Ming Wong
Festival of Europe
Florence, Italy
6 – 22 May 2011
Video installation

Upcoming

Chihuahua, Mexico, 18-23 Apr 2011

With her body as the object on display, Chia Chu Yia offers a performance art piece in Communication Laboratory – Belief . This visual performance, based on interactions with the natives in Mexico through body language, will be held at the Tarahumara Mountain Range.

Central Java, Indonesia, 22 Apr – 1 May 2011

For Butterflies In My Stomach; Bees Around My Head, multi-disciplinary artist Angeline Seah will use the sounds of Indonesian children’s heartbeats. This sound/action performance will be held at the 15th century historical Hindu temple Sukuh, Padepokan Lemah Putih Solo premises in Karanganyar.

Applications for Singapore Internationale are open from 4 April to 27 May 2011, for works that will be exhibited abroad from 1 July 2011; and from 4 July to 26 August 2011, for works that will be exhibited abroad from 1 October 2011. For more information, please write to contactus@sif.org.sg.

Past Performances

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 18 Dec 2010

In Seeking Sita, the Maya Dance Theatre used a new approach to tell the timeless tale of the Ramayana. This production connected dancers from different countries and backgrounds.

Mexico city, Mexico,Jan-Feb 2011

Vertical Submarine, an award-winning collective of Singaporean artists, presented its two latest works from their A View with a Room project. The Flirting Point and How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb focused on the relationship between the representation of text and images.

Tokyo, Japan, 8 Jan 2011

Children from Singapore and Japan joined hands and lent their voices to stage a fundraising concert for ChildAid Asia 2011 at the Shinjuku Bunka Centre, Tokyo.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 19-22 Jan 2011

A thought-provoking production by The Necessary Stage, Model Citizens explored how people become model citizens, as well as contemporary topics in human relationships. The Singapore production has since scored five nominations for this year’s Life! Theatre Awards for Production of the Year, Best Director, Best Script and two for Best Actress.

Beirut, Lebanon, 14-17 Jan 2011

Singapore musician Marc Chia, aka One Man Nation, wowed the crowd at the All Jazz Club with his experimental performance. This included implanted contact microphones hidden in the machines he used.

Tokyo, Japan, 23-27 Feb 2011

Xuan’s paintings centre on existential issues, a subject close to her heart. Her Tokyo exhibition, consciousness Precedes Universes, was held at the Okarina B Gallery. “It is tremendously exciting to show my work overseas, especially in such a vibrant and artisitic city as Tokyo,” said Xuan.

Derby, United Kingdom, Feb-Apr 2011

For The Blind, Zhao Renhui uses a series of images that documents the use of an invisible cloak to observe animals at intimate distances. This visual art installation/photo exibition will be held at the Pickford House Museum.

Singaporean and international artists take centrestage in this annual festival of theatre, music, dance, visual arts and mixed media.

This year’s event has Art And Education as its theme and will feature 19 performances from 10 countries, including nine ticketed and nine non-ticketed programmes. The fringe highlights include a photography exhibition by Indian photographer Achinto Bhadra, and a play exploring the role that education plays in everyday life.

http://www.singaporefringe.com/

This inaugural event will feature museum-style exhibits presented by 100 selected galleries from around the world.

Visitors can look forward to viewing masterpieces from established names as well as special projects by young and emerging artists.

Educational talks will be available for all, whether you’re a potential buyer, an art lover or art student.

A groundbreaking exhibition will also be held at the Singapore Art Museum. It will feature art works by Southeast Asian contemporary artists alongside pieces by superstar artists from China, Japan, Korea and India.

www.artstagesingapore.com

Soak in the Chinese New Year festive atmosphere at Chinatown, which will come alive with stunning street light ups, night markets and decorations. Lion and dragon dances will further add to the cheery atmosphere.

Check out the street bazaars offering goodies and decorations for the festive season, and don’t miss the visual feast on show at nightly cultural performances at Ayer Kreta Square.

On the night of 2 Feb, the eve of the New Year, join Singaporeans as they turn out in full force for last minute bargains in food and flowers at Chinatown.

www.visitsingapore.com

20 JANUARY
SRI SRINIVASA PERUMAL TEMPLE

Don’t miss this spectacular 4km street procession as Singaporean Hindus embark on a journey to demonstrate their unwavering faith.

Some devotees carry milk-pot offerings for Lord Subrahmanya, whereas others attach kavadis (large metal frames) to their bodies using hooks and spikes.

