Taiwanese national orchestra and opera performing (for free) in Flint

FLINT, Michigan—The National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan and the Shintrun Taiwanese Opera Troupe are coming to Flint, offering a unique — and free — opportunity to see some of the world’s best musicians. 

The National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan is a 35-year-old group that promotes both traditional and contemporary Taiwanese music. Its performances integrate theater, dance, fine arts, poetry, and literature.

They will perform “Formosa Roadside Wedding Banquet” at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, at the University of Michigan-Flint Theatre. No reservation or tickets are required to attend.

“It’s a rare opportunity to see a performance from a major national orchestra, especially one from across the globe such as NCO Taiwan. Making this a free event and open to the public allows us to share different cultures through the arts with everyone,” said Roy Barnes, associate dean for the College of Arts & Sciences at UM-Flint.

In the show, a family hosts a roadside banquet to celebrate their daughter’s marriage in a joyful, and at times, melancholy occasion. Cookware and traditional instruments intermingle as the musicians perform amidst the actors, bringing the hustle and bustle of a real-life banquet to the theater.

“The roadside banquet has always been a fundamental part of Taiwanese life. Now the world has a chance to witness the warmth and humanity of one of Taiwan’s most important folk customs,” Yi-ting Chen of the National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan planning department said in a press release.

Members of National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan also will conduct a private workshop with students in the UM-Flint Department of Music.