Huayi Festival 2019: Painted Skin by Singapore Chinese Orchestra (Review)

Western meets Chinese opera in a spectacle to remember. Inspired by the short story of the same name from Pu Songling’s Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (Liaozhai Ziyi), the Singapore Chinese Opera adapts Painted Skin for the stage as a 100 minute opera in concert. The classic tale follows a Chinese scholar when he comes across a beautiful woman crying in the rain, giving her an … Continue reading Huayi Festival 2019: Painted Skin by Singapore Chinese Orchestra (Review)

Huayi Festival 2019: Love Letters by The Nonsensemakers/Nelson Chia & Mia Chee (Review)

Two melodramatic lives, their destinies intertwined by a flurry of love letters. It’s one thing to be married, or married to your job, but quite another to be married to someone who runs a company with you. Such is the case for both The Nonsensemakers (Hong Kong) and Nine Years Theatre (Singapore), run by partners Rensen Chan and Jo Ngai, and Nelson Chia and Mia … Continue reading Huayi Festival 2019: Love Letters by The Nonsensemakers/Nelson Chia & Mia Chee (Review)

Huayi Festival 2019: The Way of Zhuang Zi (庄子兵法) by Story Works (Review)

Nerve wracking thriller of a play that keeps you guessing every step of the way. Happiness is the absence of striving for happiness. I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man. Of the many Chinese philosophers we grew up learning from our scholar of a Chinese teacher … Continue reading Huayi Festival 2019: The Way of Zhuang Zi (庄子兵法) by Story Works (Review)

Huayi Festival 2019: The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by Li Liuyi Theatre Studio (Review)

Tragedy seems written in the stars in this lengthy production as the cosmos themselves bid our sweet prince goodnight.  Ranking among Shakespeare’s best works, it’s little surprise that Hamlet has seen countless productions and interpretations over the centuries. Opening the Esplanade’s Huayi Festival 2019, director Li Liuyi’s latest production of the piece sees the moody protagonist played by film star Hu Jun (Red Cliff, East Palace West Palace), … Continue reading Huayi Festival 2019: The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by Li Liuyi Theatre Studio (Review)

Review: 过年 The Nutcracker by The National Ballet of China

The Nutcracker gets a Chinese New Year makeover. Presented by MyChinaChannel, the National Ballet of China put a Chinese twist on all-time favourite ballet The Nutcracker when it premiered at the Esplanade Theatre last week. Re-titled 过年: The Nutcracker, the traditionally Christmas tale gets an update as its gets a recontextualization, set during Chinese New Year instead of the Yuletide season, while still maintaining Tchaikovsky classic, iconic soundtrack. … Continue reading Review: 过年 The Nutcracker by The National Ballet of China

Museum Musings: Introducing ARTitude Galeria – The First Colombian Contemporary Art Gallery in Singapore

Dedicated solely to introducing Colombian artists to Asian audiences, the launch of ARTitude Galeria marks an exciting new addition to our local arts scene, bringing with them not only the introduction of established artists collectors and art enthusiasts would automatically take an interest in, but also brand new names and young, up and coming artists to look out for, connecting Colombia with Singapore and vice versa. … Continue reading Museum Musings: Introducing ARTitude Galeria – The First Colombian Contemporary Art Gallery in Singapore

Museum Musings: Breezing Willow at the Parkview Museum (Preview)

Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and for their latest exhibition, the Parkview Museum is teaming up with the National Art Museum of China and China Cultural Centre to present Breezing Willow, an exhibition showcasing treasured New Year paintings of Yangliuqing from the fine collections of National Art Museum of China. Lotus Lake Guangxu Period – Qing Dynasty Woodblock print, painted with brush … Continue reading Museum Musings: Breezing Willow at the Parkview Museum (Preview)

Preview: Happy Chinese New Year Concert 2019 by Ding Yi Music Company

Ding Yi Music Company returns this February, opening their 2019 season with their annual Happy Chinese New Year concert! Playing at the China Cultural Centre Theatre once again, this year’s edition of the festive places a stronger focus on Singaporean talent and composers, Happy Chinese New Year Concert 2019 will feature a repertoire of favourite Mandopop and classic Chinese music, from Liu Chang’s Rippling Brook Capriccio《小河淌水随想曲》to … Continue reading Preview: Happy Chinese New Year Concert 2019 by Ding Yi Music Company

Preview: 过年 The Nutcracker by The National Ballet of China

While primarily known as a Christmas ballet, you can expect the 2018 Yuletide spirit to carry on well into 2019 with the arrival of The National Ballet of China’s production of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker in January this year. Presented by MyChinaChannel, 过年 The Nutcracker performs in Singapore for the very first time at the Esplanade Theatre from 18th to 20th January 2019, and plays as part of the company’s 60th … Continue reading Preview: 过年 The Nutcracker by The National Ballet of China

Review: OFF STAGE by Emergency Stairs

All the world’s a stage, and the theatre industry especially so.  Is an actor ever really just an actor, or does their work go far beyond their prescribed ‘role’? For Emergency Stairs’ training and experimental arm Emergency Shelter’s first production, led by artistic director Liu Xiaoyi, OFF STAGE is a challenge to its ensemble of nine actors (Chanel Chan, Chong Woon Yong, Darren Guo, Zachary Ho, WahWah Hung … Continue reading Review: OFF STAGE by Emergency Stairs