UNTIL 23 JANUARY
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE

Get a glimpse of the bustling life of the Italian city of Pompeii before it was destroyed by a volcanic eruption. Nearly 280 artefacts excavated from Pompeii and its neighbouring towns showcase what people in those long-ago times ate, enjoyed as art and wore as jewellery, as well as the games they played for entertainment.

Most exhibits are original pieces from the collection of the Special Superintendence for the Archaeological Heritage of Naples and Pompeii.

www.nationalmuseum.sg

To usher in Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb 3 & 4, this annual carnival will feature traditional and contemporary song-and-dance performances and stalls selling food and souvenirs.

Come night time, the carnival takes a spectacular turn as an impressive display of lanterns is illuminated.

11 & 12 FEBRUARY
F1 PIT BUILDING & PROMENADE

Don’t miss Singapore’s annual cultural extravaganza which opens with a 39m long dragon setting off firecrackers and ends with thousands of performers flooding the parade ground with candlelight. A street party follows the parade.

The 39th edition of the annual street carnival to celebrate Chinese New Year will feature more than 8,000 performers. While Chinese performers make up the bulk of the participants, this year’s parade will feature the largest ever contingent of Malay and Indian participants.

www.chingay.org.sg/

Whether you are 15 or 55, test the limit of your endurance by taking part in South-east Asia’s largest biathlon. This swim-run event comprises an Olympic-standard 1.5km swim followed by a 10km run. You can choose from several categories depending on your experience.

www.safra.sg/singaporebiathlon

14 FEBRUARY
SINGAPORE INDOOR STADIUM

Here’s a chance for Eric Clapton fans to celebrate Valentine’s Day with the legendary guitarist. For this concert, part of his 2011 tour, the legendary rock and blues guitarist will play some of his favourite hits as well as those from his new album Clapton.

www.sistic.com.sg

See the Lion King roar as Disney’s internationally-acclaimed musical makes its South-east Asian premiere at the Sands Theatre.

The beloved tale of Simba, the wide-eyed cub destined to be the King of the Pridelands, will be depicted through special effects and enchanting music including Elton John’s and Tim Rice’s Academy Award-winning song,“Can You Feel The Love Tonight”.

www.marinabaysands.com/
www.sistic.com.sg

4 – 6 MARCH
F1 PIT BUILDING

Spend your time in Singapore in a fun and healthy way by taking part in this cycling event, which includes categories for both amateur cyclists, professional riders and even a tricycle race for tots!

Some 12,000 participants are expected to be cheered on by more than 20,000 spectators as they ride past some of the city’s best known landmarks such as the Singapore Flyer and the Padang.

www.ocbc.cyclesingapore.com.sg

If you are a fan of pulsating live music – hiphop, indie, electronica and soul included – the Mosaic Festival Festival is not to be missed. This popular eclectic music event features renowned international acts as well as masterclasses for budding musicians.

www.mosaicmusicfestival.com

Check out contemporary art in all its form in this premier platform for artistic dialogue in Singapore. For this third edition of the Singapore Biennale, paintings, drawings, sculptures and other installations will be featured alongside a variety of new media displays and performances.

www.singaporebiennale.org

Take treat or treating to a new level at the Night Safari where creatures of the night – animals and otherwise – gather. Ghouls, demons and otherworldly denizens will roam the dark jungles of one of the best night zoos in the world.

http://www.halloweenhorrors.com.sg/

The Lyon Opera Ballet, presents Mats Ek’s bold retelling of Giselle as part of the Singapore Da:ns Festival. Reimaging the 19th century classic of modern times, the ballet is set in a surreal landscape where Ek’s Giselle is trapped in a lunatic asylum

www.sistic.com.sg
www.dansfestival.com

14-24 October
The Room Upstairs @ Action Theatre

This is the world premiere of the winning play (as voted via SMS by members of the public) from live show Theatre Idols 2010 during which readings of original new plays were staged. Written by Singaporean playwright Edgar Liao, this comedy drama musical tells a funny and moving story of an old Singapore woman who, after dying, discovers she cannot cross over into her home in the Underworld because she had died in a foreign land.

www.sistic.com.sg

19-20 October
Esplanande Recital Studio

Barely 30 years old, China national Sun Huang is regarded as the best erhu player of her generation. Join Sun as she premiers several erhu concertos – Liu Wenjin’s The Admirable Spirits of Xueshan and Qu Dawei’s The First Erhu Concerto.

www.sistic.com.sg

Be ready for an evening of soaring vocals as the ustad – or maestro – Pakistani Rahat Fateh Ali Khan showcases qawwali music, a form of Sufi devotional music, and Bollywood hits.

