To unveil the mysterious life of Taiwan's iconic Peking opera actress Wei Hai-min (魏海敏), the Taipei-based Taiwan Traditional Theatre Center will host her eponymous exhibition "Wei Haimin Impression" from June 30 through July 29.
In the history of Taiwan's contemporary drama, few people incorporate the elements of both tradition and innovation in their performance as well as Wei Hai-min. Renowned for her unique style of operatic presentation, Wei has long been devoted to the inheritance and innovation of Peking opera.
Her journey began in 1991 with Mei Bao-jiu (梅葆玖), a Peking opera master with whom she began her opera career. After years of refining her art, she was honored with the 11th National Award for Arts in 2007. Now Wei is one of the top performers of dan ─ female roles in Peking opera ─ and headlines for Taiwan's GuoGuang Opera Company (國光劇團).
Her performance history encompasses a versatility of roles, including the fearless Feng La-tzu (鳳辣子) ─ the cousin of protagonist Jia Bao-yu (賈寶玉) ─ in "Dream of the Red Chamber" and the spiteful Tsao Chi-chiao (曹七巧) in "The Golden Cangue (金鎖記)," a play based on a 1971 novella called "The Rouge of the North (北地胭脂)" by Eileen Chang (張愛玲). Such roles have carried her name to countries worldwide, including China, France, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the United States.
To quote Wei, "my life is like a drama." The different characters she has played can be viewed as an extension of her life. Today, Wei is not only considered one of the greatest dan performers, but also a legendary artist in cross-Taiwan Strait drama history.
A total of 7 sections will be displayed in this exhibition:
1. Imagery: The different sides and roles of Wei Hai-min.
2. Timeline: Milestones in her professional and personal life.
3. Interactive Media: Slow-motion imagery by Taiwanese movie director Chiu Chui-lung (邱垂龍), in which the accompanying audio clips are taken from recordings of live performances.
4. Design & Photography: Taiwanese photographer Nicholas Fan (范毅舜) showcases the versatility of female characters in Peking opera via photographs of ten iconic roles played by Wei.
5. Installations of Daily Life: Real-size replicas of the furniture, manuscripts, paintings, and home décor from Wei's daily life.
6. Backstage: A glimpse of what goes behind the stage of Peking opera.
7. Documentary: Documentary of Wei's career by Taiwan director Yeh Yin-lung (葉蔭龍).
‘Wei Haimin Impression’
- Date: June 30 – July 29, 2018
- Time: 10am – 6pm
- Admission: Free
- Venue: Taiwan Music Institute B1, Taiwan Traditional Theatre Center
- Address: No.751 Wenlin Rd., Shilin Dist., Taipei, Taiwan (ROC)
- Contact: (02) 8770-7572
- Website: https://weihaimin.com