explorASIAN - Celebrating Asian Heritage Month May 1 - 31

KUNQU: CHINA'S CLASSICAL THEATRE - June 16 & 17 - 7:30pm

2008-06-02T07:41:00.001-07:00

SCENES FROM KUNQU: CHINA'S CLASSICAL THEATRE

The Vancouver premiere of this UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity will present five scenes from the classical repertoire. Included are excerpts from such renowned works as The Peony Pavilion (1598) and The Palace of Long Life(late 17th Century). Opera stars from Shanghai collaborate with members of theVancouver Chinese Music Ensemble as well as New York-based musicians. Kunqu is the oldest form of traditional Chinese theatre still performed today. Incorporating melodious singing with intricate dance, it is a truly comprehensive theatre art.

UBC and the Vancouver Society for Chinese Performing Arts present SCENES FROM KUNJU: CHINA'S CLASSICAL THEATRE By Tang Xianzu et al English subtitles and program

FREDERIC WOOD THEATRE, UBC
6354 CRESCENT ROAD
http://www.maps.ubc.ca/PROD/index_detail.php?locat1=376

June 16 (The Peony Pavilion, The Lute Song, Lanke Mountain) 7:30pm
June 17 (The Palace of Eternal Youth andThe Butterfly Dream) 7:30pm

Tickets: $17/per evening @ Ticketmaster outlets/phone/online (plus s/c & fees)

Full Details at: www.vanscpa.com

explorASIAN is a Community Partner for this special premiere presentation.

Kunqu is the oldest and most literary style of traditional Chinese theatre performed today. It is a synthesis of drama, opera, ballet, poetry recital, and musical recital, which also draws on earlier forms of Chinese theatrical performances such as mime, farce, acrobatics, ballad recital, and medley.

Each word or phrase is also expressed by a stylized movement or gesture that is essentially part of a dance, with strict rules of style and execution much like classical ballet. Even casual gestures must be precisely executed and timed to coordinate with the music and percussion. The refinement of the movement is further enhanced with stylized costumes that also serve as simple props. In a Kunqu performance, three media work simultaneously and in harmony to convey the meaning and desired aesthetic effect: music, words, and dance. An accomplished Kunqu performer must master the special styles of singing and dance movement to convey the meaning. There are two, easily distinguished, styles of text and music. Arias, which are sung and accompanied by the orchestra, are elaborate poems of high literary quality. Prose passages (monologues and dialogues) are neither sung nor spoken but chanted in a stylized fashion comparable to the recitative of Western opera.

Once so popular that a troupe resided in the Forbidden Palace, Kunqu’s literary refinement and high technical demands caused a decline in late dynastic and modern times. Though recognised as a UNESCO Masterpiece of World Heritage, the Kunqu tradition remains under threat, though interest in this invaluable heritage is being renewed among China’s younger generations.

All three performers belong to a legendary generation of Kunqu artists from the Shanghai stage, born in the early forties and dominating the stage in the years after restrictions on the Chinese stage relaxed in the early 1980s. As a group, they represent a direct link between the present-day and the pre-modern tradition.

Liang Guyin (female role) is a National Performer of the PRC, 1st class and a winner of the highest prize awarded to Chinese theatre performers, the Plum Blossom Prize. Trained by pre-revolutionary masters of the art, she has thrilled three generations of audiences with roles ranging from runaway nuns to betrayed women. Considered a consummate master of stage movement, her emotional versatility has brought her acclaim in both the comic and tragic repertoires. Her performances have earned her accolades at home and abroad, with memorable performances including Sackler Museum of Art, the University of Michigan and the Chicago Cultural Center, as well as tours of Japan and Scandinavia.

Ji Zhenhua (old man role) has earned a reputation for having one of Kunqu’s great voices. In the solemn roles Kunqu assigns to older men, he has appeared as avenging magistrates, severe fathers, emperors and chroniclers of history. Since the end of the Cultural Revolution, he has built an unparalleled reputation in his role-type, earning, among other awards, the Plum Blossom Prize and being names National Performer of the PRC, 1st class. His innovative interpretation of Macbeth in the first production of a Kunqu Shakespeare play earned him nationwide attention.