www.sistic.com.sg

www.charkula.com

The Finger Players’ multi-disciplinary performance is about a group of travellers as they drift in a strange yet familiar city, attending unthinkingly to their various obligations – until a wild and primal call distracts them from their ennui.

www.sistic.com.sg

2 NOVEMBER
Esplanade Concert Hall

World-renowned tenor José Carreras brings the romance of Italy to the stage in a performance that promises to be magical. He will be joined by soloists from the Accademia del Maggio Fiorentino, conductor Paolo Olmi and the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Orchestra.’

www.sistic.com.sg

Who said history was boring? The Reduced Shakespeare Company – loved the world over for its tongue-in-cheek acts – condenses the history of anything into sharp rollicking comedy.
www.sistic.com.sg
www.reducedshakespeare.com

Revel in the energy and excitement of Dewali (Deepavali) as Little India transforms into an even more bustling and brilliant hive of activity and colour. Look out for bazaars, parades and the annual light-up ceremony in the lead up to the actual day on 5 November.

18-20 November
Esplanade Theatre

Christmas comes early with this New York-based troupe. Combining the best of cabaret and jazz for a retro-spectacular show that will feature gospel favourites, they will be sure to get those toes tapping.

www.sistic.com.sg

The round-bodied ruan – an ancient Chinese lute – takes centrestage in a recital featuring newly arranged ruan pieces such as  Moon over Mount Guan, Dripping Water from a River, as well as Chinese composer Ning Yong’s Ancient Rhyme of Mount Zhongnan. The specially arranged repertoire will showcase the full range of the ruan – loved for its mellow, soothing sounds.

www.sistic.com.sg
www.esplanade.com

1-4 December
Singapore Indoor Stadium

The award-winning BBC TV series, Walking with Dinosaurs comes to life in a stunning theatrical event. Be enthralled as 20 life-sized dinosaurs, including the great Tyrannosaurus Rex, rule the earth again.

www.sistic.com.sg
www.dinosaurlive.com.sg

Community-building and mass karaoke come together in a night of good fun featuring oldies, community songs and other nostalgic tunes.

www.sistic.com.sg

11 & 12 December
Esplanade Concert Hall

The first of a series of performances headlined by Singapore’s T’ang Quartet to harness the raw energies of talented young artists – with no rules of engagement!

www.sistic.com.sg

Ground-breaking literary organisations Word Forward and The Writers Centre, Singapore have come together to launch the second Lit Up, a festival for emerging writers and performers.

This year, a host of local and international writers will be featured in the ten-day programme of free performances, workshops and discussions. Festival highlights include The Write Stuff Drama Fest and The National Youth Poetry Slam League Finals.

http://www.litup.sg

In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the Singapore Lyric Opera (SLO) will perform The Magic Flute, an opera regarded as Mozart’s best. The Magic Flute tells of how Prince Tamino overcomes trickery and obstacles to rescue the lovely Pamina. Originally set in Egypt, this version has been reinterpreted with an Asian twist and set in the East. The timeless tale, set in a fantastical land, coupled with its rousing and well-known arias makes this opera accessible to opera fans and novices alike.

http://www.sistic.com.sg

http://www.sistic.com.sg

Bringing together the best in Korean and Japanese pop culture, the Sundown Festival will feature Korean acts Afterschool and F.Cuz POP and Japanese bands SuG and LM.C. Tenko, among a host of other movers and shakers. The famed Japanese Taiko drumming group will also up the tempo at this event for all fans of K-pop and J-pop culture and fashion.

http://www.sistic.com.sg

http://www.sistic.com.sg

http://www.lamcproductions.com

20 August–5 September
Esplanade Theatre

See, hear and immerse yourself in the life, colours and flavours of 70s Singapore in this very Singaporean musical about dreams, community, change and self-discovery. Written by veteran Singaporean songwriter Dick Lee (Beauty World, Snow.Wolf.Lake.), Fried Rice Paradise is the story of Bee Lian (played by Denise Tan), who wants to sell her mother’s famous fried rice at her family’s noodle stall to attract more customers, but is thwarted by obstacles and change.The heavyweight local cast includes Singapore Idol winner Taufik Batisah, theatre veteran Lim Yu Beng and legendary Singapore singer Rahima Rahim.

http://www.sistic.com.sg

A crowd favourite, Boeing Boeing is back as part of W!LD RICE’s 10th anniversary offerings. This mile-high adventure tells of swinging bachelor Bernard (Adrian Pang) and his three air stewardess girlfriends. All’s well until a timetable change turns things around. Directed by Glen Goei, this sexy, cheeky comedy, comes revamped with a new set and sexy costumes.

