Tea tasting, performances, and stamp collecting for gifts — Taichung’s Lakeside Rhapsody kicks off this weekend

 

Residents in the Taichung area now have a new weekend option beyond family outings. The 102nd Lakeside Pavilion Holiday Plaza – Lakeside Rhapsody event at Taichung Park is set to kick off tomorrow (the 12th) from 15:00 to 16:30 around the Lakeside Pavilion, with traditional opera and music performances scheduled for the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. Additional activities include cultural and creative markets, street performers, and a stamp-collecting gift program, along with tea offerings. Visitors can enjoy performances and afternoon tea in the century-old Taichung Park, as well as take home gifts.

This year’s event theme is “Lakeside Rhapsody Trilogy.” From January to April, it’s “Heritage ‘Opera’ Club”; from May to September, “Do Art Together for Fun”; and from October to December, “Dance 432 – Let’s Move.” A total of 24 events throughout the year allow visitors to experience the charm of traditional opera, music, and dance at the Lakeside Pavilion. The first installment of Lakeside Rhapsody, “Heritage ‘Opera’ Club,” begins tomorrow (the 12th) from 15:00 to 16:30, featuring the “Wenshaoxuan Traditional Chinese Chamber Music Ensemble” from Taichung City. This ensemble, composed of teachers passionate about Chinese ethnic music, is dedicated to promoting traditional Chinese music education. In its first year, it won first place in the social group chamber music category at the Taichung City Music Competition. In 2004, it was invited to accompany Leehom Wang at the Golden Horse Awards. Starting in 2005, it was selected multiple times as an outstanding performing arts group in Taichung City and frequently performs abroad, with tours including New York’s Lincoln Center, Flushing’s Overseas Chinese Cultural and Educational Center, and Boston, making it one of the most active chamber ensembles in central Taiwan.

From January to April, the first installment of Lakeside Rhapsody, “Heritage ‘Opera’ Club,” features performances from 15:00 to 16:30 on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. On February 9th, which is Lunar New Year’s Eve, the event is postponed to February 14th (Valentine’s Day). Taiwanese traditional music, storytelling, opera, and folk performances will be presented by various performance groups from Taichung City. The event also includes cultural and creative markets, as well as popular local street artists offering creativity such as quick portrait painting, balloon art, straw (straw) legends, and speed caricatures, appearing irregularly around the venue to interact with the public. Additionally, tea will be available for guests to enjoy a leisurely afternoon tea while watching performances.

This year also features a special “Rhapsody Stamp Collection for Gifts” campaign, encouraging visitors to attend every performance at the Lakeside Pavilion. Collect stamps for each event attended, and exchange them for seasonal gifts after collecting 6, 16, or 24 stamps. For more details, visit: www.101lakeheartpavilion.glob.tw/index.html.

 

Lakeside Rhapsody First Installment – January to April “Heritage ‘Opera’ Club” Event Schedule

Month	Date & Time	Performing Group
January	January 12 (Saturday) 15:00	Wenshaoxuan Traditional Chinese Chamber Music Ensemble
	January 26 (Saturday) 15:00	Crystal Glee Taiwanese Opera Troupe
February	February 14 (Thursday) 15:00	Tianqiao Storytelling & Performing Arts Troupe – Lunar New Year Greetings & Valentine’s Special
	February 23 (Saturday) 15:00	Yazhu Guzheng Ensemble
March	March 9 (Saturday) 15:00	Dongshi Elementary School Chinese Orchestra
	March 23 (Saturday) 15:00	Datun Hakka Arts Troupe
April	April 13 (Saturday) 15:00	Xinxing Elementary School Children’s Gezaixi Troupe
	April 27 (Saturday) 15:00	Taichung Lecheng Temple Nanguan Music Ensemble