Tainan City gears up for inaugural arts festival
Renowned pianist Chen Ruei-bin, a Tainan native, will perform at the Tainan Arts Festival March 23. (Courtesy of Tainan City Department of Cultural Affairs)- Publication Date：02/08/2012
- Source： Taiwan Today
- By June Tsai
The first Tainan Arts Festival will kick off Feb. 25, turning the temples and historic sites of the southern city, known as the cultural capital of Taiwan, into stages for the performing arts.
“The festival will combine Tainan’s historic treasures with contemporary shows, and offer top quality programs to the public,” Mayor Lai Ching-te said at a news conference in Taipei Feb. 7.
Running until June 17, the event will offer an eclectic series of programs featuring 40 top-notch artists and groups, according to the Tainan City Government.
The Eternal Golden Castle, a national heritage site in Anping District that was built in 1874 as protection against Japanese invasion, will become a performance venue for the first time, providing a stage for the multinational operatic pop vocal group Il Divo March 20, organizers said.
International musicians including vocalist Bobby McFerrin, violinist David Garrett and the Berlin Baroque Soloists will perform along with local artists, notably pianist Chen Ruei-bin, Taipei Male Choir, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, Formosa Aboriginal Song and Dance Troupe and Tainan Jen Theatre.
The Tainan municipal government and Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. are offering a 25-percent train ticket discount for art lovers who wish to travel to the festival via the high-speed rail.
Shuttle buses will run between the THSR Tainan station and performance venues, as well as between Kaohsiung and Tainan. (THN)