http://www.chinatown.org.sg

The first ever Mandarin musical to be written in Singapore, December Rains enjoyed a highly-acclaimed and sold-out run in 1996. It centres on a pair of lovers whose relationship is mired in convoluted obstacles, grievances and mistakes resolved only by time, deep devotion and sacrifice. The highly-anticipated return of this touching tale is back bigger than ever, featuring Singapore’s own Kit Chan, Broadway star George Chan and theatre veteran Jeffrey Low.

http://www.sistic.com.sg

Singapore will make history in August when it hosts the inaugural Youth Olympic Games. This 12-day event will draw 3,200 athletes, aged between 14 and 18, and 15,000 participants including officials, spectators and media.

Breaking The Silence is a powerful play which tells the true stories  of people who survived the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. Told in a series of vignettes, the play – performed in Khmer with English subtitles – also includes dialogues  and sharing sessions at the end of each performance.

The play is a continuation of 3 Years, 8 Months, 20 Days – a 2006 performance based on the childhood stories of three actresses who survived the Khmer Rouge regime. Director Annemarie Prins wanted to continue telling the stories and looking at how the Khmer people have gone on with their lives.

http://www.amritaperformingarts.org

http://www.sistic.com.sg

What do you want to be when you grow up? The Sesame Street gang ponder the question as they prepare for a pageant. ‘When Elmo Grows Up’ sees Bert dreaming of being a forest ranger and Telly of being a cowboy, while Elmo tries hard to decide what he wants to be. One for children of all ages, this live Muppet show features the whole furry and feathered gang in a Broadway spectacle filled with classic children’s songs.

http://www.sistic.com.sg

Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival, Moonfest presents an array of traditional Chinese art and music programmes by the water. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a harvest celebration held on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, when the moon is at its fullest and brightest. In celebration, traditional mooncakes – sweet pastries filled with bean paste – are eaten with tea and lanterns are lit as people ‘shang yue’ (literally, appreciate the moon). It’s also a good reason to get together with friends and family to enjoy the beauty of the autumnal equinox.

http://www.esplanade.com

23 September–3 October
Drama Centre Theatre

Hossan Leong, Singapore’s irrepressible funnyman, returns to the stage with a brand new stand-up act that will leave you in stitches. Featuring new skits and songs as well as a guest appearance by Bibik Lily Lee née Lim, this memorable comedy-improv act is fuelled by the comedic talents of Karen Tan, Judee Tan and Chua Enlai.

http://www.sistic.com.sg

Hailed for her “exquisitely refined” and “liquid, dreamlike” piano skills, Moscow-born Katya Grineva will take to the Singapore stage for the first time. The award-winning performer, who has played at Carnegie Hall for 11 consecutive years, will be performing a selection of music from the rediscovered piano sonatas of Viennese composer Marcel Tyberg, as well as interpretations of Schubert, Liszt, Satie, Bloch, Granados, Piazolla and Ravel.

www.sistic.com.sg

This puppet show for adults takes childhood tales and gives them a twisted, dark and highly enjoyable turn. Meet Tumb the boy who eats him mum, Manky Mingus and Terrible Tilly – all of whom have gruesome adventures told against a backdrop of live music, with narration by Dame Judi Dench. Think of it as the Brothers Grimm meets Edgar Allen Poe.

www.sistic.com.sg

Specially curated with children in mind, Heroes of Asia is a colourful and engaging exhibition featuring displays and artefacts that tell the tales behind well-known and well-loved characters of Asian myths. Featured legends include those of Hanuman, the Monkey God of India; Rustam, the dashing champion of Iran who defeated dragons and demons; and Mulan, the warrior-maiden of Chinese legends.

www.acm.org.sg

Internationally acclaimed dancer Sylvie Guillem teams up with renowned theatre-maker Robert Lepage and award-winning choreographer Russell Maliphant in this dance theatre masterpiece. Eonnagata, set in the time of France’s King Louis XV, tells the story of the Chevalier d’Éon, Charles de Beaumont – diplomat, writer, swordsman and spy. Adding to the visual enchantment are costumes by the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen and lighting pioneer Michael Hulls.

www.sistic.com.sg

Vesak Day, celebrated during the full moon of the fourth lunar month, commemorates the birth, enlightenment and final Nirvana of the Buddha. The day sees Buddhists all over the world coming together to reflect on spiritual development and on the Buddha’s universal message of peace. In Singapore, many Buddhists – often among the Chinese and Indian communities – observe vegetarian diets on this day and visit temples to give offerings. In celebration, temples are festooned with flags and lights, while shrines are covered with flowers, fruits and other offerings.

