Singapore International Festival of Arts 2019 Festival Guide by Singapore International Festival of Arts

Photo by Arjan Kruidhof

sifa.sg

SPECIAL THANKS TO PROGRAMME PARTNERS

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SUPPORTERS

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Commissioned By

Supported By

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ABOUT SIFA As Singapore’s annual pinnacle performing arts festival, the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) presents captivating and diverse works across theatre, music, dance, film and visual arts. First launched as the Singapore Festival of Arts in 1977, the festival has gone through several evolutions and inspired generations of arts lovers and practitioners. Today, the highly-anticipated festival is a high-point on Singapore’s arts and cultural calendar. Under the helm of Festival Director Gaurav Kripalani from 2018 – 2020, SIFA continues its festival mission to champion the creation and presentation of Singaporean and international works.

FESTIVAL HOUSE At SIFA 2019, The Arts House will once again be transformed into the Festival House. With meaningful engagement opportunities from artists talks, workshops, discussions and the festival bar — House Pour, the Festival House breaks down the walls between artists and audiences to create unique experiences and inspiring artistic encounters.

CONTENTS 1 Message from the CEO 2 Festival Message 24 Sponsorship Opportunities 31 Calendar of Events

3 Beware of Pity Schaubühne Berlin & Complicité

41 Bill Frisell Trio 43 In Conversation with Bill Frisell 44 A Screening of Bill Frisell: A Portrait

16 100 Keyboards ASUNA

49 A Dream Under The Southern Bough: Reverie TOY Factory Productions Ltd

51 An Overview of Ming Dynasty Drama: Focusing on Tang Xianzu and His Plays 70 A Legend Reimagined Chong Tze Chien/The Finger Players

71 Anticipating the Year of No Return: An Insight Into the Creative Process The Necessary Stage

57 Asian Dramaturg’s Network: Dramaturgy and the Human Condition Centre 42

21 Bedtime Stories URLAND

23 Hierarchy-free Work Ethic: What it means to be a collective

60 But...is it dance? Moderated by Melissa Quek

55 Crowd Gisèle Vienne

61 De Relaxerette Arjan Kruidhof and Explore-the-North

5 Dionysus Suzuki Company of Toga & Purnati Indonesia

7 In Conversation with Tadashi Suzuki 8 Culture, Theatre, Body: The Works of Tadashi Suzuki Dr Lee Chee Keng

10 From Traditional to Contemporary A Producer’s Insight Restu Imansari Kusumaningrum

9 Suzuki Method of Actor Training Workshop 33 Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner Checkpoint Theatre

35 Critics Live: A post-show response to Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner

65 Festival Closing Concert Singapore Symphony Orchestra

19 Frogman curious directive

15 House Pour 52 Impulse Varsha

45 Körper

Sasha Waltz & Hans Peter Kuhn

47 In Conversation with Sasha Waltz 53 One Day We’ll Understand Sim Chi Yin

36 Oreste by Ifigenia Tan Shou Chen and Ng Tian Hui

17 Peter and the Wolf Silo Theatre

58 Plunge: New Ways to Talk about Theatre Arts Republic

59 Producing Art & Technology The YCAM Model

25 ST/LL Shiro Takatani, Dumb Type

27 Sound - A Mutual Tuning Chong Li-Chuan

28 In Conversation with Shiro Takatani 29 Shiro Takatani: Between Nature and Technology A film by Guilio Boato

69 Talking About Three Sisters Nelson Chia/Nine Years Theatre

11 The Mysterious Lai Teck Ho Tzu Nyen

13 The Nameless & The Name Ho Tzu Nyen

14 In Conversation with Ho Tzu Nyen 48 VR_I Cie Gilles Jobin and Artanim

63 We Can Dance Daily tous les jour, featuring ScRach MarcS

Akiko Takeshita & Clarence Ng

37 Ryuichi Sakamoto - Fragments with Shiro Takatani Ryuichi Sakamoto

39 In Conversation with Ryuichi Sakamoto 67 Singular Screens Curated by Asian Film Archive

73 My SIFA Checklist 72 Ticketing Info 54 Ticket Holder Privileges 30 Venues

MESSAGE FROM THE

CEO

What does the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) mean to you? A doorway to the world’s performances out there? An escape from the routine of everyday life? An opportunity to indulge your curiosity? Or something more? It would not be unusual for each of you to take away something different from the Festival. When I look back at my years attending the Festival, what stands out in my memory are thrilling moments of discovering a work or artist that slowly built my own love for festival making. In everything we do, SIFA brings audiences and artists on a personal journey, creating a shared experience across different touch-points with a wider community of art lovers, international and local artists. Every edition of the Festival is also unique and contributes to the development of Singapore’s cultural landscape. 2018 was an encouraging year, with SIFA seeing heartening growth in the number of new – and especially – younger audiences. I believe this is a testament to the success of Festival Director Gaurav Kripalani’s balanced curatorial approach, emphasising diverse works with multiple levels of accessibility. In 2019, the 42nd Singapore International Festival of the Arts will continue to enrich the spectrum of audience experiences with a diversity of artistic 1

genres and innovative platforms. Over 17 days, SIFA will showcase a spectrum of world-class performances by game-changing artists, alongside a range of distinctive multi-disciplinary works. As one of the cultural peaks of Singapore’s arts calendar, the Festival will allow audiences to engage with a fascinating range of contemporary issues and create avenues for critical dialogue. The Arts House will once again transform into our Festival House, a unique gathering point to share ideas and viewpoints and to engage with the artists on a more intimate level. Working behind the scenes at SIFA are many passionate individuals who have been critical to the Festival’s success over the years. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has played their part in shaping SIFA, and to Gaurav for leading the Festival to new artistic heights. I hope you leave this year with a fresh perspective of what the Festival means to you, and with wonderful memories of your own personal discoveries.

Sarah Martin CEO, Arts House Limited

When I was appointed as the new Festival Director for Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) last year, one of the central tenets of the curation process we put in place was to present work by gamechanging artists. From the outset of my three-year tenure, it was important to me that SIFA challenges audiences intellectually, emotionally and artistically, allowing them to experience works they would not normally have a chance to see in Singapore. Last year, I found myself huddled amid the sand dunes and pine forests of Terschelling Island off the north coast of The Netherlands, to watch Bedtime Stories, a brilliant one-man show which we are bringing to SIFA this year. It reminds us that powerful stories can be told with the simplest of tools - in this case, the actor’s voice. Or through elaborate work such as the cross-cultural, multi-faceted Dionysus by Tadashi Suzuki. Game-changing artists and work exist everywhere – it is our mission to find them and bring them to you. This season, SIFA 2019 is proud to present provocative and challenging works by artists from Singapore and abroad. Our local Festival commissions explore contemporary issues and daringly bring to the spotlight lesser-known facets of Asian history and culture. Toy Factory will realise its innovative re-interpretation of a beloved Ming play. Checkpoint Theatre delves into the realities of the humanitarian aid industry, while Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen investigate some of Southeast Asia’s most shadowy historical figures. On the international front, SIFA is delighted to welcome to our shores works by world-renowned theatre directors Tadashi Suzuki and Simon McBurney, legendary musicians Ryuichi Sakamoto and Bill Frisell, and ground-breaking choreographers Gisèle Vienne and Sasha Waltz.

SIFA 2019 audiences can also expect to see a greater range of multi-disciplinary work that defies easy classification, from pushing boundaries between theatre and dance in ST/LL by Japanese artist Shiro Takatani, to the use of virtual reality and binaural sound in Frogman by UK company curious directive. SIFA will also present Silo Theatre’s Peter and the Wolf for families, as well as free outdoor performances in non-traditional venues for audiences of all ages. Festival House will be back this year, as the epicentre of SIFA 2019. Here, audiences and artistes can extend their engagement with the Festival beyond the performance, as well as engage with each other, through a range of talks, workshops and master-classes to delve deeper into the themes and perspectives of each show. SIFA 2019 would not have been possible without the support of CEO Sarah Martin; our three extraordinary producers – Junmin, Rydwan and Sara; and the phenomenal team at Arts House Limited. I would like to thank each of them for their dedication and passion. Finally, I would like to warmly welcome you, our audience, to SIFA 2019. We look forward to taking you on this exciting journey with us.

