■ NT$2,000 tonight for section closest to the stage and NT$1,600 for section towards the back, NT$300 tomorrow and Sunday. Tickets can be purchased at ERA ticketing outlets, online through www.ticket.com.tw or www.legacy.com.tw or at 7-Eleven ibon kiosks
No shows are scheduled tonight at Witch House (女巫店), which regularly hosts shows from both indie rock bands and folk artists in a coffeehouse setting. Tomorrow the venue hosts Bearbabes (熊寶貝樂團), a popular Taipei indie rock band [see story on Page 13]. On Thursday, Hope Yeh (葉賀璞) leads Hope’s Modern Jazz Project.
■ 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
■ Shows 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 for music shows is NT$300, except for tonight which is NT$350
Veteran jazz combo JEG (這個爵士樂團) plays standards, Latin, funk, rock and fusion tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Tomorrow, Mando-pop songwriter and producer Kay Huang (黃韻玲) takes to the stage. On Sunday, it’s folk-rock singer Europa Huang (黃建為) and Pumpkin Li (李南瓜). 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 9pm. For a list of standard songs and ground rules for the open jam, visit the venue’s Web site
■ NT$400 tonight, NT$450 tomorrow, NT$350 Sunday and NT$150 on Monday. Tickets can purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Tonight, chanteuse Waa Wei (魏如萱), better known as Wawa (娃娃), takes to the stage at Riverside Live House. The indie-pop star’s show is entitled Don’t Speak, OK (不說話，好嗎). Tomorrow’s show features jazz singer Shih Ying-ying (史茵茵) and Super Idol (超級偶像) TV show singer Issue Chen (陳以岫). On Thursday, garage rockers Mary See the Future take to the stage.
■ 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
■ 8:30pm tonight, tomorrow and Thursday
■ Entrance is NT$600 tonight, NT$400 tomorrow and Thursday. Tickets can be purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw
High-energy garage rockers 88 Balaz (88顆芭樂籽) and post-rock group Random (隨性樂團) perform tonight at Underworld (地下社會), a small basement club in Taipei. Later on, it’s a special 1980s party with veteran DJs Randy, A-Kuan (阿寬) and Floaty. Tomorrow, punk group Inhuman Species (非人物種) and noise rock band Shebang-a (死蚊子) take to the stage. On Wednesday, it’s electro-rock group Forced Grrl (強迫女孩) and indie rockers Macbeth (馬克白).
■ 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 for music shows is NT$300 on Fridays and Saturdays, which includes one drink, and NT$100 on Wednesdays. Tonight’s 1980s party is NT$100
Ska group Skaraoke performs tonight at Sappho de Base, a late night lounge bar that hosts mostly live jazz and blues performances. Tomorrow, DJ Leo37 mans the decks. The Yohei Jazz Trio plays on Tuesday, while Yellow Funky Stuff takes to the stage on Wednesday, and Emo’s Jazz Trio, a piano, bass and percussion outfit, performs 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 10pm. The venue is closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ Entrance is NT$200 tonight, NT$150 tomorrow, NT$100 on Thursday, free on other nights
EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Highlights for the week ahead include Mando-pop songstress Julia Peng (彭佳慧) and male crooner Shin Lung (辛龍), who performs every Saturday. Acclaimed Taiwanese Aboriginal singer Samingad (紀曉君) performs on Thursdays this month.
■ 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
■ Shows run from 9:45pm to 12:30am
■ Entrance fee (includes two drinks) ranges from NT$600 to NT$850, depending on the performer
Soul jazz singer Djavan performs on Friday nights at Italian restaurant Capone’s. Tomorrow, drummer Abe Nbugu Kenyatta leads a band playing music from his hometown of New Orleans.
■ 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, minimum charge of one drink, dancers receive a free drink coupon. On Saturdays, minimum charge is NT$300
Taipei Swing holds dance socials on Friday nights at The Tavern. Dancers of all levels are welcome, and a short beginner’s lesson is offered.
■ 415, Xinyi Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市信義路四段415號), tel: (02) 8789-0892. On the Net: www.tavern.com.tw
■ 9:30pm to midnight
■ Entrance is free
The Checkered Record Club, an indie music club in Tainan, hosts goofy rockers Yellow, Blue and White (黃藍白幹的好樂團) and nu-metal/thrash band Dark Cellar tomorrow.
■ B1, 314, Simen Rd Sec 2, Greater Tainan (台南市西門路二段314號B1), tel: (06) 222-3238
■ Shows starts at 10pm tomorrow
■ Entrance is NT$170
The Mercury (水星酒館), an indie rock club in Kaohsiung, hosts Shine Lin (林倩), the female lead singer of the long-running indie band The Peppermints (薄荷葉) tomorrow. Also appearing is indie-rocker Easy Shen.
■ 46 Liwen Rd, Zuoying Dist, Greater Kaohsiung (高雄市左營區立文路46號), tel: (07) 550-8617. On the Net: mercurybar.blogspot.com
■ Show starts at 9pm
■ Entrance is NT$200, which includes one drink
On the Chinese Internet, the country’s current predicament — slowing economic growth, a falling birthrate, a meager social safety net, increasing isolation on the world stage — is often expressed through buzzwords. There is tangping, or “lying flat,” a term used to describe the young generation of Chinese who are choosing to chill out rather than hustle in China’s high-pressure economy. There is runxue, or “run philosophy,” which refers to the determination of large numbers of people to emigrate. Recently, “revenge against society” attacks — random incidents of violence that have claimed dozens of lives — have sparked particular concern.
Some people will never forget their first meeting with Hans Breuer, because it occurred late at night on a remote mountain road, when they noticed — to quote one of them — a large German man, “down in a concrete ditch, kicking up leaves and glancing around with a curious intensity.” This writer’s first contact with the Dusseldorf native was entirely conventional, yet it led to a friendly correspondence that lasted until Breuer’s death in Taipei on Dec. 10. I’d been told he’d be an excellent person to talk to for an article I was putting together, so I telephoned him,
With raging waters moving as fast as 3 meters per second, it’s said that the Roaring Gate Channel (吼門水道) evokes the sound of a thousand troop-bound horses galloping. Situated between Penghu’s Xiyu (西嶼) and Baisha (白沙) islands, early inhabitants ranked the channel as the second most perilous waterway in the archipelago; the top was the seas around the shoals to the far north. The Roaring Gate also concealed sunken reefs, and was especially nasty when the northeasterly winds blew during the autumn and winter months. Ships heading to the archipelago’s main settlement of Magong (馬公) had to go around the west side
From an anonymous office in a New Delhi mall, matrimonial detective Bhavna Paliwal runs the rule over prospective husbands and wives — a booming industry in India, where younger generations are increasingly choosing love matches over arranged marriage. The tradition of partners being carefully selected by the two families remains hugely popular, but in a country where social customs are changing rapidly, more and more couples are making their own matches. So for some families, the first step when young lovers want to get married is not to call a priest or party planner but a sleuth like Paliwal with high-tech spy
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