Events 文創活動

The Hsu Yafen Taiwanese Opera Troupe shines brightly in the current renaissance of
Taiwanese Opera (“Guahi”)—an intersection of Broadway musical, opera, and theater.
The Troupe was founded in August 2003 with a three-pronged mission: to revive and
break new grounds for the traditional Guahi, to nourish young talents, and to support
underprivileged families. The Troupe’s widely acknowledged success is anchored in its
strong ensemble performance exemplified in its diverse body of work.
Both Chinese and Western instruments are enlisted to render a richer musical texture.
The stage design of modern theater is deftly incorporated to deepen the effect of
storytelling. The Troupe also reaches out to and blends tonal expressions from myriad
traditional operas to expand the “language” of Guahi. Creative professionals across
disciplines on both sides of the Taiwan Strait often collaborate side by side to
experiment and cross-pollinate.
The head of the Troup, Hsu Ya-Fen, shaved her head and abided by the Buddhist
disciplines when preparing for the role of Wu-Da in “Dharma Master Wu-Da’s Penance”
(2008). She is also keen to enliven both the nobility and fallibility of the character played through her virtuoso performance. The nuance delivered through such
sensitivity creates an intimacy which bonds with the audience and transcends time
and space—an artistic sensibility that is also embraced by her colleagues and has
emerged as one of the trademarks of the Troupe.