Vietnamese artist Phan Thao Nguyen Wins Grand Prize at Signature Art Prize 2018

At the National Museum last Friday, Vietnamese artist Phan Thao Nguyen was announced as the winner of the Grand Prize for the the fourth edition of the triennial Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation Signature Art Prize. Started in 2008 by the APB Foundation and Singapore Art Museum, the APB Foundation Signature Art Prize seeks to champion regional contemporary art and recognise the most outstanding work produced over the … Continue reading Vietnamese artist Phan Thao Nguyen Wins Grand Prize at Signature Art Prize 2018

Review: The Cyclist by Intercultural Theatre Institute

A surreal cast of quirky characters and a final emotional gut punch in one of ITI’s most light-hearted shows. For many people, growing up can feel like an odyssey, with countless perils to face in adolescence as one becomes increasingly exposed to the cold, cruel world around them. In the case of Vijay Tendulkar’s The Cyclist, growing up becomes a literal journey, as we follow a protagonist choosing … Continue reading Review: The Cyclist by Intercultural Theatre Institute

The Circle of Life: The Lion King Returns To Singapore After 7 Years

Over the years, Marina Bay Sands has seen countless productions grace its theatres, ranging from the best touring productions from Broadway and the West End to the strongest performers from around the region. But one production that will always have a special place in audience’s hearts would be the very first one. That production is Disney’s The Lion King, which saw a welcome return to the … Continue reading The Circle of Life: The Lion King Returns To Singapore After 7 Years

Preview: Music From Turn of the Century by Ding Yi Music Company

After a rousing concert in June at the Singapore Conference Hall, Ding Yi Music Company returns this July with a far more intimate affair at the Esplanade Recital Studio with Music From Turn of the Century.  In this concert, for the first time ever, Singapore’s foremost Chinese Chamber Music company will be led and conducted by Cultural Medallion recipient and Singapore Chinese Orchestra Music Director Tsung Yeh. This … Continue reading Preview: Music From Turn of the Century by Ding Yi Music Company

Review: ‘A Song of Life’ Concert by Sachiyo

There’s something about the Esplanade Recital Studio that is so special, given the intimacy it affords. This intimacy is what gives rise to the power of Japanese singer songwriter Sachiyo Nakagaki’s beautiful voice, crisp, sensual and chic as it wafted through the Recital Studio in her ‘A Song of Life’ concert last Wednesday (27th June). Sachiyo’s voice lends itself perfectly to the kind of music … Continue reading Review: ‘A Song of Life’ Concert by Sachiyo

Preview: The Cyclist by Intercultural Theatre Institute

Following a thought provoking first public production in March, the latest batch of Intercultural Theatre Institute (ITI) graduating students return to the Drama Centre Black Box to present their second show of the year: Vijay Tendulkar’s The Cyclist. Translated into English by Balwant Bhaneja, The Cyclist tells of the adventure of life from the perspective of a nameless cyclist as she sets off on a solo journey. But this is … Continue reading Preview: The Cyclist by Intercultural Theatre Institute

Review: 《告亲夫》Prosecuting the Husband by Nam Hwa Opera

The Chinese Opera I experienced growing up was always a very communal type of activity. Setting up makeshift stilt stages on the roadside, I’d join my excited grandparents as they dragged us along to watch in the evenings, particularly closer to the seventh month periods. As much as I never did master any dialect, these operas remained a fascinating aspect of my childhood as the … Continue reading Review: 《告亲夫》Prosecuting the Husband by Nam Hwa Opera

Preview: ‘A Song of Life’ Concert by Sachiyo

Singapore-based, Japanese singer-songwriter Sachiyo will be staging her all new concert at the Esplanade Recital Studio next week. Having lived in Singapore since the age of four, the talented performer weaves elements from both Singapore and Japan into her songs, whose lyrical content is inspired by her own life. This concert will mark the 20th anniversary of the singer, and through her music, will tell … Continue reading Preview: ‘A Song of Life’ Concert by Sachiyo

Television Time: BBC’s The Split

There’s both tenderness amidst blood in the water as cutthroat divorce lawyers battle it out in court and at home.  Just as Alan Ball did with a family funeral business in Six Feet Under, Abi Morgan’s (Shame, The Iron Lady, Suffragette) new BBC series does with a family law firm, mining high drama as the professional meets the personal. In The Split, we follow divorce lawyer Hannah Defoe (Nicola Walker, best known … Continue reading Television Time: BBC’s The Split

Review: My Grandfather’s Road by Neo Kim Seng (Cantonese versions, performed by Tan Cher Kian and Gary Tang)

Two ways to tell a poignant story of growing up in Cantonese.  First written as a book, in My Grandfather’s Road, Neo Kim Seng explores his familial history through the lens and geography of a bygone Singapore, thinking of his childhood growing up on what is literally his grandfather’s road (Neo Pee Teck Lane) and told through personal memories and anecdotes. While we previously watched the full … Continue reading Review: My Grandfather’s Road by Neo Kim Seng (Cantonese versions, performed by Tan Cher Kian and Gary Tang)