25th Singapore International Piano Festival: Jeremy Denk (Review)

  Jeremy Denk guides lost audiences home in a series of three works by master composers Mozart, Beethoven and Bach.  American pianist Jeremy Denk is an intelligent man. The winner of a MacArthur ‘Genius’ Fellowship, Denk is a frequent contributor to publications such as The New Yorker and The Guardian. A contemporary of other acclaimed musicians such as Joshua Bell and Steven Isserlis, Denk’s intellect is … Continue reading 25th Singapore International Piano Festival: Jeremy Denk (Review)

Review: Citizen Dog by The Finger Players

The spirits are at play in both reality and fiction in this new work tackling issues of land ownership and the foibles of human desire. Pu Songling’s monstrous 18th century collection of over 400 supernatural stories Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (Liaozhai Zhiyi) has remained fascinating over the years, with its quirky supernatural characters from failed scholars to alluring fox spirits interwoven with a strong satirical edge. … Continue reading Review: Citizen Dog by The Finger Players

25th Singapore International Piano Festival: Seong-Jin Cho (Review)

The Korean boy genius and Chopin/Debussy expert opens the 25th Singapore International Piano Festival. Maintaining a festival for 25 years is no mean feat, signifying how far the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s Singapore International Piano Festival (SIPF) has come all this time. Delivering the opening address, SIPF artistic director Lionel Choi expressed how much the festival has grown, with the sheer amount of pianists and achievements … Continue reading 25th Singapore International Piano Festival: Seong-Jin Cho (Review)

Preview: Sing.Lang Concert (Sing.浪 2018) at Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Cultural Extravaganza

  The 2018 Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Cultural Extravaganza wraps up this weekend after three weeks of festivities with a special two night concert featuring some of Singapore’s hottest stars singing the best of Singapore Chinese songs! The finale concert will feature a host of local superstars, including Sing! China finalists Joanna Dong and Olinda Cho, Singapore’s first Mandopop export Maggie Teng, and even the unexpected Benjamin Kheng of … Continue reading Preview: Sing.Lang Concert (Sing.浪 2018) at Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Cultural Extravaganza

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

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

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

Dinosaurs On The Loose at RWS’ Jurassic World: Explore & Roar!

Tying in with the release of Universal Studios’ new Jurassic World film in June, Universal Studios Singapore has launched the all new Jurassic World: Explore and Roar experience to celebrate the June Holidays in true jurassic style. Taking place from now till 22nd August, Jurassic World: Explore & Roar sees some of your favourite dinosaurs come to life as they spring up all around the theme park. Get close … Continue reading Dinosaurs On The Loose at RWS’ Jurassic World: Explore & Roar!

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