Gaurav Kriplani Festival Director

FESTIVAL MESSAGE 2

Schaubühne Berlin & Complicité

BEWARE OF PITY Adapted from the book by Stefan Zweig (Germany)

Directed by Simon McBurney (UK)

(Germany/UK)

Programme Partner:

Supported by:

Photos by Gianmarco Bresadol

16 & 17 May Thu & Fri, 7.30pm Esplanade Theatre $40*, $60*, $80 * Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors Limited student tickets at $10 2h 20m, no intermission Rating to be advised Performed in German with English surtitles

Theatre

Stunningly told by one of UK’s most respected directors, Simon McBurney, with actors from the famed Schaubühne Berlin, Beware of Pity is an emotionally-gripping play about the treacherous nature of pity. How do we confront another person’s suffering? Is one’s desire to save another person an act of true empathy or merely a balm for one’s guilt? These are the questions that haunt Beware of Pity, the only novel by Austrian writer Stefan Zweig, and one of the world’s most popular writers in the early 20th century. In this critically-acclaimed stage adaptation, UK director McBurney skilfully unravels the complex themes of moral paralysis and psychological guilt, with equal measures of compassion and persuasion. Together with the accomplished actors of the Schaubühne Berlin, they create a nuanced, vivid account of Anton Hofmiller, a young Austro-Hungarian calvary officer, who slides into a destructive romance with Edith, the paralysed daughter of a wealthy family. Against the backdrop of the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the turn of the First World War, this piercing psychological melodrama about misguided compassion reaches its inexorable end in the tragic dissolution of the couple’s relationship. Triumphantly received at sold-out shows across Europe, Beware of Pity’s poignant characters and emotional themes speaks with renewed resonance for our complex times.

“With dazzling virtuosity, McBurney and his team evoke a vanished world.”

“Takes on the compelling quality of a thriller”

“It draws you in and shakes you”

Financial Times

The Times

The Guardian

Suzuki Company of Toga & Purnati Indonesia

DIONYSUS Directed by Tadashi Suzuki

(Japan/Indonesia)

17 & 18 May Fri, 8pm Sat, 3pm & 8pm Victoria Theatre $40*, $60 * Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors Limited student tickets at $10 1h 15m, no intermission

From the hands of visionary director Tadashi Suzuki comes a masterful, cross-cultural adaptation of Greek tragedy, The Bacchae, featuring an impressive cast of Indonesian, Japanese and Chinese actors. Written near the end of his life, The Bacchae has been hailed as one of Athenian playwright Euripides’ greatest dramas. Dionysus – the God of wine – unleashes his plot to punish Pentheus, King of Thebes, for denying Dionysus’s divinity. Madness ensues as Dionysus lures Pentheus to his death, torn to pieces by feverish worshippers, including his own mother, Agave. One of the most revered voices in theatre today, Suzuki is an eloquent interpreter of Greek tragedy for the contemporary stage. In a unique collaboration with art production house Purnati Indonesia, Suzuki continues to break new ground as he re-envisions this ancient conflict of madness and reason through an intriguing Pan-Asian lens.

Rating to be advised Performed in Batak, Japanese, Javanese, Madurese, Manado, Mandarin, Sundanese, Rejang with English surtitles.

Theatre Produced by The Japan Foundation Asia Center, Suzuki Company of Toga and Purnati Indonesia

Dionysus will showcase costumes by Indonesian designer Auguste Soesastro and Suzuki himself, along with a musical score featuring Indonesian instruments composed by Takada Midori. Following several years of intense training in Suzuki’s world-renowned acting method, Dionysus’ impressive cast of Indonesian, Japanese and Chinese actors are set to dominate the stage with their potent (fierce, intense, keen) presence.

