Kaohsiung Spring Arts Festival

　Kaohsiung Spring Arts Festival（高雄春天藝術節）this year celebrates its 15th anniversary, taking everyone on a journey into the world of performing arts from now until July. With a focus on approaching the public, the festival presents upward of 29 local and international performances, totaling more than 50 shows.
　The popular Grassland Concert, led by conductors Wu Yao-yu（吳曜宇）and Yang Jhih-cin（楊智欽）from Kaohsiung City Symphony Orchestra（高雄市交響樂團）, will recreate the iconic sci-fi soundtracks of the movies Superman（超人）and Back to the Future（回到未來）, delivering a breathtaking and heart-stirring musical experience.

　The event set to mobilize the greatest number of performers is a version of Puccini's（普契尼）monumental Tosca（托斯卡）. The opera will feature stage design, costumes, and music tailored specifically for the festival. In addition, Noh theater master Kurouemon Katayama's（山九郎右衛門）production of Maso（媽祖） interprets deeply-rooted local beliefs in Taiwan, and is sure to attract attention from Noh enthusiasts.

　Other exciting programs cover a diverse range of theatrical genres, including traditional shadow puppetry, Taiwanese opera, Yuju opera, and contemporary stage plays. There are also environmental dances set in cultural and historical venues such as Shoyoen（逍遙園）, Zhongdu Tang Rong Brick Kiln Factory（中都唐榮磚窯廠）, and the British Consulate at Takao（打狗英國領事官邸）. Musical performances span classical and modern genres, featuring Italian violinist Giuseppe Gibboni（朱塞佩・吉博尼）, winner of the Paganini Competition（帕格尼尼小提琴大賽）, Ukrainian pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk（亞歷山大・伽佛利佑克）, the triple-crown winner of the World Piano Competition（世界鋼琴大賽）, and China-born US-resident violinist Lyu Sih-cing（呂思清）, among others. Two family-friendly concerts, Supermom（超人媽媽）and Little Sun（小太陽）will guide children into the magical world of music.

　Thanks to its rich and diverse program, Kaohsiung Spring Arts Festival is sure to draw arts enthusiasts from every generation. All are welcome to join this annual artistic feast.