Theatre company Elevator Repair Service takes on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby in this ambitious theatrical tour de force. Actors perform the classic in its entirety – verbatim – in six hours. An office worker starts reading the book aloud and, as he does so, strange coincidences involving him and his colleagues occur, until it’s no longer clear whether he’s reading the book or the book is reading him.

www.sistic.com.sg

Australian band The Axis of Awesome has a reputation for being, well, awesome. The comedy band received the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Moosehead award in 2008 for their show The Axis of Awesome Comeback Spectacular. Loved for their high energy and high impact performances, Infinity Rock Explosion! sold out at its Edinburgh Fringe Festival debut. Don’t miss this fabulous threesome when they hit Singapore with their musical comedy talent.

www.sistic.com.sg

The queen of bossa nova, Lisa Ono, graces the stage with her lilting voice in a concert that will take audiences on a musical journey around the world. The Japanese singer-songwriter was born in São Paulo, Brazil and moved to Tokyo when she was 10, growing up to be among Japan’s most famous bossa nova singers with over 22 albums to her name. Her most recent album, Asia, was released in February 2010.

www.sistic.com.sg

Part Shakespeare play and part rock concert, From a Jack to a King sees the wimpy but ambitious rock star-wannabe Eric Glamis visited by three witches who promise him fame and power. Think of it as Macbeth with an Elvis impersonator, and evergreen songs like Tell Laura I love Her, Downtown and Go Johnny Go – all performed live on stage.

www.sistic.com.sg
www.britishtheatreplayhouse.com

After a triumphant season at the 53rd Venice Biennale, where he was awarded the special jury mention for his showcase Life of Imitation, Singaporean artist Ming Wong brings his work home. He explores the co-existence of multiple worlds and the Singaporean condition, as well as concepts of language and identity through his own re-interpretations of world cinema.

www.singaporeartmuseum.sg

Take part in global event to raise awareness about water scarcity around the world. The 6km run is symbolic – one in eight people around the world don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water and, in some areas, have to walk 6km each day to get water. The run in Singapore is supported by Lien Aid, which will channel part of the funds to build rainwater harvesting units in healthcare centres around Kampung Speu province in Cambodia.

www.runforwatersingapore.com

Be ready for an explosive battle of might and will in the third year of the HSBC Asian Five Nations rugby tournament. After missing out in 2008, the Singapore Rugby Lions will be hoping to gain home ground advantage to seal a return to the top division. The teams gunning for glory this year are from Sri Lanka, Taipei, Malaysia and Singapore.

www.sistic.com.sg
www.singaporerugby.com

After rave reviews for its 2009 take on William Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale that starred Ethan Hawke and Rebecca Hall, The Bridge Project is back with another Shakespeare classic. Presented by the Singapore Repertory Theatre in collaboration with the Esplanade, this interpretation of The Tempest will see Sam Mendes direct a transatlantic cast including Juliet Rylance, Christian Camargo and Ron Cephas Jones in a work that explores outcasts, power and magical lands.

www.sistic.com.sg

Esplanade Recital Studio

Singapore’s Balinese performing arts ensemble Gamelan SingaMurti presents Malam di Bali (A Night in Bali), with a performance by Singapore’s only Gamelan Semarandana, a 7-tone, 25-piece orchestra. The show will also feature internationally-renowned musician-composer I Dewa Ketut Alit. With both traditional and contemporary Balinese music, a traditional masked dance and virtuosic solos, the 80-minute programme is a mesmerising showcase of Balinese culture and art.

www.sistic.com.sg
www.gamelan-asmaradana.com

Immerse your senses in a world of music in this year’s Mosaic Music Festival, which includes the Chucho Valdes Quintet from Cuba, Karsh Kale & MIDIval Punditz from India, Singapore’s very own B-Quartet and many more acts from the United States, United Kingdom, Argentina, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan and Taiwan.

www.sistic.com.sg

Grab your bike and have some great family fun at the second OCBC Cycle Singapore. This time around, the biggest cycling event in Singapore will take place across the weekend to give cyclists of all levels a chance to take to the roads. Kids and toddlers get to pedal their own dedicated races along Marina Bay on Saturday. This will be followed the next day by a 20km community ride, 40km Challenge, 50km Super Challenge and the Criterium event for competitive riders.
www.ocbc.cyclesingapore.com.sg

The Singapore Repertory Theatre’s The Little Company is back with the adventures of the lovable Bear and Chicken. This time, Bear and Chicken’s fear of going to a new school leads them to join the circus instead. But their dreams of becoming a clown, acrobat and lion tamer don’t turn out as they expect. This charming tale of discovery illustrates that not all lessons in life are learnt in a classroom and how fears can be blown out of proportion.
www.sistic.com.sg