Photo courtesy of Purnati Indonesia (2018) Photo by Dian P. Susilaradeya

IN CONVERSATION WITH

TADASHI SUZUKI (Japan)

18 May, Sat 4.30pm Blue Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h 30m, no intermission Rating to be advised Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Talk

Join us for the fascinating opportunity to get up-close with the world-renowned director, whose thinking and practice has had a powerful influence on theatre. As founder and director of the Suzuki Company of Toga (SCOT), Suzukiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities reflect an aggressive approach to dealing with the fundamental issues of our times. His past works, which include The Trojan Women, King Lear and Madame de Sade reflect a concern with structure of the theatre group, the creation and use of theatrical space, and the overcoming of national and cultural barriers in creating work that is truly universal.

Courtesy of Suzuki Company of Toga

CULTURE, THEATRE, BODY:

THE WORKS OF

TADASHI SUZUKI Dr Lee Chee Keng (Singapore)

18 May, Sat 1.30pm Living Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h, no intermission Rating to be advised Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Talk In this talk, Dr Lee Chee Keng, Assistant Professor of Theatre Practice at Yale NUS College, discusses director Tadashi Suzuki’s creative practice, aesthetics and social ideas in relation to his company’s base within the isolated mountain of Toga away from the Japan’s major metropolitan cities. Toga, a remote village in the mountains of Toyama prefecture along the coast of the sea of Japan, is home to the Suzuki Company of Toga (SCOT). Converting farm houses built in the traditional “praying hands” (gassho-zukuri) style into a theatre, Suzuki’s company base has grown into a creative space for international artists and audiences to create, train, watch performances and recharge.

SUZUKI METHOD OF ACTOR TRAINING WORKSHOP With Kameron Steele (SCOT, Japan)

18 May, Sat 10am Blue Room, Festival House $20 2h, no intermission Interested applicants must meet minimum requirements to participate. Please submit your application via sifa.sg.

Theatre Developed by internationally-acclaimed director Tadashi Suzuki, the Suzuki Method is a world-renowned method of actor training that aims to restore the wholeness of the human body in performance and, in doing so, discover the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innate expressive abilities. Led by Kameron Steele, who has worked as an actor, assistant director, teacher and translator at the Suzuki Company of Toga (SCOT), participants are led through a series of rigorous exercises. Participants build awareness and the control of their energy, breath, balance and voice, while working toward a deeper emotional and physical commitment to each moment on stage.

FROM TRADITIONAL TO CONTEMPORARY – A PRODUCER’S INSIGHT Restu Imansari Kusumaningrum (Indonesia)

20 May, Mon 11am Blue Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Talk An experienced Indonesian arts producer and the founding artistic director of the Bali Purnati Foundation, Restu Imansari Kusumaningrum has an extensive background as a producer for dance and theatre. She has worked on Tadashi Suzuki’s Dionysus, Robert Wilson’s I La Galigo, and the Indonesian National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2013 and 2015. In this talk, Restu shares her insights into her working process and her experience with artists in creating contemporary works from traditional art forms and practices.

Photo by Fendi Siregar

Ho Tzu Nyen 何子彦

THE MYSTERIOUS LAI TECK 神秘莱特

(Singapore)

Festival Commission

17 - 19 May Fri & Sat, 8pm Sun, 5pm & 8pm SOTA Drama Theatre $40* * Limited concessions available for students, NSF and seniors. * 在籍学生、国民服役人员及乐龄人士能获得有限优惠票 1h, no intermission 时长约1小时, 无中场休息 Rating: General 分级制: 普通级 Performed in Mandarin with English surtitles 华语演出，附英文字幕

Theatre Co-Production: Singapore International Festival of the Arts International Summer Festival Kampnagel (Hamburg) National Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art (Korea) Arts Centre Melbourne and Asia TOPA (Melbourne) Holland Festival (Amsterdam) Kunstenfestivaldesarts (Brussels) TPAM – Performing Arts Meeting in Yokohama (Japan) Red Brick Art Museum (Beijing)

