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

★★★★☆ Theatre Review: Tall Tales – Bananas and Ang Ku Kueh 谈谈: 香蕉与红龟粿 by The Finger Players X Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group

A multiplicity of riotous stories exuberantly told, even if they don’t quite add up. Tall Tales: Bananas & Ang Ku Kuehs holds a delectable premise: a Singapore–Taiwan puppet theatre collaboration drawing on the storytelling spirit of The Decameron, where tales of love, jealousy, greed and mischief multiply across cultures and generations. Directed by Oliver Chong of The Finger Players and Wang Chia-Ming of Shakespeare’s Wild … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Theatre Review: Tall Tales – Bananas and Ang Ku Kueh 谈谈: 香蕉与红龟粿 by The Finger Players X Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group

★★★★★ Concert Review: Lea Salonga – Stage, Screen, and Everything in Between at the Esplanade Theatre

A masterclass in grace and storytelling—Lea Salonga returns to Singapore and reminds us exactly why she remains musical theatre royalty. After more than a decade away from the Esplanade Theatre stage, Lea Salonga’s return to Singapore feels nothing short of momentous. Bringing her Stage, Screen & Everything In Between concert to our shores, Salonga presents a sweeping, deeply personal retrospective of a career that has … Continue reading ★★★★★ Concert Review: Lea Salonga – Stage, Screen, and Everything in Between at the Esplanade Theatre

Preview: Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts 2026 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

As Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts marks its 25th edition in 2026, the beloved festival returns not just as a celebration, but as a living archive of the Nusantara’s cultural imagination. Taking place from 16 to 19 April at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, this milestone edition reflects how far the festival has come, from a platform for artistic expression to a … Continue reading Preview: Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts 2026 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

An Interview with musical legend and superstar Lea Salonga on Stage, Screen, and Everything in Between

Musical theatre royalty and official Disney Legend Lea Salonga returns to Singapore this March, marking a long-awaited homecoming to the Esplanade stage. Last seen here in 2019 in concert and as the delightfully macabre Mrs Lovett in Singapore Repertory Theatre’s Sweeney Todd, Salonga’s relationship with Singapore audiences has long been one of affection and familiarity. Now, she’s back not to conquer new territory, but as … Continue reading An Interview with musical legend and superstar Lea Salonga on Stage, Screen, and Everything in Between

A Dream of Red Mansions: An Interview with the dancers and choreographer of National Ballet of China’s acclaimed ballet adaptation of the classic tale 

When audiences step into A Dream of Red Mansions this March, they will be entering a world suspended somewhere between memory and dream. The ballet, performed by the National Ballet of China, transforms one of China’s most beloved literary works into a lyrical stage experience. Inspired by Cao Xueqin’s 18th-century novel, the production blends classical ballet vocabulary with Chinese movement aesthetics to evoke a fragile … Continue reading A Dream of Red Mansions: An Interview with the dancers and choreographer of National Ballet of China’s acclaimed ballet adaptation of the classic tale 

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

Music: Piano Prodigy Mikkel Myer Lee Returns Home with third instalment of Complete Beethoven Sonata Cycle

On 23 May 2026, an extraordinary musical homecoming will unfold at the Esplanade Concert Hall. Singapore’s rising piano prodigy Mikkel Myer Lee returns to the stage for the third instalment of his ambitious Complete Beethoven Sonata Cycle — an eight-part artistic journey that will eventually see him perform all 32 piano sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven. For Mikkel, the concert marks more than another recital. … Continue reading Music: Piano Prodigy Mikkel Myer Lee Returns Home with third instalment of Complete Beethoven Sonata Cycle

★★★★★ Theatre Review: Le Père (The Father) 父亲 by Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre

by D.Y. Mandarin adaptation of acclaimed Florian Zeller play finds heartbreaking new resonance; spotlighting the Asian sensibilities of a family at war with Alzheimer’s disease.  In theatre, there are few plays that break the trust between audience and performer in its storytelling; And with an unassuming title such as ‘The Father’, the audience is lured into a false sense of familiarity. But, when the naturalistic, … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: Le Père (The Father) 父亲 by Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre

★★★★☆ Dance Review: Diary VII ・ The Story Of…… by Mui Cheuk-yin

Mui Cheuk-yin transforms a chance encounter with a stray cat into a profound reflection on migration, memory and the circular nature of time. Diary entries often feel like streams of consciousness, a flow of thought. So for a dance piece to take inspiration from one, that results in a performance where there is no dramatic overture, no attempt to overwhelm. Instead, the theatre fills with … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Dance Review: Diary VII ・ The Story Of…… by Mui Cheuk-yin