Cultural Extravaganza 2023 Online

Present Past

Ignite the Sun

Indulge in shiyue, an exquisite fusion of Chinese poetry and music with Ignite the Sun, a Mandarin musical which brings you from the founding of Nanyang University in the 1950s to the birth of shiyue at its Chinese Poetry Club in the 1970s. Relive the creative fervour and youthful vivacity of these music and poetry lovers as they form a distinctive alliance that promises to ignite your imagination. The enthralling melodies, masterfully crafted by pioneering and gifted composer Zhang Fan and illustrious poets Toh Lam Huat and Pan Cheng Lui, will bring you back to a simpler time of pure artistic bliss. Helmed by notable director Goh Boon Teck, promising playwright Quek Yee Kiat, and accomplished music director Elaine Chan, Ignite the Sun showcases the talents of four exceptional musical theatre performers and four skilled musicians on a single stage. The time has come to reignite the joy behind these poetic melodies and allow our voices to illuminate the path for generations to come.

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Jazz It Up! 2023

Jazz It Up! 2023 features renowned 1970s Mandopop star, multi-faceted Taiwanese singer and actress Judy Ongg. She will be presenting some of her evergreen hit songs including Prayer and Longing for the Spring Breeze.Enjoy jazzy renditions of well-loved Chinese evergreens and modern-classic songs performed by the Jazz Association Singapore Orchestra (JASSO), led by Senior Associate Music Director Weixiang Tan, with a special appearance by Singapore’s “King of Swing” and JASS Executive and Music Director, Jeremy Monteiro. The concert will also feature award-winning Mandarin producer-songwriter Lee Wei Song as well as performer and co-host, Singaporean singer-songwriter Marcus Lee of Channel U’s “Campus Superstar” and “The Great Singapore Replay” fame.

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Stride Beyond The Banks

Stride Beyond the Banks is an original dance-drama inspired by the story of Dance Ensemble Singapore’s 30 years of development and the “Singapore River: The Big Clean Up” initiative. There are a total of four chapters: The Beginning, Against the Tide, Relocation and Continuation. The key values that the performance hopes to send across are perseverance and innovation. In addition, not to forget the hardship and contribution by the forefathers, and to continue the legacy.

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Reunion

Under the baton of the Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra (SNYCO) Associate Conductor Moses Gay and SNYCO alumnus Dedric Wong, together with the SNYCO alumni collective, we bring you SNYCO20: Reunion concert! SNYCO alumni members Likie Low and Ryan Lim present a new and refreshing arrangement of the renowned erhu piece Horse Racing, while Tan Qinglun and Yvonne Tay perform excerpts from qudi and guzheng concerto The Peony Pavilion, composed by Gu Guanren. Other crowd-pleasing orchestral favourites include A Well-Matched Fight by Li Minxiong and We Soar, by SNYCO alumnus and SCO Composer-in-Residence Wang Chenwei. Join the reunion of SNYCO alumni members, in this second concert in this SNYCO20 anniversary concert, and get immersed in their enthusiasm and spirit of music making as one.

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Intimate Intricacies

Under the creative direction of guest conductor Quek Ling Kiong, Intimate Intricacies reminisces and reinterprets two disappearing Chinese traditional handicrafts in Singapore: Giant Joss Stick Making and Teochew Embroidery, through Chinese chamber music. Embark on a musical journey with us and discover the intricacies behind these disappearing Chinese handicrafts through carefully crafted music movements by two young local composers: Jon Lin Chua and Liong Kit Yeng. The concert also features a film projection illustrating stories of the vanishing handicrafts with third-generation owner of Eng Tiang Huat Chinese Cultural Shop, Jeffrey Eng, and Albert Tay of the now defunct Tay Guan Heng Joss Stick Manufacturer along with live music performed by Ding Yi musicians.

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Living Legacy TV Festival Forum

Singapore’s culinary treats, traditional festivities and performing arts are all part of our Legacy. Can TV help in continuing this Legacy? Are TV and new media helping to grow our Culture? Or quickly killing it? Marcus Chin helms this talk to answer these questions with guests “Old Taste Detective” host Bryan Wong, “Titoudao” actress Chen Liping, “Old Taste Detective” Executive Producer Low Wee Liang and “Blessings” Story-Planner Cheong Yan Peng.

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One Opera Singapore

One Opera Singapore is a Chinese opera showcase that unites several local opera troupes from different dialect groups in Singapore. Cantonese Opera, Hainan Qiong Opera, Anhui Huangmei Opera, Hokkkien Opera, together with Teochew Opera sharing one stage to perform. Audiences can enjoy the beauty of Chinese opera in different dialects all in one show. Chinese opera is our excellent traditional culture. All kinds of traditional opera art forms share one root and they can always adapt from each other. Although their performance methods and ways of expression are different, they come from the essence of traditional Chinese culture. It is our mission to preserve and develop this beautiful art form. In addition to strengthening the friendship and exchange among various local opera troupes, we also hope that through such collaboration, we can carry our local Chinese opera art further and make it stronger!

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