Taipei: "Taiwan Week," an international platform to promote the country's performing arts and cultural exchanges, opened Sunday with curators from 22 countries around the world participating in this year's event, according to the National Theater and Concert Hall (NTCH).
According to Focus Taiwan, "Taiwan Week 2025 is more than an artistic showcase, it is an engagement in meaningful dialogue about society, culture and the future," NTCH General and Artistic Director Liu Yi-ruu said at the event's opening ceremony. This year's program features 15 productions that exemplify innovation in contemporary theater while addressing pressing social and cultural issues.
Liu also noted that the biennial event creates opportunities for Taiwanese artists to engage with curators from around the world. The works are based on themes such as transitional justice, gender, self and culture, emerging technologies, and environmental sustainability. Among the highlights is "The Man Who Couldn't Leave," an immersive film that uses virtual reality (VR) to tell the stories of political victims from Taiwan's White Terror period, directed by Singing Chen.
Another notable production is "The Queen with No Name," a theater show created by Wei Hai-min and Wang Chia-ming, which centers on the Empress Dowager Cixi during the Qing Dynasty. This year's event welcomes 48 renowned curators and artistic directors from 22 countries, including Yusuke Hashimoto from Japan and Pedro Penim from Portugal's D. Maria II National Theatre.
In addition to the 15 productions, several forums with keynote speeches focusing on a wide range of issues are scheduled during the weeklong event that runs until Saturday. Taiwan Week is held at five different venues in Taipei and New Taipei, including the Taiwan Traditional Theatre Center and the National Human Rights Museum.