Concert Review: Stephen Hough Piano Concerto + Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

A night of musical mastery with the Asian premiere of Sir Stephen Hough’s evocative piano concerto, and a commanding rendition of Saint-Saëns’s majestic Organ Symphony. The Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) welcomed audiences to an evening of elegance, energy, and emotion under the baton of Associate Conductor Rodolfo Barráez, featuring the Asian premiere of Sir Stephen Hough’s own Piano Concerto, The World of Yesterday. Completing the … Continue reading Concert Review: Stephen Hough Piano Concerto + Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

★★★★★ Theatre Review: Twelve Angry Men《十二怒汉》by Nine Years Theatre

Biases unravel and tempers flare in Nine Years Theatre’s powerful revival of this classic courtroom drama. There is something unsettling about the image that accompanied the publicity for Twelve Angry Men: twelve faces, marked by a single red stroke. Is it erasure, censorship, or judgment? The ambiguity lingers as the lights dim, an apt prelude to Nine Years Theatre’s searing revival of Reginald Rose’s courtroom … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: Twelve Angry Men《十二怒汉》by Nine Years Theatre

Music: Pianist Sir Stephen Hough and organist Isaac Lee speak about Saint-Saëns’s Organ Symphony and Hough’s ‘The World of Yesterday’ with the SSO

This week, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra brings together two musicians from different generations and traditions: British pianist-composer Sir Stephen Hough and Singaporean organist Isaac Lee, for an evening of reflection, colour, and grandeur. Their works share the stage in a programme that bridges centuries, from Saint-Saëns’s Organ Symphony to Hough’s own The World of Yesterday, which receives its Asian premiere at this Friday’s concert, all … Continue reading Music: Pianist Sir Stephen Hough and organist Isaac Lee speak about Saint-Saëns’s Organ Symphony and Hough’s ‘The World of Yesterday’ with the SSO

★★★★★ Theatre Review: Final Bow《散戏》by Ming Hwa Yuan Arts and Cultural Group

Heartfelt, hilarious, and profoundly moving, Final Bow is a theatrical triumph that captures the bittersweet beauty of an art form standing at the end of an era and the edge of change. What makes theatre so precious is its transience. Each performance exists only in that instant, where there are no two ever alike, no recording ever truly able to capture the electricity of being … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: Final Bow《散戏》by Ming Hwa Yuan Arts and Cultural Group

★★☆☆☆ Theatre Review: Congratulations, Get Rich! by Singapore Repertory Theatre, La Boite Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company

SRT, La Boite Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company’s karaoke-inspired ghost story struggles to find the note. Singapore Repertory Theatre’s Congratulations, Get Rich! arrives with an impressive pedigree, marking a first-time co-production between SRT, Sydney Theatre Company, and Brisbane’s La Boite Theatre. Written by and starring Merlynn Tong, the play promises a raucous blend of karaoke comedy, family tragedy, and ghostly intervention. On paper, it sounds … Continue reading ★★☆☆☆ Theatre Review: Congratulations, Get Rich! by Singapore Repertory Theatre, La Boite Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company

★★☆☆☆ Theatre Review: SG Insecure by The Necessary Stage

TNS’ attempt to subvert the SG60 celebrations is a patchy collection of stories about government surveillance and control that instead reveals its own insecurities. If there’s one thing Singaporeans crave, it’s control, whether over order, and how we’re seen by others. SG Insecure, The Necessary Stage’s (TNS) latest work, sets out to question that national impulse. Framed as a subversive take on the SG60 celebrations, … Continue reading ★★☆☆☆ Theatre Review: SG Insecure by The Necessary Stage

★★★★★ Theatre Review: Dear Evan Hansen by Base Entertainment Asia

Touring production of Dear Evan Hansen brims with talent and emotion, and shows just why it remains one of the best and most beloved modern musicals of today. There are musicals that make you cry, and then there are musicals that quietly hold your hand while you do. Dear Evan Hansen, now playing at the Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, belongs firmly as part of … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: Dear Evan Hansen by Base Entertainment Asia

Preview: Temporary Chinese Theatres by Emergency Stairs and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)

If Chinese-language theatre were to die on the spot before our very eyes, should we scatter flowers or burn incense? With this sharp question, acclaimed local director Liu Xiaoyi joins forces with the inaugural graduating cohort of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts’ (NAFA) BA (Hons) in Contemporary Chinese Theatres to present their latest work, Temporary Chinese Theatres, from 20 to 23 November at the … Continue reading Preview: Temporary Chinese Theatres by Emergency Stairs and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)

A new chapter for DECK as they build a new home for photography at Shop–House

In the quiet lanes of Geylang, two carefully restored conservation shophouses have found a new purpose. Behind their pastel facades, the hum of creative energy signals a fresh beginning for Singapore’s photography community. This is Shop–House by DECK — the latest chapter in DECK Photography Art Centre’s ongoing journey to create a permanent home for photography and image-based art. For the next three years, until … Continue reading A new chapter for DECK as they build a new home for photography at Shop–House

Film Fanatic: Celebrate the magic of French cinema as the French Film Festival returns this November

As November arrives, so does a touch of Parisian sparkle. The 41st vOilah! French Film Festival is returning to Singapore, ready to brighten everyday life with big-screen magic from 13 to 30 November 2025. It’s the perfect excuse to trade familiar routines for a little wonder, a little delight, and a whole lot of French flair. This beloved celebration of cinema feels like an annual … Continue reading Film Fanatic: Celebrate the magic of French cinema as the French Film Festival returns this November