After its sold-out run in 2009, Singapore’s undisputed queen of comedy Kumar returns with Stripped Bare & Standing Up – a no holds barred show in which he exposes the naked truth of what it means to be a drag queen. Nothing is sacred as Kumar takes on the subjects of race, language and religion – from his crush on a teacher, wearing his first dress, buying his first pair of size-11 Manolo Blahnik stilettos or his army stint. Be prepared for a rollicking session with Singapore’s loudest, proudest diva.
www.sistic.com.sg

Ollie and the Slurge is a modern-day fable about bullying, the environment and standing up for one’s beliefs. Young Ollie is bullied in school for his appearance and his ideas on caring for the environment. Ollie’s father is bullied by his boss because times are hard. The boss is bullied by his wife because she wants more money. How do they change this? With original live music and wonderful live-action puppets, Ollie and the Slurge is a fun family musical with a conscience.

www.sistic.com.sg

28 February: Aquathlon
14 March    : Duathlon
2 May       : Triathlon
www.singaporesprintseries.com

The classic tale of war between the sexes takes on an urban spin in this modern comedic retelling of the love-hate relationship. As the male and female protagonists engage in a ‘war’ on the battlefield of love, who will succumb? Directed by eminent Hong Kong director Edward Lam, this play also features Taiwanese idol Ariel Lin, multi-faceted Taiwanese actor David Wang, and renowned Hong Kong music producer Denise Ho. Performed in Mandarin with English subtitles.
www.esplanade.com

This year’s Chingay will showcase a dazzling vision of Asia with the theme, The Soaring City. ‘Flying horses’ will kickstart the festivities and the first ever
firecracker dragon display will join traditional dragon and lion dances, while well-loved tales such as Butterfly Lover, Puteri Gunung Ledang and Indralogam will be weaved into the parade for a rich multi-ethnic festival.

www.chingay.org.sg

From 3D animation and videography to photography, the showcase from Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s fresh batch of Multimedia & Animation diploma graduates has it all. Discover what the young new media creatives have to offer at this wide-ranging display of student potential.
www.ict.np.edu.sg/showdown2010

Asia’s largest aerospace and defence exhibition, the Singapore Airshow, is back and ready to entertain when the six-day trade show opens to the public for a weekend. Apart from the latest in fighter jets, the Singapore Airshow will unveil – for the first time – the Green Pavilion, which will showcase groundbreaking ideas in aviation that tackle the challenges of climate change. Aviation enthusiasts and novices alike will be enthralled by masterful aerial acrobatics, fairground attractions, food, shopping and carnival fun. Located at the sprawling purpose-built Changi Exhibition Centre, visitors can also get a panoramic view of Singapore’s eastern seaboard.
www.singaporeairshow.com
www.sistic.com.sg

Taiwanese pop princess A*Mei presents a darker and edgier side in her first world tour named after her Puyuma name, Gulilai Amit. Be prepared for a visual and aural feast as she entertains with crowd favourites such as Released, Sisters, Bad Boy and more.

www.sistic.com.sg

Dubbed by The New York Times as the “world’s most popular opera” and regarded as the culmination of Giacomo Puccini’s compositional maturity, La Bohème features some of Italian opera’s favourite arias.

The Singapore Lyric Opera’s take on the passionate love affair between Mimi and Rodolfo comprises an Asian cast of opera greats such as Nancy Yuen, Kota Murakami, Simon Kyung Lee and Martin Ng. Performed in Italian with English and Mandarin subtitles.

www.sistic.com.sg

Who says ballet is for girls? Men in Tutus is a hilarious all-male comedy ballet by New York’s Les Ballets Grandiva that combines classical ballet and contemporary dance with tongue-in-cheek humour. Prissy? Prim? Hardly. This performance is a rollicking take of male foibles, mishaps and hissy fits.

www.sistic.com.sg

Formed in 1987 and now well established with their own subversive punk-rock flavour, American rock trio Billie Joe Armstrong (vocals, guitar), Mike Dirnt (bass guitar, vocals) and the Tre Cool (drums, percussion) will perform in Singapore for the first time.

