Flowers in Full Bloom, I Meet You
See you at the theater!
What is being seventeen like for you? As the Kaohsiung Spring Arts Festival (KSAF) enters its seventeenth year, standing at the threshold of adulthood, what exciting programs await you? This year, the 17th KSAF draws inspiration from Michelangelo’s masterpiece, “The Creation of Adam,” for its visual theme. With spring flowers in full bloom, it’s time for us to meet again.
After the Lunar New Year, the season opens with the 228 Memorial Lawn Concert “Formosa, Forever in My Heart,” healing wounds and embracing love and peace. Next, two movie-themed lawn concerts take the stage: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, featuring the classic score by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer, and Flow, conducted live by its original composer, Rihards Zaļupe. Both concerts will be performed by the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra with the full films projected on a large screen, guiding audiences of all ages on exciting adventures under the gentle night sky—alongside Captain Jack Sparrow and the animals.
This year, KASF also welcomes international performing artists to Kaohsiung. Highlights include Ukrainian pianist Konstantin Lifschitz, renowned for his interpretations of Bach and hailed by Taiwanese media as a “musical ascetic,” as well as the UK-based Hopeful Monster Theatre, a three-woman collective known for its collaborative visual theater works that are playful in spirit, inspired by the natural world, and grounded in science. Together, these artists will bring audiences a rich audiovisual experience from diverse perspectives.
The most anticipated in-house flagship opera returns to revisit the fan-favorite classic: Puccini’s masterpiece La bohème. Music lovers are invited to immerse themselves in the Parisian chanson atmosphere brought to life through the composer’s timeless storytelling. In addition to the outstanding performances presented by the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra and the Kaohsiung Chinese Orchestra, this year’s Environmental Dance series continues to take dance beyond the theater and into the outdoors. Performances will unfold across multiple sites, including Cishan Living Cultural Park, Hongmaogang Cultural Park, the Neiwei Natural Misty Forest, the Neiwei Arts Center, and the Former Sanhe Bank, transforming each landscape into a stage alive with movement and distinctive, place-based rhythm. In addition, two programs highly anticipated by theatergoers—KSAF Experimental Theatre and KSAF Taiwanese Opera—will be presented at the Kaohsiung Experimental Theatre and the Dadong Arts Center. Whether you’re drawn to bold experimentation or innovative reinterpretations of traditional theater, these productions promise a richly satisfying experience for drama lovers.
From the lingering chill of late February to the blazing heat of July, the Kaohsiung Spring Arts Festival looks forward to seeing you at the theater!
