Words from the Artistic Director
On the 30th Anniversary of the NTCH —
The Prime Eternity on the Stage
In 1987, the National Theater and Concert Hall (NTCH) opened with the glamorous sounds of a giant gong, officially launching an important chapter in the history of Taiwan’s performing arts. In 2017, the NTCH turns 30 years old. Both of the micro-facelift for the Concert Hall and the major renovation for the National Theater were accomplished in accordance with the schedule in 2016. Now, the NTCH greets its audiences with a brand new space design and the service that meets practical demands. Meanwhile the 2017 Taiwan International Festival of Arts (TIFA) also kicks off a historical three-month artistic feast with 25 brilliant programs.
In terms of managing venues for performing arts, Taiwan is without doubt a late starter in comparison with the historical European theaters. However, step by step, the NTCH has led the audiences and artists in Taiwan to keep up with the progress of the time and thus witness the changes for the past 30 years, minimizing the “time difference” during the process. In the artistic creation, there is “time difference” between the past and the present, and such “time difference” also exists between the performance on the stage and the presentation of images as well as between the linear time and cyclical time. Time, for the NTCH, is also a word of significance that is worth of contemplation. Therefore, with “Everlasting” as the theme for the 2017 TIFA, the NTCH, with a cautious yet grateful heart, invites all those who have or have not yet shared with us to walk into the theater and experience the prime eternity created by artists in the blackness behind the curtain. With the performing arts as an agent, let’s jointly savor the “time difference” and the eternal theme of “time” for creativities.
The 2017 TIFA showcases a strongest ever cast, including not only familiar old friends, but also new companion that the NTCH is eager to introduce to the audiences. The NTCH Artists in Residence also present their brand-new creations. The works from different generations also illustrate another type of “time difference,” which leads us to re-think the past and define the future.
Anyway, we look forward to seeing you in March whether it’s in the National Theater or the Concert Hall! You should already hit the road by now!
Huey-mei Lee
Artistic Director
National Theater & Concert Hall National Performing Arts Center