The Grammy Award-winning band, widely credited to have revived mainstream interest in punk rock in the United States, has won three Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Album for its ‘rock opera’ American Idiot and Record of the Year for Boulevard of Broken Dreams.

www.sistic.com.sg

Back for the sixth time, the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival takes on a provocative edge as it explores the relationship between Art and The Law. Organised and curated by The Necessary Stage, the Festival will push the boundaries of culture, lives and society. Festival highlights include _______Can Change, by The Necessary Stage – a play that touches on race, religion and sex – as well as Our Own B612, by Taiwanese pop duo katncandix2. Photographer Phillip Toledano will also present the Asian premiere of America the Gift Shop, an installation project that asks: if American foreign policy had a gift shop, what would it sell? Also premiering are these groundbreaking works: an installation piece by Burmese artist Htein Lin and a contemporary dance-theatre production by Debris Company from Slovakia.

www.singaporefringe.com
www.sistic.com.sg

Welcome 2010 at the annual Marina Bay Singapore Countdown! Start the New Year in a fest of music and performances. This year, pen wishes and resolutions on Wishing Spheres at the Wishing Stations located around the island and watch your spheres be a part of a visual arts installation on Marina Bay – as it is transformed into a bay of hope and light. Join in the countdown to 2010 with a choreographed fireworks display timed to specially commissioned music that reflects on the experiences of the year past.

www.marinabaycountdown.sg

Sofaman, a collaboration between local theatre company The Necessary Stage and The KnAM Theatre from Russia explores the value or curse of staying still in world of transience. A Singaporean woman and a Russian man fall in love. Where do they settle down? Two lonely women form a deep bond. What happens when tragedy strikes? A dying man and his confidant exchange stories of love and sacrifice. Performed in English, Russian and Mandarin with English subtitles.

www.sistic.com.sg

Indulge in some flea market shopping and do your bit for charity at the Red Cross International Bazaar. This year’s bazaar will feature stalls and performances from Africa, Brazil, Cambodia, Greece, Kuwait, Spain and Japan to give an international and festive air. All proceeds go to the Singapore Red Cross’ local humanitarian services.

www.redcross.org.sg

22 November

Join prolific composer and sitar performer Samuel Dass as he presents Indian classical melodies and some of his own creations, accompanied by Nawaz Mirajkar on tabla. Proclaimed to be one of the torchbearers of Indian classical music, and acclaimed in his home country of Malaysia as one of the most dedicated masters of the ancient art form of sitar-playing, Dass started playing the sitar when he was just seven and has won seven gold medals at the International Performing Arts Championships in Los Angeles. He is the only Malaysian to perform at the prestigious Palladium in Hollywood in 2006.

www.esplanade.com.sg

3–6 December

Get a side-splitting dose of local flavour as Sebastian Tan, the Broadway Beng (Singlish for ‘gangster’) takes on Singapore’s iconic landmark the liu lian (‘durian’, a nickname for The Esplanade) regaling audiences with his various misadventures as a Hokkien-speaking Broadway-singing boy from Ang Swa (‘Redhill’). The fourth installment of this popular Hokkien-English musical comedy cabaret is directed by local film-maker Royston Tan.

www.sistic.com.sg

19 December

Ring in the holidays with Jeremy Monteiro, Singapore’s King of Swing, at his annual Christmas concert. With at least 25 albums to his credit and with numerous successful shows in Europe this year – culminating in a ‘Singapore Swing’ concert at the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival – Jeremy and his Big Band is back to tantalise local audiences in true Swing style. The show will also feature guest members from the great big bands of the world including members of the Count Basie Band, Woody Herman Big Band and the Harry Connick Jr. Orchestra.

www.sistic.com.sg

17 October

Be captivated by the colour and sparkle that characterises the Hindu Festival of Lights at the annual Deepavali Light-up held at Little India.

Have a trip around the world in this colourful multi-ethnic themed concert by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and the School of the Arts. Be charmed by Korean, Japanese, Malay, Indian and even Romanian folk songs performed on traditional Chinese instruments and brought to life by the elegant dances choreographed specially for this performance.

www.sistic.com.sg

Co-presented with National Museum of Korea and the Australian Museum, this highly anticipated exhibition will feature over 230 Egyptian objects and major works dating back to 4,500 BCE. The artifacts on show will highlight changing Egyptian funerary customs, political intrigues, and the extraordinary skills of artists and craftsmen of the day, whose use of materials reveal the royal and artistic fashions of the period.

www.nationalmuseum.sg

2–4 October

Paying tribute to the Chinese Mid-Autumn festival celebrations, when the moon is believed to be at its most beautiful,
Moonfest brings to life Chinese folk traditions and art forms with its range of ticketed and free performances and activities. Get a taste of Cantonese opera performed by China’s foremost opera artists at the Esplanade theatre as they tell The Story of Dongpo and Chaoyun and The Four Legendary Beauties.

