The 29th Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music were staged Aug. 11, with the prize for Best Performance going to a production by Jin Kwei Lo Puppetry Company and Taiwanese opera performer Tang Mei-yun winning Best Actor.
A total of 18 awards were presented to local artists and groups by the National Center for Traditional Arts under the Ministry of Culture at the ceremony in Taipei City.
Jin Kwei Lo’s “Soup of Reincarnation” won for its creative use of real actors alongside puppets in the drama that centers on a Chinese mythological figure who ensures souls forget their previous lives before they are reborn.
Tang, who established her own opera company in 1998, was given the award for her powerful interpretation of a warrior in the 2017 production of “The Heroine of the Yangs.” In her acceptance speech, Tang said winning was a huge encouragement for herself and for her company.
Other recipients honored include internationally renowned violinist Tseng Yu-chien, who bagged Best Interpretation in the instrumental category for his album “Reverie,” released last year. In recognition of her six decades playing the female lead in Taiwanese opera, Hsu Hsiu-nien was given a lifetime contribution award.
Launched in 1990, the GMA were divided into two classifications in 2007 to separate prizes for achievements in popular music from those for traditional arts and music. (CPY-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw