从门外汉到歌剧通

主持：Joanna C. Lee 编译：辛时雨

室内外的庆典

Celebrating inside and outside

小琼：上个月我去高雄卫武营艺术文化中心（下简称高雄中心）参加了它的一周年庆典，实在是盛况空前。我此行的主要目的是去看歌剧——柏林喜歌剧院制作的《魔笛》在庆典那周的周末上演。

小薇：这个版本近来很受欢迎，10月的澳门国际音乐节上就刚刚演出过。这版《魔笛》制作由巴里·科斯基导演，整场演出包括十分引人注目的投影视频。

小琼：高雄的四场演出相当卖座，门票一抢而空。且让我介绍一下高雄中心的整体环境：它修建于一座亚热带公园（即卫武营都会公园）的旁边。此地本是军事基地旧址，有超过一个世纪的历史。高雄中心不但有着华美的音乐厅、歌剧院、剧场、演奏厅及户外演出场所，更有一个不设围栏的广场，24小时对公众开放。

小薇：我看网上说这座广场有个独特的名字——榕树广场。荷兰建筑师弗朗辛·霍本在设计这里时，看到当地的老榕树而获得灵感，尤其是其枝叶创造出来的大片树荫，这样的树荫可以给在树下散步的人以极大的享受。

小琼：于是，榕树广场涵盖了整个场馆的地面区域（屋檐下的区域）；此外，作为庆典的一部分，剧院还在广场的外墙投映电影，以便公众观赏——大家坐在折叠椅上，但旁边的人却不会受声音干扰（因为观众都各自佩戴耳机）。不少其他的活动也邀请了公众直接“进来欣赏、进来享受”，整个气氛如同嘉年华。

Joan:Last month I visited the Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) for its first anniversary celebration, and what a beautiful occasion it was!I went for the opera: Berlin’s Komische Opera production ofThe Magic Flutewas presented there during the anniversary weekend.

Valery:That was a popular production that appeared most recently in October at the Macau International Music Festival. Directed by Barrie Kosky, thisMagic Fluteinvolves truly eye-catching videos.

Joan:All four shows in Kaohsiung were sold out! But let me give you a taste of the entire setting of the Kaohsiung Center: it is built right next to a subtropical park, the Weiwuying Metropolitan Park. The site was formerly a military training base, tracing more than a century of history. The Kaohsiung Center boasts not only a beautiful concert hall, opera house, playhouse, recital hall and outdoor performance space, but a fence-free plaza that is open to the public any time of the day.

Valery:I found online that the plaza has a special name—Banyan Plaza. When Dutch architect Francine Houben designed this building, she was inspired by the local banyan trees, especially the canopy created by the branches and leaves. Walking beneath the trees gives people such pleasure.

小薇：我看到不少公众在庆典周末期间参与设置于卫武营都会公园的毗邻区域的户外集市的照片。

小琼：此外，剧院还邀请了马戏团和杂技团在庆典期间表演，甚至安排了特别为年轻人开放的、介绍剧院内部运作的活动“万卫一路：走进演员的日常”，邀请大家参观后台，体验表演者们是如何“活”出他们的生活的。这是一种吸引观众并让他们探索舞台背后“秘密”的创新方式！

小薇：卫武营确实是当地社区非常受欢迎的活动场所。它也被认证为世界上最大的一体式表演艺术中心。

小琼：作为一名亚裔，我不得不提一下楼上的餐饮购物设施——这些设施覆盖了剧场的整个场馆！

Joan:The Banyan Plaza spans the floor area of the entire venue (under the roof), and as part of the anniversary celebration, films were screened on one wall for the public to enjoy—Everyone sat in folding chairs in silence (equipped with individual headsets!). Many other events truly invited the community just to “come in and enjoy”: the atmosphere was just like a carnival.

Valery:I saw pictures of the public during the anniversary weekend enjoying an outdoor market in the adjoining area of the Weiwuying Metropolitan Park.

Joan:There were also circus and acrobat performances, as well as a special program to introduce young people to the theatre’s inner workings.“One Way” invites everyone to visit backstage and experience how performers “live” their lives. What an inventive way to engage an audience, and to let them discover the “secrets” behind the stage!

Valery:Weiwuying is indeed a very popular place for the community. It is also recognized as the largest performing arts center in the world housed under one roof!

Joan:Being Asian, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the food and shopping establishments operating on the upper floor, spanning the entire venue!