In The Mysterious Lai Teck, acclaimed Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen leads you into the labyrinthine underworld of spies, in this portrait of one of Southeast Asia’s most shadowy historical figures. Who is Lai Teck? History, if it remembers him at all, describes him as the leader of the Malayan Communist Party from 1939 to 1947, and a triple agent for the French, British and Japanese secret police. Of his life, however, little is known. Rumoured to having over 30 pseudonyms, his story is full of gaps and contradictions culled from the accounts of fellow spies and traitors, and various authors of histories. Blending fact and fictional speculation, Singapore-born visual artist Ho recreates the charged atmosphere of Lai Teck’s times in an inventive staging, where the observer is confronted with a ghostly being, veiled, draped and drowning in projections, oscillating between life and death. Offering a window into an embattled period of Southeast Asian history, The Mysterious Lai Teck is an extended reflection emerging from Ho’s long-term project, The Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia. Steeped in espionage, agency and treachery, The Mysterious Lai Teck is a thrilling snapshot of the shifting face of Southeast Asia in the Age of Treason, and of a man caught between the ruthless forces of history. 新加坡著名艺术家何子彦在《神秘莱特》中，将透过东南亚最神秘隐晦的历史人物之一，带你走进错综复杂的间谍地下组织。谁是莱特？一个历史上没人知道他真名的间谍，传闻中有30多个化名的叛徒，他是1939至1947年间的马共领袖，也同时是法国、英国、日本的三重特工。虽然有曾经跟他共事过的特工，和后来的历史学者提供关于他的资料，但莱特的故事始终无法完整拼凑，也矛盾重重。新加坡视觉艺术家何子彦将通过创新的舞台设置和投影效果，重塑莱特那个时代时局紧张的氛围。在虚拟投影相互交叠下，一个幽灵般的身影隐约出现，在生与死之间摇摆不定。《神秘莱特》是艺术家长期进行的项目《东南亚关键词典》中的L（即莱特）词条。它将引领观众去了解当年东南亚人民在政局动荡中的困境。《神秘莱特》说的是间谍活动、特工组织与变节的故事，是当年东南亚局势动乱，以及主人翁在历史洪流中奋力求存的惊心动魄之写照。

THE NAMELESS & THE NAME Ho Tzu Nyen (Singapore)

23 May - 2 Jun, Daily 10am - 10pm Gallery II, Festival House Free Installation

Ho Tzu Nyen, ‘The Name’, 2015 Courtesy of Edouard Malingue Gallery and the artist..

This video exhibition by Singaporean filmmaker and visual artist Ho Tzu Nyen features The Nameless & The Name, two films that offer a glimpse into Ho’s investigation into the history of the Malayan Communist Party. They reflect the evolution of Ho’s thoughts culminating in Ho’s latest work, The Mysterious Lai Teck. The Nameless focuses on Lai Teck, the SecretaryGeneral of the Malayan Communist Party from 1939 to 1947. Revealed as a triple agent, Lai Teck’s story is told with a series of stolen images, featuring a shape-shifting actor from a land of multiple allegiances. The Name is constructed out of film footage from various Western films showing actors engaged in the act of writing. It features excerpts from various books “written” by Gene Z. Hanrahan. Amongst them is an early historical account of the Malaysian Communist Party, with access to secret documents out of reach to others. Some suspect Hanrahan to be a cover for a secret organisation with links to the CIA.

IN CONVERSATION WITH

HO TZU NYEN (Singapore)

19 May, Sun 2pm Blue Room, Festival House Free

Talk Acclaimed Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen makes films, installations and theatrical performances that often begin as engagements with historical and philosophical texts and artifacts. His recent works are populated by metamorphic figures such as the weretiger (One or Several Tigers, 2017) and the triple agent (The Nameless, 2015) under his on-going project The Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia. Ho sheds light on his creative process and critical investigations into Southeast Asia, which serve as the material for his latest work The Mysterious Lai Teck. Gain an appreciation for the richness of Hoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artistic practice and insights into some of his most representative works.

Photo by Matthew Teo, Courtesy of Art Review Asia Spring 2017.

