Music: A new chapter for Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s 2026/27 season with Hannu Lintu as Music Director

The Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s 2026/27 season signals a turning point. With Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu stepping in as Quantedge Music Director, the orchestra enters what its leadership describes as a period of discovery, recalibration and ambition. For Lintu, the decision to come to Singapore was not incidental, but deeply tied to a moment of transition in his own career. These kinds of engagements depend on … Continue reading Music: A new chapter for Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s 2026/27 season with Hannu Lintu as Music Director

Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Maria Tri Sulistyani, founder of Papermoon Puppet Theatre, and playwright/director of ‘PUNO – Sewing Memories’

Twelve years ago, the story that would become PUNO: Sewing Memories began with a promise. Back in 2013, Papermoon Puppet Theatre was planning a collaboration with a close friend from the Philippines: puppetry artist Don Salubayba. “It was kind of like, wow, it’s amazing that we have so much in common, let’s do something together,” recalls director and playwright Maria Tri Sulistyani, also a co-founder … Continue reading Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Maria Tri Sulistyani, founder of Papermoon Puppet Theatre, and playwright/director of ‘PUNO – Sewing Memories’

Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Dr. Norzizi Zulkifli on adapting Macbeth for Randai and traditional arts in Malaysia

When Dr Norzizi speaks about randai, she does not describe it as an artefact or a genre. She describes the art form as something breathing, precarious, but alive. “Without ASWARA,” she says plainly of the National Academy of Arts, Cultural and Heritage of Malaysia, “randai is a dying traditional art form. It exists, but it is also not there. If you come to Kuala Lumpur … Continue reading Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Dr. Norzizi Zulkifli on adapting Macbeth for Randai and traditional arts in Malaysia

Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with ‘La Luna’ director Mohd Fared Jainal, playwright Ridhwan Saidi, and star Munah Bagharib

In an age where the world often feels divided and overexposed to outrage, the most compelling theatre sometimes comes from stories that remind us what it means to live, work, and confront challenges together. This year’s La Luna, making its stage debut during Pesta Raya at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, does exactly that: it’s a feel-good comedy that also asks audiences to look … Continue reading Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with ‘La Luna’ director Mohd Fared Jainal, playwright Ridhwan Saidi, and star Munah Bagharib

★★★★☆ Theatre Review: End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland by HoriPro Inc.

A dream made tangible as Haruki Murakami’s surreal masterpiece comes vividly to life on stage. Fresh from its world premiere in Tokyo in January, End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland arrives in Singapore with the weight of expectation. Beyond its sheer scale, adapting Haruki Murakami’s writing for the stage has always been a formidable undertaking. His novels are winding, introspective and often resistant to … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Theatre Review: End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland by HoriPro Inc.

Preview: vOilah! France Singapore Festival 2026 returns with a feast for the senses celebrating French culture in Singapore

If you’ve ever dreamed of strolling through a Parisian market, losing yourself in a Louvre-worthy exhibition, or catching avant-garde theatre straight from Europe, and this season, you won’t need a plane ticket. From 25 April to 20 June, the annual vOilah! France Singapore Festival 2026 returns with its most expansive line-up yet, transforming Singapore into a vibrant playground of French culture, creativity and collaboration. vOilah! … Continue reading Preview: vOilah! France Singapore Festival 2026 returns with a feast for the senses celebrating French culture in Singapore

End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland: An Interview with director/choreographer Philippe Decouflé on adapting Haruki Murakami for the stage

Few literary worlds are as slippery, introspective and visually elusive as those of Haruki Murakami—which makes the stage adaptation of Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World an especially intriguing proposition. Directed and choreographed by Philippe Decouflé, the production transforms Murakami’s dual narratives into a highly visual theatrical experience, where movement, colour and scenography take the place of interior monologue. Arriving in Singapore at … Continue reading End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland: An Interview with director/choreographer Philippe Decouflé on adapting Haruki Murakami for the stage

Art: He Xiangning – Ink and Intent at National Gallery Singapore

Before she became a name in art history, He Xiangning was already living an extraordinary life. Born in 1878, she was not only a painter but also a revolutionary, a political figure, and a fierce advocate for women’s rights. She was among the first women to join the revolutionary alliance led by Sun Yat-sen, and later organised one of China’s earliest International Women’s Day rallies. … Continue reading Art: He Xiangning – Ink and Intent at National Gallery Singapore

★★★★★ Film Review: Amoeba dir. Tan Siyou

Girls just wanna have fun in this sincere, all-too-relatable portrait of confusing, rebellious teenage girlhood in restrictive Singapore. After its sold-out Singapore premiere at the 2026 Singapore International Film Festival, Tan Siyou’s debut feature Amoeba has continued to make the rounds across festivals, and now returns home for a series of screenings at indie cinema Filmhouse. The response has been more than warm, to say … Continue reading ★★★★★ Film Review: Amoeba dir. Tan Siyou

Art: Pavilion of Singapore Announces Amanda Heng’s ‘A Pause’ at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia

In a fast-paced, non-stop world, Singapore is bringing a quiet but powerful proposition to one of the art world’s biggest stages: what if we simply paused? At the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, the Singapore Pavilion will present A Pause, a contemplative new work by pioneering interdisciplinary artist Amanda Heng Liang Ngim. Created in collaboration with curator Selene Yap, the exhibition … Continue reading Art: Pavilion of Singapore Announces Amanda Heng’s ‘A Pause’ at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia