Film: ‘The Violinist’ 沧海琴声 to be released in both English and Mandarin this September

Some films travel the world before finally coming home. For Singapore-led animated feature The Violinist (沧海琴声), that homecoming has already been a remarkable one. Following its Singapore Gala Premiere at Capitol Theatre on 3 September, the award-winning film will open in cinemas nationwide on 17 September 2026, giving audiences the choice of experiencing the story in both English and Mandarin. Supported by the Infocomm Media … Continue reading Film: ‘The Violinist’ 沧海琴声 to be released in both English and Mandarin this September

★★★★★ Theatre Review: Fried Rice Paradise – The Makan Party (2026) by Singapore Repertory Theatre

A hotter, more assured battle of tradition and reinvention, as Dick Lee himself helms this deliciously chaotic dinner-theatre adaptation of his classic musical. There is something wonderfully appropriate about Fried Rice Paradise never staying the same. Dick Lee wrote the song in 1973 as his first attempt at a Singaporean pop song, only to see it banned from airplay for its use of Singlish. More … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: Fried Rice Paradise – The Makan Party (2026) by Singapore Repertory Theatre

Film: Award-winning Singapore animated film ‘The Violinist’ comes to home to the local cinemas this September

After winning two major prizes at Annecy and earning a place in the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, Singapore’s The Violinist is finally coming home. The animated feature will celebrate its Singapore Gala Premiere at The Capitol Theatre on 3 September, before opening in Golden Village cinemas nationwide on 17 September 2026. For a film that has already travelled from Singapore to some of the … Continue reading Film: Award-winning Singapore animated film ‘The Violinist’ comes to home to the local cinemas this September

Film: ‘The Violinist’ Wins Cristal Award and Best Original Soundtrack at Annecy, Marking Historic First for Singapore Animation

Singapore has just scored one of its biggest victories in animation, and it all began with a story about friendship, music and memory. At this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival, often described as the “Cannes of Animation,” The Violinist made history by becoming the first Singapore-led animated feature to win the festival’s highest honour, the Cristal Award for Best Feature Film. The film also … Continue reading Film: ‘The Violinist’ Wins Cristal Award and Best Original Soundtrack at Annecy, Marking Historic First for Singapore Animation

Concert Review: Traversing 《“樂”无界》by Ding Yi Music Company

Ding Yi opens their 2026/27 season with a bold, celebratory selection of works that shows off the chamber ensemble’s capabilities and global vision. Opening its 2026/27 season, Traversing by Ding Yi Music Company makes an ambitious artistic claim: that a Chinese chamber ensemble can be not only rooted in tradition, but also be expansive, borderless, and globally resonant. Under the direction of maestro Tsung Yeh, … Continue reading Concert Review: Traversing 《“樂”无界》by Ding Yi Music Company

Concert Review: Shanghai Symphony Orchestra In Concert

A historic Singapore debut by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra blends culinary-inspired modernism, Romantic virtuosity, and symphonic grandeur into an evening of vivid contrasts and sustained musical dialogue. There was a palpable sense of anticipation at the Esplanade Concert Hall as audiences gathered for the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra’s first-ever performance in Singapore. As the final stop of its 2026 Asia-Pacific tour, the evening carried a quiet … Continue reading Concert Review: Shanghai Symphony Orchestra In Concert

Concert Review: Go Local! Happy Chinese New Year Concert by Ding Yi Music Company

The Lunar New Year is a time of reunion, celebration, and hopeful beginnings. At the Go Local! Happy Chinese New Year Concert, Ding Yi Music Company ushered in the festive season with warmth, vitality, and musical flair. Presented in collaboration with the China Cultural Centre in Singapore, the evening brought together Ding Yi’s musicians alongside guest artists from Hong Kong’s Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble and … Continue reading Concert Review: Go Local! Happy Chinese New Year Concert by Ding Yi Music Company

SGIFF 2025: An Interview with the director and cast of ‘This City Is A Battlefield’ (Perang Kota)

In Indonesian director Mouly Surya’s latest film, This City Is a Battlefield reminds us that revolution is never a clean or heroic act. Set in Jakarta in 1946, in the uneasy year following Indonesia’s declaration of independence, the film plunges into a city caught between collapsing empires and fragile new ideals. Amid the charged streets and covert operations, Isa, a former freedom fighter turned schoolteacher, … Continue reading SGIFF 2025: An Interview with the director and cast of ‘This City Is A Battlefield’ (Perang Kota)

Concert Review: Elements – SSO × Ding Yi

SSO and Ding Yi weave Chinese and Western musical voices into a rich, contemporary soundscape, celebrating cultural dialogue, collaboration, and Singapore’s evolving artistic identity. In an exciting cross-cultural collaboration this January, Elements – SSO × Ding Yi brought together musicians from the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and the renowned Ding Yi Music Company. Spanning continents and traditions, the program explored a vibrant fusion of Chinese … Continue reading Concert Review: Elements – SSO × Ding Yi

Dib Bangkok: Bangkok’s newest art museum brings the unseen, the unsaid and the unknown into focus with opening exhibition ‘Invisible Presence’

BANGKOK, THAILAND – There is something a little daunting about reaching Dib Bangkok’s location for the first time. Down a narrow, nondescript alleyway, the GrabBike we’re on slows, hesitates, and seems to take a moment to register what lies ahead before riding off. A large, gated building emerges, its blackened exterior giving little away, with only a narrow opening through which to enter the premises … Continue reading Dib Bangkok: Bangkok’s newest art museum brings the unseen, the unsaid and the unknown into focus with opening exhibition ‘Invisible Presence’