16 May - 2 Jun

Gather with fellow artists and audiences at House Pour @ Festival House! This interactive setting is the place to meet, chat and discuss your post-show musings over food and drinks after every performance. To celebrate the 42nd year of Singapore International Festival of Arts, all ticket holders and special Festival Insider pass holders can enjoy a glass of signature House Pour cocktail or a serving of Ancho Chicken Tacos at only $4.20nett and all other items at 15% off. In addition, complimentary gourmet ice-cream cups in assorted flavours will be given out daily (limited to the first 30 guests each day). This art-inspired pop-up bar will be opened from 16 May to 2 June.

Festival Bar powered by Kitchen Language Catering The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane, Singapore 179429

100 KEYBOARDS ASUNA (Japan)

Exhibition

16 – 19 May, Thu – Sun Various Timings Gallery II, Festival House Free

Performance

17 – 20 May Fri, 8pm Sat, 7pm & 10pm Sun, 8pm Mon, 3pm Gallery II, Festival House

Making its Singapore premiere at SIFA 2019, Japanese avant-garde sound artist ASUNA presents his landmark work and site-specific listening experience, 100 Keyboards. A stalwart of Tokyo’s experimental music scene, ASUNA’s playful genre-bending sonic experiments cross from ambient to hip-hop to low-fi pop and improvisation. ASUNA’s creative genius is on full display in 100 Keyboards. With 100 battery-operated analogue keyboards, he manipulates sound waves to create an intriguing and fascinating ambient wash of overlapping notes and sonic textures that envelop you from every direction. Listen to the subtle variations of sound as they vary based on your location in the performance space.

$20* * Limited concessions available

for students, NSFs and seniors

1h 20m, no intermission Rating: General Audiences may be required to sit on the floor.

Installation

Music

Photo by minoru sato-m/s

18 - 20 May Sat - Mon 10am & 3pm KC Arts Centre Home of SRT $30, $40* * Family package of 4 available at $120 45m, no intermission Rating: General Suitable for audience age 5 years and above

Theatre

Music

Programme Partner:

A story of courage, adventure and friendship, this award-winning adaptation of Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf is a magical treat for young and old with music, puppetry and live animation. Peter and the Wolf is a beloved musical fairy tale written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936, originally intended to teach children about the instruments in an orchestra. In this award-winning contemporary adaptation by New Zealand director Sophie Roberts, the orchestra is replaced with a six–piece band and the story is told as a visual spectacle through the use of live animation and puppetry. After travelling across the world to live with his grumpy Grandfather, Peter is struggling to make friends in his new home. When a wolf escapes from the local zoo, Peter sees an opportunity to become a hero and sets off across the city to capture the wolf. Follow Peter’s journey into the unknown through the lens of a video camera as it discovers a magical world filled with puppets, miniature set pieces and music. Don’t miss this enduring tale for anyone aged five and up.

Silo Theatre

PETER

ANDTHE

WOLF (New Zealand)

Composed by Sergei Prokofiev Adapted by Sophie Roberts and Leon Radojkovic

curious directive

FROGMAN (UK)

SOLD OUT

21 – 26 May Tue – Thu, 8pm Fri, 8pm Sat, 2pm & 8pm Sun, 1pm SOTA Studio Theatre NEW SHOW ADDED

25 May, Sat, 5pm $40* * Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors 1h, no intermission Rating: General

Fusing a groundbreaking virtual reality experience with a thrilling murder mystery, Frogman by critically-acclaimed UK company curious directive takes you to the cutting edge of live storytelling today. Enter the world of Frogman – a supernatural thriller where the skeletons of childhood reappear in the present. It’s 2019, and Meera, a coral reef scientist, is informed by detectives that her father is being charged for the murder of her childhood friend, Ashleigh Richardson, who disappeared in 1995. Springing back and forth between two timelines, the mystery unfolds through childhood sleepovers with young Meera and her friends, to an underwater search-and-rescue mission. It’s a race against time to find the missing girl. At the crossroads of contemporary performance and cutting-edge technology, Frogman is a coming-of-age drama exploring the fragility of the childhood imagination. curious directive’s pioneering integration of live theatre and virtual reality will open your mind to the possibilities for storytelling in the digital age.

Admission for audience age 13 years and above

Theatre Multi-Disciplinary

“…beautiful to behold” The Stage

“curious directive are theatre pioneers.”

