According to Hakka Affairs Council (HAC) Minister Yiong Con-ziin, the troupe has been the Council’s longtime partner for over ten years, producing many works, be it a classic Hakka tea-picking opera or a modern Hakka stage show. This year’s opera features the elements of Hakka maritime culture in Taoyuan City and local lifestyles of indigenous Pingpu peoples living on the coast in the past, presenting the cultural image of stone weirs, fish farms, and beach seine. What’s more, the story depicts relations among different ethnic groups in a fantasy world, the Minister said, adding that the stage show is suitable for under age viewers to watch with their parents.
Written by playwright Lin Hsiao-ying (林曉英), “Fantastic Legend in Eastern Ocean” won the top prize in the 2019-2020 traditional theater script contest sponsored by HAC. Incorporating the local traditions and coastal landscapes, the theatrical production presents operatic conventions in a contemporary narrative, exploring more possibilities for traditional opera in the future.
Cheng Rom-shing (鄭榮興), the artistic director of the troupe, said that the blend of Hakka folk music and fantasy pop music is employed in this opera to display the rich diversity in the country.
More information on this show can be found at https://hakkaevent.com.tw/.