An Interview with Joanna Dong on risk taking and reinvention in her immersive sound and sculpture performance ‘BIG BIG small small’

For Joanna Dong, better known as a jazz vocalist and local musical star, the shift into experimental, interdisciplinary performance isn’t a reinvention so much as a return to something unfinished. Long before she became widely recognised through television and large-scale performances, she was already drawn to work that resisted neat categorisation, pieces that blurred sound, movement, and space into something less easily named. “Going into … Continue reading An Interview with Joanna Dong on risk taking and reinvention in her immersive sound and sculpture performance ‘BIG BIG small small’

★★★★☆ Concert Review: COMMISSIONS by SMU Chinese Orchestra

A hearty musical tribute to SMU’s contributions and support of local talent over the years. The SMU Chinese Orchestra’s concert for SMU25 and SG60 was a celebration of new beginnings, community, and inclusion. Featuring three world premieres alongside commissioned works from previous years, the evening showed how far the orchestra has come and where it hopes to go. The concert opened with Sulwyn Lok’s Spring … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Concert Review: COMMISSIONS by SMU Chinese Orchestra

★★★★☆ Review: A French Kiss in Singapore by Sing’theatre

Perhaps the French do know best how to express love in all its forms, as exemplified in Sing’theatre’s revival of this musical revue. Sing’theatre’s A French Kiss in Singapore is part concert, part theatrical homage, and part living museum exhibit—an artful celebration of four titans of French chanson: Charles Aznavour, Charles Trenet, Serge Gainsbourg, and Jacques Brel. Originally staged in 2013, this new 2025 revival … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: A French Kiss in Singapore by Sing’theatre

Sing’theatre’s A French Kiss In Singapore: An Interview with Hossan Leong and Dwayne Lau on love, romance, and musical theatre

This April, Sing’theatre is kicking off its 2025 season with a much-anticipated restaging of A French Kiss in Singapore, a critically-acclaimed musical revue first staged in 2013. Directed by Hossan Leong, and featuring a cast that includes Dwayne Lau, Amin Alifin, Andrew Marko and Rino Junior John, the show revisits the music of French legends like Charles Aznavour, Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Brel and Charles Trenet—with … Continue reading Sing’theatre’s A French Kiss In Singapore: An Interview with Hossan Leong and Dwayne Lau on love, romance, and musical theatre

Preview: A French Kiss in Singapore by Sing’theatre

Starting off their 2025 season on a bang, Sing’theatre is set to bring back crowd-favourite A French Kiss In Singapore this April. Created by George Chan and originally staged in 2013, A French Kiss In Singapore is a musical that celebrates the artistry of four of France’s most beloved contemporary songwriters and performers—Charles Aznavour, Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Brel, and Charles Trenet. Their timeless classics, immortalised … Continue reading Preview: A French Kiss in Singapore by Sing’theatre

Review: Screen Play (SMU Arts Fest 2024)

Movie soundtracks go from screen to the stage in a feel-good end to SMU Arts Fest 2024. Ending off the 2024 SMU Arts Fest, student orchestra SMU Symphonia and SMU Chamber Choir came together to perform the soundtracks of some of cinema’s most popular and beloved films last Friday at the SOTA Concert Hall. Led by SMU Symphonia resident conductor Adrian Chiang, not only did … Continue reading Review: Screen Play (SMU Arts Fest 2024)

Review: A Spoonful of Sherman by Sing’theatre

★★★★☆ (Performance attended 20/11/19) A simple, joyful family affair of a musical revue. You may know the songs, but do you know the people behind them? Best known for their work on soundtracks from Marry Poppins to Winnie the Pooh and The Jungle Book, Robert and Richard Sherman are undoubtedly two of America’s most well-known songwriters of the 20th century. But beyond them, even their father Al Sherman, and eventually, Robert’s son … Continue reading Review: A Spoonful of Sherman by Sing’theatre

Sing’theatre’s A Spoonful of Sherman: An Interview with Sing’theatre Artistic Director Nathalie Ribette

Sing’theatre has been around for a long time – since 2007 in fact, and each year, they’ve only been upping their game with bigger production value, better performances and always with heart. “Sing’theatre usually produces musical theatre, or performances with music, such as Souvenir last year,” says Sing’theatre Artistic Director Nathalie Ribette. “It’s always been a part of our ethos since our very beginning, and … Continue reading Sing’theatre’s A Spoonful of Sherman: An Interview with Sing’theatre Artistic Director Nathalie Ribette

Preview: A Spoonful of Sherman by Sing’theatre

  Brand new musical revue A Spoonful of Sherman by Robert J. Sherman is coming to Singapore, in its Asian premiere this November! Featuring songs from Oscar-winning brothers Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, A Spoonful of Sherman features a highly-talented cast, including Aaron Khaled, George Chan, Hossan Leong, Mina Ellen Kaye & Vanessa Kee, promising a show that will leave audiences humming along throughout. Robert and Richard Sherman … Continue reading Preview: A Spoonful of Sherman by Sing’theatre

SIFA 2019: Frogman by curious directive (Review)

Red herring is the catch of the day in this deep dive into childhood trauma.  As technology continues to develop year on year, it seems inevitable that various facets of the arts wind up attempting to incorporate them into new works, pushing the limits of what one can experience with each production, to varying degrees of success. With curious directive’s Frogman, it is Virtual Reality (VR) technology … Continue reading SIFA 2019: Frogman by curious directive (Review)