TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Eight international programs for the upcoming Taiwan International Festival of Arts have been canceled due to the pandemic but will be replaced with online performances.

NTCH announced Monday (Jan 25) that of the 19 scheduled productions for the 2021 Taiwan International Festival of Arts (TIFA), six international and two co-produced programs have canceled due to COVID-19.

The list of canceled productions includes: "Ibsen House" produced by International Theater Amsterdam and Australian director Simon Stone; "By Heart" and "Sopro" produced by Tiago Rodrigues, the artistic director of Teatro Nacional D. Maria II; and Dimitris Papaioannou's new work.

TIFA's only free program, "As The World Tipped," brought by the Liverpool-based theatrical group "Wired Aerial Theatre," has also been canceled. The work has been performed over 50 times around the world and showcases an astonishing combination of extreme sports and dance elements, according to TIFA's website.

Meanwhile, "Ita" and "Ari-Ari," the co-production launched by Taiwan's TAI Body Theatre and Indonesia's EkosDance Company, have been canceled as well. The contemporary choreographers Watan Tusi and Eko Supriyanto were planning to swap their dancers.

NTCH said only one concert has been postponed. This was to have been conducted by Russia's Mikhail Agrest, and performed by the Russian soprano Olga Peretyatk, and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Nevertheless, NTCH will broadcast the Greek tragedy "Medea" when it takes place at the International Theater Amsterdam on March 3, along with "Sopro" on March 14, 2021.

TIFA is set to begin in March and will run through May. Visit the official website for more information.