Liu Yilong (clown) is one of the traditional stage’s greatest living clowns. Excelling in both good-natured and villainous roles, he has single-handedly brought about a revival in Kunqu’s comedic side. Renowned for his mastery of dialect and comic timing, Mr Liu has earned a great following among fans. And as a National Performer of the PRC, he has worked hard to ensure that a new generations of fans keeps Kunqu fans laughing.

explorASIAN FRIENDS & FAMILY Day - May 31 - 11am to 5pm

2008-05-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

explorASIAN will be presenting a free fun filled day of performances, arts and crafts, and more at the Vancouver Museum (Vanier Park)

explorASIAN FRIENDS & FAMILY DAY

Vancouver Museum, 1100 Chestnut Street (Vanier Park)
Saturday - May 31, 2008
11am to 5pm
FREE Event | FREE Parking

Featuring performances by:

12:30 pm & 3:00 pm - Award Winning Elvis Impersonators: Aaron Wong & Adam Leyk
1:10 pm - Master Wilson Wu (kungfu demo)
1:30 pm - International Champions of Magic Rod Chow & Company
3:30 pm - Kam To Tai Chi Chuan Association (tai chi demo)
4:00 pm - Vandna Sidher Bharata Natyam Classical Indian Dance
4:30 pm - Kathara Dance Theatre

11 am to 2 pm - DJ Trevor Chan
2 pm to 5 pm - DJ MissBliss

Children's Activities:
- Asian Canadian History Scavenger Hunt
- Mehndi painting by Pauline Basi
- Caricatures by Geoff Wong
- Free surprizes

Participating Organizations:
- Lang’s Mongolian Acupuncture
- Powell Street Festival Society
- Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Society
- UBC Department of Asian Studies (KUNGQU)
- C3 Korean Canadian Society
- Scripting Aloud
- Dr. Lyla May Yip Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Master Wilson Wu Kungfu Ocean Academy
- 411 Seniors Centre Society
- Kam To Tai Chi Chuan Association
- Raymond Chow, Artist
- Canadian International Dragon Boat Society

Click here for more details about explorASIAN's FRIENDS & FAMILY DAY

*PLEASE NOTE: There is a typo error on the printed version of the Family Day poster. The time should read 11am instead of 11pm.

explorASIAN 2008 Closing Celebration: DHARMAKASA Concert & CD Launch - May 31 - 8pm

2008-05-29T14:13:00.000-07:00

Presented by explorASIAN

Vancouver Museum
1100 Chestnut Street (Vanier Park)

Free parking

Ticket info:
$10.00 / person
General seating

Please contact Diana Stewart-Imbert at diananzboys@shaw.ca to purchase tickets in advance. Telephone 604.253.6292

Tickets also available at the door

Dharmakasa is a collaboration of four Vancouver-based musicians who perform on a variety of very unique instruments, from the ancient to the recently invented. At the heart of this innovative group are Alcvin Ramos, recognized shihan (master) of the shakuhachi flute and Andrew Kim, inventor of unique hybrid instruments. Both are of Asian descent. They are joined by Juno award nominee, Cameron Hood, on electric bass and Steve (Shambunata) Daniluk on drums.

These experienced artists have come together to create a sound that ranges from fiery shamanic dance music to meditative soundscapes and that fuses bold modern elements with the musical traditions of Japan, India, Africa, and Australia.

Dharmakasa has performed to great success at numerous festivals and events including opening for Anouska Shankar at Vancouver’s Chan Centre and for the Yoshida Brothers in both Vancouver & Victoria this May. Dharmakasa has been featured on CBC Radio and Television.

www.myspace.com/dharmakasa

Asia captures the eye on stage and screen

2008-05-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

Straight.com
Publish Date: May 1, 2008

Before becoming Knowledge Network’s president and CEO last year, Rudy Buttignol had to decide to move from Toronto to either Montreal or Vancouver. “For me,” Buttignol says by phone from Toronto during a business trip, “Vancouver was far more interesting because I see that it’s a picture of the future of Canada, that the immigration from Asia-Pacific is fundamentally changing both British Columbia and Canada.”

Buttignol says that what impressed him after moving to Vancouver was seeing so much interracial interaction. What inspires him is “the sense that you’re in a historic period”.

According to 2006 Statistics Canada data, Asian Canadians now comprise one-third of Vancouver’s population. Throughout May, Asian Heritage Month events ( www.explorasian.org/ ) will give Vancouverites the opportunity to reflect upon these demographic and cultural shifts that are transforming our social landscape. Featured during the month are films, dance performances, visual-arts displays, workshops, musical shows, and more.

Big-screen AHM offerings include the Hong Kong crime thriller Mad Detective (Sun Taam ) (May 10, 7:30 p.m., Pacific Cinémathèque), about an inspector who must resort to consulting his now-insane former boss. The screening will be followed by a discussion led by Hiram Mok, from UBC’s department of psychiatry.

Tailor Made: Chinatown’s Last Tailors chronicles the attempts by brothers Bill and Jack Wong, in their 80s, to save their father’s tailor shop, which opened in Vancouver’s Chinatown in 1913. (Straight contributor J. J. Lee appears as an apprentice.) All four screenings (May 13, 14, 16, 28) are free and will be shown at various community centres (check the explorASIAN Web site for time and venue details).

To complement Mohammad Reza Shajarian’s concert, Vancity Theatre is screening The Voice of Iran: Mohammad Reza Shajarian and Santouri (The Music Man ) from May 12 to 14 (see www.vifc.org/ for details).

On TV, Shaw Multicultural Channel and explorASIAN will present the Filmmaker Showcase (May 11, 18, and 25; 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.), featuring shorts and feature films on Asian Canadian subjects ( www.vancouver.shawtv.com/smc/smc_filmmakers.htm ). Three collections will address the themes of identity, relationships, and history.

At Knowledge Network, Buttignol, who studied Chinese and Indian cinema and history in university, says he is committed to increasing Asia-Pacific programming to “reflect change in British Columbia”. Thirteen AHM TV programs to be shown by the public broadcaster during May and June are a part of that commitment.

Lai Man Wai: The Father of Chinese Cinema (May 9, 10 p.m.; May 14, midnight) will examine the life and work of the accomplished Chinese film pioneer. The Slanted Screen (Friday [May 2], 10 p.m.; Wednesday [May 7], midnight; May 15, 10 p.m.) analyzes—by surveying more than four dozen movie clips—how Asian men have been stereotyped in Hollywood productions. “Those documentaries,” Buttignol says, “are always a great measure to see how far society has moved forward towards some kind of enlightenment.”

Although Hollywood may seem internationally ubiquitous, the world’s number-one film-producing country is India. Close behind Hollywood is China, at number three. The five-part Cinema Asia on the Knowledge Network will examine these cinematic powerhouses with spotlights on China (May 16), India (May 23), Iran (May 30), South Korea (June 6), and Taiwan (June 13). The series will air on Fridays at 10 p.m. and Wednesdays at midnight.

Source URL: http://www.straight.com/article-143837/asia-captures-eye-stage-and-screen

explorASIAN 2008 Event Updates

2008-04-27T15:43:00.000-07:00

As of today, all new event listings submitted for inclusion in our online festival calendar will be posted to our festival UPDATES section and will not appear in our primary online festival schedule. Please check back daily for event updates and other festival news and announcements.

Call for VOLUNTEERS: Share your experience with explorASIAN

2008-04-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

We're looking for enthusiastic volunteers! It's a great way to meet new people and make new friends. It's also an opportunity to meet Asian Canadian artists and performers and experience the sights and sounds of Pan-Asian culture.

The explorASIAN Festival would not be a success without the generous support of those who donate their time every year.

- Is contributing and making a difference in the commmunity important to you?
- Do you enjoy meeting new people and building contacts?
- Do you feel it's important to take a leadership role in the community?
- Do you feel that you can be an important voice for the Asian Canadian community?
- Can interacting with your peers expand your horizons?

explorASIAN is run by committed volunteers dedicated to a achieving a common vision of cultivating leadership, artistic and professional development and fostering diversity and harmony in our community. Be part of the experience! We are in need of these talented volunteers for the explorASIAN festival:

- Event Hosts
- Box Office/Ticketing
- Artist Management
- Media Relations
- Festival Ambassadors
- Logistic Manager

Please email volunteer@explorasian.org if you want to join the volunteer team.

