Introduction
「TaipeiEYE」: Home for Authentic Traditional Chinese Performing Arts, Where Eye-Opening Cross-Cultural Encounters Continue in Taiwan !
『TaipeiEYE』is situated near the shade of the sweet gum trees at the Zhung Shan N. Rd., Sec.2, a historical and culturally active boulevard since the Japanese Era, and recognized as the distinguished location for the versatile genres of the traditional Chinese and Taiwanese performing arts. Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evening this popular must-go in the tourist itinerary has fulfilled the demanding mission of “the cultural diplomacy” in Taiwan by dressing up the stylish Chinese performing arts currently available in the typical Taiwanese presentations.
The story of 「TaipeiEYE」
is a microcosm of the recently traditional performing arts in Taiwan; that is, talking about the arts and the wars among the Japanese, the Americans, the Chinese and one Taiwanese royal family Koo. Let's share this legacy together...
Beginning
In 1915, a prominent businessman, Koo Hsien-Jung, bought the Danshui Club from the Japanese business circle, had it renovated, and renamed it Taiwan New Stage. For its programs he invited performance troupes from Peking Opera troupes from coastal provinces in China. Taiwan New Theater was a happening place in its heydays.
The Destruction by Flames
Unfortunately, the theater was bombed during World War II. Things then fell quiet after Koo passed away not long afterwards.
The Rebirth
In 1989, Mr. Koo Chen-Fu, son of Koo HJ and Board Chairman of Taiwan Cement Company, formed the C.F. Koo Foundation to promote Peking Opera.
A Phoenix: The Dream Comes True!
In 1997「Novel Hall」was rebuilt and launched in the modern east of Taipei. In this way, the Koo royal family gradually made its dream come true for the cultural development in Taiwan and also became the pioneer in the cultural exchanges between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China.
Phoenix Again: This Time for the World!
In 2002「Taiwan Cement Building」, a grand building of the gray marble facing the culturally busy Zhongshan N. Rd., Sec.2, was completed by Taiwan Cement Company under the marvelous design by Mr. M. L. Kuo, a world-class Taiwanese Japanese architect. In September,「C.F. Koo Foundation」had it grand opening for TaipeiEYE at「Cement Hall」, entertaining its honorable guests by such a special variety show which gave a view of the traditional performing arts currently available in the modern Taiwan.
For Your Eyes Only: Creating Excellent Tourism in the Spiritual Cultures
What sets the performing artists here apart from others is that when they walk away from the proscenium stage, before and after the show and during intermissions, they interact with the audience in performing and non-performing roles, even in the open make-up rooms and the photo areas. The simultaneous trilingual translations in Chinese, in Japanese , in Korean and in English projected on both sides of the stage make the audience quite comfortable in understanding. By the way, the friendly people in charge of the service all around the hall always try their best to meet the audience's needs by way of their verbal proficiency in Chinese, in Japanese and in English and in Korean as well. If you would like to enjoy a romantic evening with the mystical local colours of the brilliant international standard please kindly do come to「TaipeiEYE 」