Interview Date: 2024.11.20
Interview Location: National Taiwan College
Interviewees: Instructor Chi-Liang Chang from the National Taiwan College

Instructor Chi-Liang Chang from the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts notes that traditional opera in Taiwan has undergone periods of prosperity, transformation, and innovation. With the emergence of various forms of entertainment, traditional opera faces the risk of losing its audience. Audience viewing habits have also undergone significant changes and innovations. As a result, traditional opera has started incorporating modern concepts into various aspects, such as directing methods, scriptwriting, performance forms, stages, costumes, and music. To adapt to the changing times, opera arts are reaching a new turning point. Various performing troupes and actors, guided by the diverse creativity of professional directors and choreographers, are enhancing the brilliance and visual appeal of operas, preparing to embrace the next generation of opera.

New Scripts with a Faster Pace

Modern audiences may not have the patience for complex and lengthy body movements, arias, and blocking. As a result, newly edited operas often shorten their pacing, avoiding long-drawn-out scenes by employing more compact plots with faster rhythms. This approach combines traditional and modern performance methods.

Incorporating Modern Issues into New Scripts

One of the characteristics of early traditional opera scripts was their focus on historical events, folk stories, and legends. However, these traditional plots often fail to meet the needs of modern audiences, as many scripts are based on concepts like loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness, or include unrealistic and implausible scenarios, making them difficult for contemporary viewers to accept. Therefore, a great performance requires a strong script. Even if actors deliver solid actions, excellent acting, and beautiful singing, a lack of a great script can hinder them from reaching their full potential. This underscores the importance of the script. In recent years, many traditional operas have incorporated themes such as ethnicity, gender, politics, science fiction, and romance into their scripts. This shows that opera can also express its own perspectives, serving as a mirror of the times and adding depth and richness to the storyline.

Integrating AI Applications into Operas

In response to contemporary AI technology trends, integrating AI applications into both opera education and staging opens up new possibilities for the fusion of AI technology and the performing arts. The National Taiwan College of Performing Arts has recently launched the annual production, Six-Department Cross-Departmental Production: Forest Seven Dwarfs, which utilizes AI technology to create vivid imagery and a magical sense for the character of the Magic Mirror, offering audiences a completely new visual experience. The introduction of AI technology into operas allows performers to interact with AI, making abstract concepts that were once left to the audience's imagination more concretely expressed. Additionally, the technology can reduce the need for numerous props during performances, aligning with sustainable trends.

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