Legendary Taiwanese Opera Group Brings Rare CA Performances
A visually stunning, perfect blend of traditional heritage and modern technique will be on display in a performance led by world renowned Taiwanese Opera group Ming Hwa Yuan in Los Angeles and San Diego this September, the first two stops of their 2015 North American tour. They will be presenting “Lovebird’s Spears” and “General of the Empire.” The group’s visual presentation is unparalleled, with performances featuring vibrantly colorful stage and costume design, elaborate props, and state of the art lighting and sound effects. By seamlessly joining folklore, poetry, dance, live music, acrobatics, and traditional martial arts, Ming Hwa Yuan has earned a solid reputation as the “Broadway of the East.”
Taiwanese Opera, or “Ge Zai Xi,” is a performing art that is unique to Taiwan, and is one of Taiwan’s most treasured cultural assets. It draws inspiration from different types of traditional operas originating in China, as well as modern drama. Due to its humble beginnings in folk entertainment, it is less restrictive than traditional Chinese Opera. For example, the group incorporates jazz drumming, timpani, and other forms of music. It is also performed solely in the Taiwanese dialect instead of Mandarin Chinese. Due to its immense popularity, Ming Hwa Yuan performs more than 200 times per year, with past international tours in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the United States.
“We are ecstatic to present these very special performances by Ming Hwa Yuan as part of our National Day celebration,” said Steve Hsia, the Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles (TECO-LA). “They have been representing the best of Taiwanese visual and performing arts for generations. It’s truly a pleasure to bring this vital part of Taiwanese culture to southern California to share with all of our American friends.”
The performances will be subtitled in English. The Los Angeles performance will be held at the Edison Center for the Performing Arts at East Los Angeles College, located at 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park, CA 91754 on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. For ticket information, please call Vivian Chang at (626) 862-1192. The San Diego performance will be held at the Joan Kroc Theater at 6611 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92115 on Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. For ticket information, please call Sherwin Wang at (858) 382-5028.