www.sistic.com.sg

9–29 November

Join jazz sensation Laura Fygi in her stage debut in the rollicking Victor/Victoria, a musical about a woman, pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman, set in 1930s Paris. Joined by a cast of over 30 renowned celebrities and professional dancers from Australia, Cuba, China, Hong Kong, France, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and the United Kingdom, this Asian premiere promises to be a theatrical treat.

www.sistic.com.sg

Singapore Cricket Club’s (SCC’s) annual International Sevens Rugby tournament is back. The 62nd annual staging of this premier sporting event will feature clubs from South Africa, New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom, Fiji and Asia. Apart from the gripping action on the field, the world’s premier rugby tournament also promises lots of family fun in the form of bouncy castles, rock bands, food stalls and other festivities, including all-day happy hour beer prices, all guaranteed to provide as much fun off the field as on it.

www.sccrugbysevens.com
www.sistic.com.sg

The Singapore Sun Festival returns for its third year with a line up of exclusive events across ten days. Featuring musical greats Al Jarreau and Elvis Costello, opera sensation Angela Gheorghiu, the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and tenor Marius Manea, the Singapore Sun Festival will also engage with literature workshops by Nobel laureate and Nigerian playwright, poet, novelist and critic, Wole Soyinka. The festival will also offer a range of movie screenings, culinary tastings, a yoga conference and a chance to spend an afternoon with modern-day guru Deepak Chopra.

singaporesunfestival.com
www.sistic.com.sg

Revel in spine-tingling thrills at the Night Safari’s annual horror fest where a host of Halloween pageantry awaits. Be welcomed by denizens of the dead as they haunt the dark corners of the Night Safari, ready to flaunt their creepy smiles for a photo. Take a ride on the infamous Train of Terror as it travels through the haunted rainforest, filled with the calls of the animals – as well as ghoulish surprises. The brave of heart can take a walk through the walking trails for a closer look at the creatures of the night.

www.nightsafari.com.sg

September 25–27

Gear up for more action in the second FORMULA 1™ Singapore Grand Prix which took the world by storm in its inaugural run in 2008 as more than 110 million television viewers worldwide watched the race against the backdrop of a Singapore skyline. 2009 promises to be no less exciting. To complement the race, the Singapore GP season will begin September 18 and will offer a slew of race-themed events, from parties to retail and dining experiences, that will rev the senses in preparation for FORMULA 1™ action.

visitsingapore.com/sgpseason

Let your spirits soar in this fun-filled fest that will take you back to your childhood. The annual NTUC Income Kite Festival will feature kite-making competitions, kite stunts and kite fights. More than just a toy, kites symbolise cultural diversity, scientific   achievement and military strategy. They also embody grace, strength, optimism and hope. As part of Singapore’s kampung culture, kites also offer a point to explore the nation’s heritage, history and culture together.

www.act3international.com.sg

A dynamic mix of Korean martial arts and physical comedy, JUMP is a hyperkinetic 90-minute live stage performance of amazing stunts, tumbles and of course – jumps. The non-verbal action-packed, family-friendly production act created by

Yegam Theatre Company has been called “Jackie Chan meets Charlie Chaplin”. The storyline tells of a Korean family well-versed in martial arts, with a grandfather who enjoys challenging the rest of the family in martial arts showdowns. This promises to be a hilarious and rambunctious act that features lots of great comedy, martial arts, acrobatic and gymnastic moves.

www.esplanade.com

August 29–31
Various Venues

Baybeats is back! This local indie staple promises even more aural delights in 2009

with a line-up of more than 30 local and international performances. Opening the three-day fest is The Lilac Saints, The Analog Girl, Taiwanese electronica band The Shine & Shine & Shine & Shine, and Leeson. Other acts include The Karl Maka, Indonesian band Agrikulture and American synth-pop act Joy Electric. Closing in grand style on Sunday will be Australian band Jebediah, UK rockers Transition and Elemental Gaze from Indonesia.

www.baybeats.com.sg

Bhaskar’s Arts Academy is taking dance to a whole new level by injecting yoga concepts into its latest production. Choreographed by Cultural Medallion winner Santha Bhaskar and dance and yoga exponent Neewin Hershall, the dance production CHAKRA will explore the concept of energy centres in the practice of yoga. Featuring eight of its principal dancers, this vibrant high-energy production is conceived as a journey of dance and music towards enlightenment. To further their quest to illumination, patrons will be able to redeem three Hatha Yoga sessions at Nrityalaya Aesthetics Society with their tickets.

Contact +65 63366537 for details.