★★★☆☆ Review: In Our Manner of Speaking – ReClaimed Lands by The Opera People

Migration and movement explored through song. Following their previous live performance, one of the last to take place in a venue before circuit breaker measures in 2020, The Opera People returned to Wild Rice’s theatre studio for their annual iteration of In Our Manner of Speaking. Combining poetry read by Joel Tan), art songs, classical tunes and contemporary numbers, the performance present commentary on the … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: In Our Manner of Speaking – ReClaimed Lands by The Opera People

Preview: In Our Manner of Speaking – ReClaimed Lands by The Opera People

It’s been a year since The Opera People last had a live performance, with their previous offering being an operatic film based on Mozart’s Idomeneo. But this March, the contemporary opera company are back on stage to deliver the third edition of their In Our Manner of Speaking recital series, taking on the Wild Rice Studio at Funan to tackle poetry and music once again. “ReClaimed … Continue reading Preview: In Our Manner of Speaking – ReClaimed Lands by The Opera People

The Banter: The Opera People chat about reinventing opera in Idomeneo Refracted

If you’ve ever been too intimidated by the idea of stepping into a theatre to experience an opera, there’s probably no better time to do so than right now. This November, local opera company The Opera People (TOP) are reinventing the genre in new, digital ways with their film version of Mozart’s Idomeneo, streamed on demand from the comfort of your home. In many ways, while … Continue reading The Banter: The Opera People chat about reinventing opera in Idomeneo Refracted

Preview: Idomeneo Refracted by The Opera People

The last time we watched The Opera People was in March, prior to the COVID-19 lockdown. But not even a pandemic can stop the arts, as they’re back, this time with the first ever film opera made in Singapore and the Singapore premiere of Mozart’s Idomeneo. In the film, watch as the spirits of five characters gather in an empty theatre, drawn to a ghost light. In … Continue reading Preview: Idomeneo Refracted by The Opera People

Preview: Don Pasquale – An Italian Opera with Singlish by The Arts Place

Marking their debut on the local arts scene, new company The Arts Place opens with a quintessentially Singaporean production – their very own local take on traditional Italian opera Don Pasquale…with Singlish! Reimagining the commedia dell’arte in present-day Singapore with an original script, Don Pasquale features fresh dialogue in English and Singlish, and relatable characters modelled after familiar figures in Singaporean society. The plot follows a young couple in … Continue reading Preview: Don Pasquale – An Italian Opera with Singlish by The Arts Place

Review: Dwarf by The Opera People

Zemlinsky’s opera receives a high school twist that exposes society’s ugly prejudices. A 1922 Austrian opera may seem like it has little to do with Singapore in 2019, but with The Opera People’s Dwarf, there may be more similarities than meets the eye. While the original Der Zwerg closely followed its Wildean source material The Infantata’s Birthday, where a Spanish Infantata (princess) receives a dwarf for her birthday, only … Continue reading Review: Dwarf by The Opera People

Dwarf: An Interview with The Opera People Founders Jonathan and David Charles Tay, and Shridar Mani

The world as we know it can be a cruel place, where the slightest of differences can provoke discrimination and prejudice. With The Opera People’s latest production, they’re set to tackle this head-on, with a new version of Alexander von Zemlinsky’s Der Zwerg (The Dwarf), in its Southeast Asian premiere. In speaking to the founders of The Opera People, namely Jonathan Charles Tay, David Charles Tay and … Continue reading Dwarf: An Interview with The Opera People Founders Jonathan and David Charles Tay, and Shridar Mani

Preview: Dwarf by The Opera People

After their debut production of Love and Duty in 2018, The Opera People, in collaboration with The Musician’s Initiative (formerly The Young Musicians’ Foundation Orchestra) returns to the Esplanade Annexe Studio to present Dwarf – Alexander Zemlinsky’s Der Zwerg in its Southeast Asian premiere. Inspired by Oscar Wilde’s short story The Infanta’s Birthday, the original Der Zwerg revolves around a dwarf, who is presented as a gift to the … Continue reading Preview: Dwarf by The Opera People

Review: In Our Manner of Speaking – The Clara Schumann Project by The Opera People

Celebrating the women of song in a casual setting. Located just off Joo Chiat Place, the campus-like The Yards stands quiet on a Saturday evening, the weather cool in the wake of a storm as we traipse over from a nearby bus-stop. Weaving our way in amidst the buildings to arrive at the third floor of Block 406, we find ourselves in the quaint NJ … Continue reading Review: In Our Manner of Speaking – The Clara Schumann Project by The Opera People

The Opera People’s In Our Manner of Speaking: An Interview with Producer Shridar Mani

International Women’s Day may be over, but that doesn’t mean we stop celebrating women and their achievements throughout the rest of the year. For their first production of 2019, The Opera People are presenting In Our Manner of Speaking: The Clara Schumann Project, in which the team commemorates the eponymous composer’s 200th birthday with a recital all about female composers and female voices, ranging from classical works to jazz, … Continue reading The Opera People’s In Our Manner of Speaking: An Interview with Producer Shridar Mani