NATIONAL TAICHUNG THEATER STARTS TRIAL OPERATION FOR ONE MONTH|台中國家歌劇院正式開放 設計者伊東豊雄親臨

The National Taichung Theater opened its doors to the public on August 26th. The Japanese designer Toyo Ito was invited to the opening ceremony. He hopes Taichung residents make the theater as part of their lives. During the opening ceremony, a Taoist religious ritual was held, and the event organizer said that was part of the modern performance. Taoist priests conducted a ritual of purification in front of the newly opened National Taichung Theater, attracting attentions from those nearby. Modern architectural design combined with traditional religious ritual, especially in the seventh lunar month, the ghost month, challenges Taiwan's folk taboos. ==MEMBER OF PUBLIC== My hometown often has such religious rituals, therefore I am very accustomed to it, naturally. ==MEMBER OF PUBLIC== I feel that is a bit strange, that we live in the 21st century, and I can still see this kind of ritual. Event organizer Professor Chiu from Taipei National University of the Arts explained the event was a combination of traditional culture and modern performance, and was a type of performing art. ==CHIU KUN-LIANG, main organizer for opening ceremony== We used some elements from traditional culture, and presented them in a modern way. Basically the whole process is a modern performance, and in the middle of the performance, you saw the Taoist ritual. On Aug. 26, the National Taichung Theater was opened to the public at 10 am. Thousands of people went to visit the arts center. Architect Toyo Ito said that he felt marrying his daughter to Taichung City. == TOYO ITO, designer of National Taichung Theater== This building had been under construction for eleven years. Rumor had it that it would never be finished. Now I feel like it is a dream come true. The architecture itself is an art. The professional stage helps performers to give of their best. ==TANG MEI-YUN, Performing Artist== We are performing at this grand theater, it has many more seats than National Theater, many many more. The National Taichung Theater will continue to be open to the public for a month, and it is to be officially inaugurated on Sept. 30th. It will be central Taiwan's newest dedicated professional performing arts center. TRANSLATED BY：ANTHONY LIN 台中國家歌劇院，正式對外開放，設計者伊東豊雄也親臨現場，他形容像是嫁女兒的心情，希望台中人可以陪著歌劇院，一起成長。之前曾引發爭議的「藝術作醮」，融合道教科儀的灑淨儀式，下午登場，引起不少討論。 道士穿起道袍，在道壇念經作法，這是傳統的灑淨儀式，希望可以消災祈福，不過地點就在剛落成的台中國家歌劇院前，吸引不少民眾目光，世界九大地標的設計感，搭上傳統的儀式，又是在農曆七月，挑戰著台灣民俗的禁忌，民眾怎麼看。 ==民眾== 我們的家鄉常常都有 這些(作醮)活動啊 所以就很習慣 很自然 ==民眾== 我覺得好像是怪怪的 現在是二十一世紀的人 還有行這個禮 策劃的北藝大教授邱坤良解釋，傳統文化融入現代表演，也是藝術的表達方式之一。 ==開幕總策劃 (北藝大教授)邱坤良== 用傳統的一些元素 然後再做一個當代的呈現 所以基本上我們 整個是一個當代的展演 那中間也看得到一部份 是傳統的道教科儀 台中國家歌劇院上午十點，正式對外開放，一早就有數千的民眾湧入，全都是為了朝聖藝術殿堂而來，設計者伊東豊雄說，就感覺好像把女兒嫁給台中。 ==台中國家歌劇院設計者 伊東豊雄== 這個案子蓋了11年 中間還有一度傳言會蓋不成 現在來到這一刻 感覺像是夢成真 除了建築本身就是藝術，未來的文創進駐，專業的表演空間，也讓藝術家很期待。 ==表演藝術家 唐美雲== 這邊我們在大劇場演出 那這邊的觀眾席次 比國家劇院高很多 多出很多席次 開幕前的爭議，揭幕典禮時的小混亂，也讓台中國家歌劇院，增加不少討論話題，接下來將進行一個月的試營運，九月三十日開始正式開幕，要打造成為中台灣最專業的藝術空間。 記者林健生 台中報導