Preview: Singapore’s maritime history comes alive at Singapore HeritageFest 2026

There’s something about the sea that feels inseparable from Singapore. Maybe it’s the hum of ships on the horizon, the stories tucked into old piers, or the flavours and cultures that arrived on these shores over centuries. This May, that connection takes centre stage as the Singapore HeritageFest 2026 returns with a sweeping, islandwide celebration of maritime life: past, present, and still unfolding. Running from … Continue reading Preview: Singapore’s maritime history comes alive at Singapore HeritageFest 2026

Arts of Malaysia: Teater Normcore – Odisi Romansa by Ridhwan Saidi (Preview)

If you’re drawn to theatre that lingers somewhere between poetry and philosophy, Teater Normcore: Odisi Romansa might be one of the more intriguing productions to catch this season. Staged at the Black Box, Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC) this May, the latest work by Malaysian playwright-director Ridhwan Saidi arrives with all the hallmarks of his signature style: quiet lyricism, a touch of deadpan humour, and … Continue reading Arts of Malaysia: Teater Normcore – Odisi Romansa by Ridhwan Saidi (Preview)

Concert Review: The Music of China’s Magnificent Mountains – Darrell Ang and SCO

Darrell Ang leads the Singapore Chinese Orchestra through an immersive soundscape capturing a vivid journey across mountains. Last weekend, under the baton of Darrell Ang, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra’s The Music of China’s Magnificent Mountains unfolded like a carefully charted expedition, one where every ascent, valley, and horizon was shaped with intention. From the very beginning, Ang established a distinct presence, where his entrance was … Continue reading Concert Review: The Music of China’s Magnificent Mountains – Darrell Ang and SCO

An Interview with actress Nathania Ong on finding her own voice and reclaiming Éponine in Les Misérables – The Arena Spectacular

In Les Misérables – The Arena Spectacular, scale is everything: a full orchestra onstage, sweeping projections, and a staging language that expands the musical’s visual and sonic reach. Yet within that enormity, the production’s emotional force hinges on something far more intimate. And doing exactly that is the character of Éponine. Portrayed by Singaporean performer Nathania Ong, the character emerges not as a peripheral tragic … Continue reading An Interview with actress Nathania Ong on finding her own voice and reclaiming Éponine in Les Misérables – The Arena Spectacular

NAC and Changi Airport Group enter partnership to expand reach of Singapore arts to air travellers

Singapore’s National Arts Council (NAC) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) are reimagining what an airport experience can be, and it goes far beyond duty-free shopping and transit lounges. In a newly announced three-year partnership, Changi Airport is set to transform into a dynamic cultural showcase, bringing Singapore’s arts scene directly to the millions of travellers who pass through its terminals each year. With over 70 … Continue reading NAC and Changi Airport Group enter partnership to expand reach of Singapore arts to air travellers

Singaporean Aaron Tan Crowned Red Bull Dance Your Style Regional Champion

By weekday, Aaron Tan Jian Yong works in financial wealth management. But under stage lights and pounding beats, the 32-year-old Singaporean transforms into a commanding street dancer, and now, the newly crowned Red Bull Dance Your Style Southeast Asia Regional Champion. On 25th April , Aaron made history as the competition’s first-ever regional winner, capping off a journey defined by instinct, resilience, and a willingness … Continue reading Singaporean Aaron Tan Crowned Red Bull Dance Your Style Regional Champion

Tender Urgency: An Interview with rising artist Lucas Tan on his debut solo exhibition ‘Pressure Points’ at Haridas Contemporary

Lucas Tan paints as if trying to hold something just a moment longer, capturing an expression, a touch, a glance that might otherwise slip away. In his debut solo exhibition Pressure Points, the Singapore-based painter offers a body of 14 works that is at once intimate and composed, grounded in lived experience yet carefully constructed into images that linger. It’s a wildly successful work for … Continue reading Tender Urgency: An Interview with rising artist Lucas Tan on his debut solo exhibition ‘Pressure Points’ at Haridas Contemporary

★★★★★ Theatre Review: Secondary – The Musical (2026) by Checkpoint Theatre

Note: the performance reviewed featured understudies in the following major roles: Risa Ann Wong as Lilin, Nadya Zaheer as Mandy, Izzul Irfan as Omar, Fahim Murshed as Reyansh, Coco Wang as Ensemble (Discipline, Rong, Vice-Principal, Hui Ling), Nurulhuda Hassan as (Ensemble: Humour, Nadrah, Welfare, Amira, Cik Sya) weish’s Secondary: The Musical returns with a surer, more confident restaging, deepening the emotional resonance of an already … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: Secondary – The Musical (2026) by Checkpoint Theatre

Art: Passion is Volcanic – Desire in Southeast Asian Art at National Gallery Singapore

At National Gallery Singapore, its latest exhibition, Passion is Volcanic, announces itself with a sense of anticipation the moment the tour begins, not as a quiet, contemplative walkthrough, but as something far more alive. Even before the artworks begin, the tone is set: there’s a heightened awareness that this is a space with boundaries, with its unprecedented R18 rating, and strict rules of no photography … Continue reading Art: Passion is Volcanic – Desire in Southeast Asian Art at National Gallery Singapore

★★★★☆ Theatre Review: [title of show] (2026) by Sing’theatre

Metatheatrical musical pokes fun at the Broadway dream with charm and twee humour. Few musicals are as self-mythologising or as beloved within musical theatre circles as [title of show]. Since its debut, the meta-musical about two writers racing to create a musical has earned a kind of cult status, not just for its wit, but for how closely it mirrors the aspirations, anxieties, and inside … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Theatre Review: [title of show] (2026) by Sing’theatre