Culture
As quickly as art forms have melded and evolved, so has the local arts scene grown into something fresh and exciting, with more than 5,000 ticketed performances annually.
Providing the boost has been the development of state-of-the art facilities like the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, which have hosted a profusion of class international acts and mega world premieres. You can expect more of the best in Singapore’s two new integrated resorts.
International Festivals
Singapore’s cultural scene brings you a wide range of the arts from wayang and dance, to music and theatre, and the visual arts. Several major festivals have been gradually introduced, providing vibrant platforms for performances throughout the year.
The Singapore Sun Festival is one such festival, bringing together international superstars of Music, Visual Arts, Literature, Film, Wine, Cuisine and Wellness in a celebration of the Art of Living Well. It’s a stellar line-up of exclusive events over 10 days.
Chingay Parade
You can also catch the revitalised Chinese New Year Chingay Parade, which has taken on a whole new personality and flavour with international participants, making it Asia’s grandest street and float parade.
Music
Billed as Singapore’s most eclectic music festival, Mosaic is a celebration of great international music which cuts across all genres. Hosted by the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, the annual affair has drawn many top acts over the years.
Our state-of-the art facilities have also attracted many leading musicians, from Diana Krall to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to perform at one-night only events or as part of their worldwide concert tour.
Visual Art
Over three decades old, the annual Singapore Arts Festival continues to grow from strength to strength; these days, we have come to expect a four-week calendar with artists from more than 20 countries and over 400 activities. Some themes explored in the past include, among other things, concepts of memory, migration, and urban living. You can look forward to exceptional core productions, supplemented by free outdoor performances held islandwide.
The Singapore Biennale is Singapore’s largest international showcase of contemporary art, reaching out to over 505,000 visitors in eight weeks through lavish and often offbeat exhibitions and programmes, not to mention some unusual locations, including the former Beach Road Police Station.
Best of all, all Singaporeans can anticipate something of a truly grand scale come 2013 – the transformation of the former City Hall and Supreme Court into the National Art Gallery. It will house the nation’s 8,000-strong collection, comprising mainly Singaporean and Southeast Asian pieces. In the meantime, you will find other venues for art appreciation at the Singapore Art Museum, the National University of Singapore Museum, and a range of private galleries.
Film and Theatre
Singapore’s first-rate staging facilities have opened up superlative opportunities for theatre-goers. Recent overseas productions have included the Royal Shakespeare Company’s King Lear, directed by Trevor Nunn, as well as musicals such as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera and Cats.
Local theatre also affords afficionados outstanding performances and stunning sets, such as the mass-appeal Much Ado About Nothing staged at the Fort Canning Park by the Singapore Repertory Theatre. You can also enjoy the best of homegrown productions with companies like WildRice and Toy Factory. In addition, traditional ethnic fare like Chinese opera and Malay bangsawan still thrive, benefitting from a more sophisticated audience than before.
Film buffs will enjoy the annual Singapore International Film Festival, which screens more than 200 films, with a focus on groundbreaking Asian cinema. Other regular film series include the French Film Festival and the German Film Festival.
Literature
The Singapore Writers Festival is one of very few multilingual literary fests in the world, a testimony to our multilingual culture. Refresh your roots with the programme which intertwines English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil literature with other art forms like music, theatre and film.
Museums
The quality and diversity of our museums have improved to give visitors a top-notch experience. Some, like the eminent National Museum and Asian Civilisations Museum, have been refurbished and now boast high-tech interactive amenities to enhance the experience. Others are only recently coming into prominence, like the Peranakan Museum and the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research.
Ticketing
Getting tickets is a breeze through SISTIC, Singapore’s largest ticketing service provider, either online or from its many outlets. Other ticketing agents include tickets.com and Gatecrash.