TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taipei Traditional Arts Festival will kick off Monday for its 38th edition, focusing on cross-genre fusion as its theme.

Launched in 1988 and organized by the Taipei Chinese Orchestra (TCO), the event will run until June 8, featuring 28 performances across 37 shows. As Taiwan's largest and longest-running traditional arts festival, this annual spring event will showcase a variety of traditional performances, including song, music, dance, and drama.

In addition to TCO's performances, the three-month festival will include contributions from several renowned domestic and international artists and groups, such as the Taiwan Yangqin Development Association, the Shintrun Taiwanese Opera Troupe, Jade Dance Theater, and yangqin player Du Wan-lin (杜宛霖). Many performances will feature cross-genre collaborations.

TCO General Director Cheng Li-pin (鄭立彬) said Wednesday that declining box office numbers signal traditional arts fading amid rapid societal changes. He also raised concerns about his future leadership, calling on TCO members to champion the development of traditional music.

Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tsai Shih-Ping (蔡詩萍) said Cheng's remarks reflect a shared anxiety in the traditional arts community. The larger environmental changes have had an even greater impact on traditional fields, he added.

Tsai affirmed that the cultural bureau will support traditional music and seek innovative, practical solutions.

The festival's opening concert, “The World of Reeds,” will take place Monday at the National Concert Hall and on March 12 at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts. Conducted by Chang Yu-an (張宇安), the concert will feature internationally renowned organist Christian Schmitt, along with reed players Chu Le-ning (朱樂寧) and Sun Yen-Hsiang (孫衍詳).

TCO will also present the Taiwanese opera “My Mom Needs an Education,” a major hit in 2019, in May and June. The production infuses rich Taiwanese flavors and traditional artistic elements.