«The World Ship» — Asian Maiden Voyage

The Kaohsiung City Government invited The World Ship from Spain to take part in its 2008 New Year’s Eve celebration with a Taiwan edition of the show. Carrying the avant-garde theatre company La Fura dels Baus, the ship sailed for seven weeks to make its first visit to Taiwan. The city hopes this Taiwan version, which blends world and local culture, will give citizens a different feeling for the New Year.

La Fura dels Baus is remembered above all for the opening ceremony of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, which amazed viewers around the world. The city’s Information Bureau won sponsorship from Yang Ming Marine Transport and other businesses to bring the company to the Kaohsiung New Year’s Eve celebration, hoping to combine the performing arts with the 2009 World Games and inspire more enthusiastic public participation.

The World Ship was built in 1964 as an icebreaker and later became the company’s ship, which made it famous. Artistic director Carlus Padrissa said that this Asian voyage left Barcelona on November 17, 2007, crossing the Indian Ocean, Colombo in Sri Lanka and Singapore, then the South China Sea into Kaohsiung Harbour, seven weeks in all.

Thirty company members came along, and students from the Taipei National University of the Arts dance department, Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages, Shu-Te University and other schools joined the performance. Titled The World Ship, it uses a script adapted by La Fura and weaves in Taiwanese culture and popular elements, presenting a Taiwan version of The World Ship to the audience in Kaohsiung.