Storyfest 2018: A Treasury of Transformative Tales

When I think of stories, one of the first things I immediately associate them with is Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Besides being a collection of stories of the Greek gods and goddesses, I also think about the title itself, and how the act of storytelling is one that allows for metamorphosis. Deceptively simple, storytelling requires the storyteller to weave and transform their words, their body, their voice … Continue reading Storyfest 2018: A Treasury of Transformative Tales

Singapore International Piano Festival: An Interview with Pianist Seong-Jin Cho

Presented by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, the 25th Singapore International Piano Festival begins this week, where several acclaimed pianists will be making their Singapore debuts, from the likes of the legendary Argentinian pianist Martha Argerich to Vietnamese-Canadian pianist Dang Thai Son. Opening the festival this year on 7th June is young South Korean prodigy Seong-Jin Cho. Born in 1994, he became the youngest-ever winner of Japan’s … Continue reading Singapore International Piano Festival: An Interview with Pianist Seong-Jin Cho

Preview: 《告亲夫》Prosecuting the Husband and《刘明珠》Lady Liu Ming Zhu by Nam Hwa Opera

With its humble beginnings as an amateur music and drama association by a group of Teochew opera enthusiasts, Nam Hwa Opera has braved the test of time to reach its 55th anniversary this year! Having given over 130 public performances, the opera troupe continues to enrich local arts and culture by keeping this art form well and alive even today. This June, the troupe will … Continue reading Preview: 《告亲夫》Prosecuting the Husband and《刘明珠》Lady Liu Ming Zhu by Nam Hwa Opera

Review: Leonard Bernstein’s Mass by Orchestra of the Music Makers

The Esplanade Concert Hall becomes a joyous megachurch for one night only. The Orchestra of the Music Makers takes its name from Arthur O’Shaughnessy’s poem Ode, inspired to remain movers and shakers as they dream, cultivate and create music each year. Celebrating both Bernstein’s centennial as well as the Orchestra of Music Makers’ 10th anniversary, last Saturday saw the Singapore premiere of Leonard Bernstein’s musical epic Mass. Combining multiple genres of music … Continue reading Review: Leonard Bernstein’s Mass by Orchestra of the Music Makers

Taking Back Chinatown: An Interview with Koh Hui Ling and Jean Tay of Drama Box’s Chinatown Crossings

We’re at Drama Box’s home on Trengganu Street in Chinatown, interviewing Drama Box artistic director Koh Hui Ling and writer Jean Tay, when Hui Ling suddenly recalls: “We were talking to the uncles and aunties living in the area, and a common thing we heard from them was how so many of them said ‘Chinatown doesn’t belong to us anymore; it belongs to the tourists.’” … Continue reading Taking Back Chinatown: An Interview with Koh Hui Ling and Jean Tay of Drama Box’s Chinatown Crossings

Preview: Komedi Raya – An Interview with Mo Sidik

This Hari Raya, get ready as we welcome the first ever Malay standup comedy show in Singapore! Presented by DMR Productions, Indonesian comedian Mo Sidik and Kuala Lumpur based JD Raja Lawak will be in town this June to tickle your funny bone and bring laughter during this celebratory season. The larger than life Mo Sidik is one of Indonesia’s foremost comedians, being the first … Continue reading Preview: Komedi Raya – An Interview with Mo Sidik

Review: Urashima Taro by Rouge28 Theatre (Flipside 2018)

A surreal, horror take on a classic Japanese legend. Growing up listening to various folktales and legends from around the world, the Japanese legend of Urashima Taro has never struck me as particularly haunting or horrific. In the legend, the eponymous Urashima Taro is a poor fisherman who saves a turtle in trouble. As a reward for his heroic deed, the turtle invites him for a journey … Continue reading Review: Urashima Taro by Rouge28 Theatre (Flipside 2018)

Review: The Moon Is Less Bright by The Second Breakfast Company

An ominous moon hangs over 2BCo’s third production. First staged over 50 years ago, Goh Poh Seng’s The Moon Is Less Bright is a classic of the Singapore literary canon. Set in a small farmhouse on the outskirts of Singapore, worlds collide when a shopkeeper brother who lives in town has to stay with his farmer brother in the country to escape from the danger caused by invading … Continue reading Review: The Moon Is Less Bright by The Second Breakfast Company

Preview: Highlights of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra 2018/19 Season

  The Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has released their entire 2018/19 season! Marking their 40th Anniversary, expect everything from the obligatory 40th Anniversary Gala to a Christmas Concert at the end of the year, alongside fresh, contemporary performances ranging from video game music all the way to orchestral reimaginations of Daft Punk and Radiohead. Read on to find out some of the highlights to look forward to … Continue reading Preview: Highlights of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra 2018/19 Season

Bernstein’s Mass: An Interview with Conductor Joshua Kangming Tan and Director Edith Podesta

As the Orchestra of the Music Makers commemorates their 10th anniversary in 2018, there’s no better way to celebrate than with a massive performance uniting some of the most diverse genres of music with composer Leonard Bernstein’s Mass. Best known for composing West Side Story, Bernstein’s Mass brings together Broadway, jazz, Western art music, epic chorus, orchestral works and more in this ambitious undertaking, and in its Singaporean premiere, … Continue reading Bernstein’s Mass: An Interview with Conductor Joshua Kangming Tan and Director Edith Podesta