To apply for a volunteer position, please go to http://www.explorasian.org/volunteers.html

NEW! explorASIAN Festival Schedule available online now

2008-04-23T15:59:00.000-07:00

Join us in celebrating the 12th Anniversary of the Asian Heritage Month Festival in Metro Vancouver. Check out all of the great events featuring emerging and established Pan Asian Canadian artists.

There's something for everyone! Please tell your all friends about explorASIAN

In an effort to reduce our carbon footprint and help preserve our forests, we have chosen not to produce a printed program guide for our festival. For your convenience,our festival event schedule can be found online at http://www.explorasian.org/festival2008_short.html

We have also reduced the amount of printed promotional materials generated to promote the festival. Digital versions can be found online at http://www.explorasian.org/promotion.html

To compensate for the reduction in printed promotional materials, please help us spread the word by telling your friends and colleagues about the explorASIAN festival. Support the local artists and cultural organizations in our community!

SMC Filmmakers Showcase on Cable 109

2008-04-20T23:16:00.000-07:00

Canadian Filmmakers Celebrated During Asian Heritage Month

Detailed film screenings info and schedule: http://vancouver.shawtv.com/smc/smc_filmmakers.htm

Shaw Multicultural Channel joins with explorASIAN to present the first annual Filmmakers Showcase during Asian Heritage Month in May. On three Sunday evenings - May 11, 18 and 25 - Shaw Multicultural Channel will show themed collections of short and feature-length films by local Canadian filmmakers. Each film portrays, examines or celebrates different aspects of the Asian-Canadian experience.

New Community Media Sponsor: Knowledge Network

2008-04-16T16:07:00.000-07:00

explorASIAN is pleased to welcome Knowledge Network as a new Community Media Sponsor for 2008.

Knowledge Network will be presenting some great programs on Asian cinema during Asian Heritage Month and in June. View the festival television schedule http://www.explorasian.org/Program%20Guide%202008/may%202/Asian%20Cinema%20Takes%20a%20Bow%20on%20Knowledge%20Network.html">here.

http://www.knowledgenetwork.ca

New Print Media Sponsor: Georgia Straight

2008-04-16T15:57:00.000-07:00

explorASIAN is pleased to welcome the Georgia Straight as its new major Print Media Sponsor for 2008.

Watch out for the explorASIAN logo throughout the Georgia Straight newspaper and website www.straight.com for festival event listings and stories about some of the artists participating at this year's Asian Heritage Month Festival in Metro Vancouver.

Be sure to pick up your copy of the Georgia Straight every week in May!

NEW! explorASIAN Community Events Calendar Launch

2008-04-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

We have moved the community event listings from the home page of explorasian.org to a new separate web blog site called "explorASIAN Community Events Calendar". You can access the Community Events Calendar by clicking on the link located at the top right hand corner of the explorasian.org home page.

This community events calendar is a public service to help promote our Pan Asian Canadian artists and community partners' multicultural programs in Metro Vancouver.

Please email your Pan Asian Canadian event listing in text format to communityeventscalendar@gmail.com

(We reserve the right to edit submissions. Except where indicated, explorASIAN is not responsible for the content or type of events listed. Please check with the presenter if you need more information about the artist or program.)

If your event is located outside of Metro Vancouver, please email your event info to Asiancanadian.net (webmaster@asiancanadian.net) for national event listing.

explorASIAN 2008 - Many cultures, Many languages, One celebration!

2008-04-02T10:03:00.000-07:00

explorASIAN aims to present educational and multidisciplinary artistic programs that:

> promote cultural harmony and understanding of Asian Canadian diversity with a contemporary relevance

> nurture a historical consciousness through celebration of local Asian Canadian history

> increase participation in and exposure to the Asian Canadian fine and performing arts community through live performance, exhibitions, and collective multidisciplinary projects

Celebrate Asian Heritage Month in Canada during the month of May!