衛武營國家藝術文化中心 National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)

Looking back on this life, which segment of your existence do you find the most unforgettable?

Cabarets epitomize the customs and sentiments of the 1970s Taiwan. Bearing the vestiges of those bygone days and context of history, they featured dazzling and memorable shows that lit up each moment of the evenings. Building on this theme, this production embellishes the music with stories that capture the fascinating years behind each melody.

This performance encapsulates the youthful remembrances of the elderly, incorporating visual, sound, lighting effects and integrating technology into memories and songs. We cordially invite you for a journey through time amidst ensemble music renditions of classic Chinese and English old songs. Whether they are mundane trivialities, persistently entangled thoughts, timid words that refuse to be voiced, they all emerge as unique musical tales in the here and now.

  Pre-talk  

11/8(Fri)18:40 Concert Hall 3F Lobby

  Program  

1. Suite1: "Enjoy Yourself Tonight" , "Night in Shanghai (Ye Shanghai)" , "I Smile When I See You", "You Are In My Mind"
2. Suite2: "Another Kind of Homesickness" , "Nada Sousou" , "Mommy Take Care"
3. Suite3: "Pearl & Taro Ball" , "When You Are Old"
4. "The Grateful Heart"
5. "White Peony"
6. "Formosa Mambo"
7. "My Precious Darling!"
8. "Waves Wandering"
9. Campus folk song suite: "The Snail and the Oriole Birds", "Ā měi! Ā měi!", "Forever Blue Sky", "Temple Fairs"
10. "Top Of The World"
11. "Song of the Solitary Bird"
12. "My Hometown in the Evening"
13. "Marching forward"

*The presenter and performers reserve the right to change the repertoire.

  Creative and Production Team  

Music coordinator｜WEI Shih-fen

Conductor｜TSAI Ming-jui

Singer｜CHEN Pin- ling, CHOU Ting-wei

Child Singer｜Audrey TSAI

National Symphony Orchestra Musicians

Advisory Organization｜Ministry of Culture

Presenter｜National Symphony Orchestra

Co-organiser｜National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)

Special Thanks｜Kaohsiung Service Office of Hondao Senior Citizen's Welfare Foundation

  Team Introduction  

Music coordinator｜WEI Shih-fen

WEI Shih-fen loves people and enjoys listening to voices generated by different people's emotions, singing, and speaking. She works as a voice coach and vocal coach of musical theaters and pop music. WEI graduated from Westminster Choir College with a major in vocal coach and accompanying, and studied with Dalton BALDWIN and J. J. PENNA, etc. Since returning to Taiwan, she has dedicated herself to the development of musical theaters and become one of the key promoters of musical theaters in Taiwan. She is also a voice coach for numerous winning artists of Golden Melody, Golden Horse, and Golden Bell. 

Embracing the natural flow of life, WEI transitioned from vocal coaching to enhancing people's speaking. She participated in the workshops at the National Theater and Concert Hall for seniors, discovering the beauty of voices in life storytelling. She has also been invited by  major corporations to develop effective voices in various sectors including the services industry (such as Din Tai Fung), software engineering design, business finance, media, and healthcare.  

Conductor｜TSAI Ming-jui

TSAI Ming-jui currently serves as the full-time conductor assistant in National Symphony Orchestra with the sponsorship by I-Mei NSO Conducting Fellowship Program. He is under the close mentorship with Music Director Jun MÄRKL, and has collaborated with world-class conductors, composers and soloists including Miguel HARTH-BEDOYA, Vassily SINAISKY, Thomas DAUSGAARD, Hans GRAF, Jörg WIDMANN, Joe HISAISHI, Augustin ADELICH and more.

Recently, TSAI has also appeared to conduct several renowned orchestras including Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, Hradec Králové Philharmonic Orchestra, and Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, and his concert appearances has presented in multiple prestigious concert halls including the National Concert Hall, Weiwuying Concert Hall and Smetana Hall.

Influenced by the legendary conducting pedagogue Otto-Werner MUELLER, and the greatest conductors worldwide as Daniel BARENBOIM and Neeme JÄRVI, TSAI obtained his Master of Music degree from the studio of Professor WANG Ya-hui at National Taipei University of Education. He has also been selected to conduct masterclasses internationally with world-renowned Maestros including LÜ Shao-chia, Martin SIEGHART, Jorma PANULA, Tomáš NETOPIL and more. Recently, TSAI has been invited into The 2024 Dimitri Mitropoulos International Competition for Conducting, and become the 12 final contestants out of hundreds of candidates worldwide.

Outside of music, TSAI also holds a Master of Science degree from National Taiwan University, specializing in microbiology.

Singer｜CHEN Pin-ling

Chen Pin-ling is a musical theater actor and also participated in voice acting, singing, and film projects. Her one-woman  musical, Meant to Meat, was nominated for the "Best Actress Award" at the Daegu International Musical Festival, and she was a top three finalist in the final round of the third season of the television singing competition "The God of Songs."

Singer｜CHOU Ting-wei

A versatile artist who is active in film, music, and television, CHOU is passionate about music and excels in both singing and dancing. He has received widespread attention for his outstanding performances in musical theaters and stage plays including Mulan, Reed Unbroken, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch.  With his unique voice and stage presence, CHOU captivates audiences through his dynamic and adaptable performance style, creating his own space to shine on stage, making it impossible for anyone to look away.  

Child Singer｜Audrey TSAI

Audrey TSAI is thirteen years old and is currently studying at the Kaohsiung American School. In 2020, she captivated thousands of audience by her clear and sincere voice while performing in The Bear and Peter and the Wolf at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) with the British conductor Stuart HANCOCK and Counterpoint Ensemble. In 2021, she was selected as an amateur opera singer for Weiwuying's Let's Opera. In the same year, she participated in Mahler's Symphony No. 3 conducted by Eliahu INBAL at the National Concert Hall. Since 2022, she has been the lead soloist of Natus Cantorum’s Japanese children's musical, The Song of the Sun, at Weiwuying for two consecutive years. In 2023, she was invited by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) to sing the American national anthem at the National Day Reception in Kaohsiung and received enthusiastic acclaim. In 2024, she was invited again by AIT to sing the national anthem at the National Day Reception in both Taipei and Kaohsiung and earned high praises from the attending dignitaries. In the same year, she also performed at the opening concert of the Taiwan International Harp Festival held at the Taipei Performing Arts Center. She is currently studying with soprano Dr. LAI Chueh-yu.

National Symphony Orchestra

Founded in 1986, the Taiwan Philharmonic, also known as the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) at home, has been hailed as one of the best orchestras in Asia. With some of the finest musical talent from at home and abroad, trained at top schools and international orchestras, the NSO enjoys a unique voice rich in diversity and tradition. Under the leadership of Music Director Jun MÄRKL since January 2022, the NSO aspires to resonate throughout the world as the cultural ambassador of Taiwan. Music by Taiwanese composers is extensively commissioned, performed, and recorded by the NSO.