Written/Compiled and Reported by Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network
In the big-screen night market story “Chicken Cutlet Hero,” what unique visual experiences will the details of ordinary people’s lives bring when presented through innovative acrobatic performances? Performed by the second graduating class of the Folk Performing Arts Department at the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts, the show strings together acrobatic acts to form a complete story. It portrays various moments in Taiwan’s most iconic “night market culture” through diverse acrobatic expressions, conveying local Taiwanese warmth and weaving a fantastical dreamlike narrative. The performance will take place on May 19 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM at the National Center for Traditional Arts.
This year’s theme, “Rolling with Tradition, Fun with Youth!” showcases how contemporary young students play with tradition and dance with youth. (Image provided by the Preparatory Office of the National Taiwan Traditional Arts Center)
The 4th “2012 NCTA Phoenix Flower Graduation Joint Performance,” themed “Rolling with Tradition, Fun with Youth!” features participation from nine departments across five domestic institutions. Among them, traditional opera programs each time mobilize nearly a hundred actors, accompanists, and technical staff. This year, graduates from various departments of the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts take the stage. The program includes “Golden Kui Star,” adapted from a classic folk opera and performed by the Gezaixi (Taiwanese Opera) Department; “Three Theft of the Nine-Dragon Cup,” a martial clown act by the Peking Opera Department that showcases clear spoken lines and agile martial skills; as well as the Hakka Opera Department, Taiwan’s only specialized Hakka opera program, which presents classic excerpts “Worship the Moon” and “Three Battles with Xue Pinggui” with the unique flavors of Hakka culture expressed through its distinctive “nine tunes and eighteen melodies.”
Music programs bring together five major traditional music departments in Taiwan, including those from Taipei National University of the Arts, National Kaohsiung University of the Arts, the Music Department at Chinese Culture University, the Traditional Music Department at National Taiwan University of Arts, and the Traditional Opera Music Department at the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts, showcasing the diverse landscape of traditional music. The Traditional Music Department at Taipei National University of the Arts, which focuses on the study of northern and southern music, has planned the “FUN Four ! Play Music” concert, recreating the beauty of traditional northern music scores, southern music pieces, pipa, and guqin. The “Thirteen Tones – A Feast of Opera Music” by the Traditional Opera Music Department at the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts presents a chamber ensemble performance centered on three themes: Hakka opera, Gezaixi, and Peking opera music elements, using rich musical tones to recreate dramatic scenes.
Using the performance platform at the National Center for Traditional Arts, which draws large crowds, the event showcases the training achievements of various national traditional arts departments. It not only provides students with opportunities to perform and hone their skills but also helps the general public learn more about Taiwan’s traditional arts education system. (Image provided by the Preparatory Office of the National Taiwan Traditional Arts Center)
This series of events runs every Saturday and Sunday until May 27 at the Jiang Weishui Performance Hall or the Quyi (Folk Art) Theater at the National Center for Traditional Arts. This Saturday (May 12), the Peking Opera Department of the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts will perform “Peking Opera Praises 101” featuring “The Fairy Scattering Flowers” and “Three Theft of the Nine-Dragon Cup.” On Sunday (May 13), the Master’s Program in Chinese Music at the Music Department of Chinese Culture University will perform the “Youth Folk Music Collection” concert. All programs require free tickets, which can be reserved by calling 03-970-5815 extension 1386 or 1365, or by visiting the National Center for Traditional Arts website: www.ncfta.gov.tw.
● Extended Reading: 2012 New Taipei City Film Festival – Life Stories from 35 Places
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