“ Touching and nostalgic” The Independent

The Daily Telegraph

Photo by Richard Lakos

URLAND

BEDTIME STORIES (The Netherlands)

21 – 26 May Tue – Sun, 7.30pm Meeting point: The Plaza, National Library Building $35* * Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors 1h 15m , no intermission Rating to be advised Admission for audience age 14 years and above

When was the last time someone told you a story under the stars? Let Dutch actor Thomas Dudkiewicz lead you into a strange and brilliantly dark world in Bedtime Stories. “It was a dark and lonesome night…” so begins actor Thomas Dudkiewicz in Bedtime Stories. Conceived by Dutch collective URLAND, this pitch-perfect narrated performance takes its inspiration from radio plays, using just Dudkiewicz’s voice and well-timed sound effects to bring to life an enchanting cast of characters. Meet Lilly, a precocious young girl, her father, Max and doting grandfather George, both master storytellers. Every night before bed, Lilly enters a fantastical universe created just for her, where she encounters a host of strange and menacing creatures. Laugh, squirm and dream along as Bedtime Stories catapults towards its unexpected ending, keeping you on edge from scene to scene at a secret location!

Theatre

Photo by Jochem Jurgens

HIERARCHY-FREE WORK ETHIC:

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A COLLECTIVE URLAND (The Netherlands)

19 May, Sun 6pm Blue Room, Festival House Free

Talk

Does a hierarchy-free working culture really make for a more creative environment? Or will it take twice as long to get things done? What does it even mean to be hierarchy-free? Join Thomas Dudkiewicz from URLAND as he shares the challenges â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as well as the rewards â&#x20AC;&#x201D; of being in such a collective, and the principles of their work ethos underlying some of the most memorable projects in their careers.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WITH SIFA Arts House Ltd (AHL) is a dynamic arts organisation in Singapore, and the organiser of Singapore’s pinnacle arts festival, the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA). By supporting SIFA, you’ll join a vibrant community of arts lovers helping to develop the next generation of Singaporean artists. Your contribution supports capability development, collaborations and presentations, as well as provide a network for support, exchange and engagement.

To start a conversation today about Partnership, please contact: Norita Senin Manager, Partnerships & Patrons Relations e | norita@artshouse.sg

Find out how a partnership can help you or your organisation play a key role in shaping Singapore’s arts and cultural scene. Every Corporate Partner or Donor will be provided a unique sponsorship package, tailored to meet your objectives and maximise your return on investment. Cash donations to AHL are eligible for 250% tax deductions.

m | 9450 8956 t | 6435 0170 Tan Yanru Executive, Partnership Development e | tanyanru@artshouse.sg m | 9234 0323 t | 6435 0146

Shiro Takatani (Dumb Type)

ST/LL

(Japan)

Programme Partner:

Supported by The Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan through the Japan Arts Council

24 & 25 May Fri & Sat, 8pm Esplanade Theatre $40*, $60*, $80 * Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors Limited student tickets at $10 1h 15m, no intermission Rating: General

Multi-Disciplinary

In this stunning performance-installation, Japanese artist Shiro Takatani’s meditation on silence unfolds in an exquisite multimedia staging, along with music by world-renowned composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto. An endless veil of water overwhelms the stage. Cutlery, books and glasses, suspended in the air, free fall in slow motion. Voluminous swaths of black are cast against luminous human figures awaiting dinner. Thus, the arresting scenes of Shiro Takatani’s performance-installation ST/LL unfold with deliberate and mysterious precision. A founding member of artist collective Dumb Type, Takatani has been hailed for his inventive use of the media arts for the contemporary stage. With ST/LL, he transports audiences to a hypnotic stage – an exquisite mix of multimedia mirages, edgy lighting and sonic textures — where time and perception are stretched to their very limits. Performed to rapt audiences in Europe, Tokyo and Taiwan, the sensory pleasures of ST/LL are further savoured with an ambient score by world-renowned composer Ryuichi Sakamoto – Takatani’s long-time collaborator – and fellow composers Marihiko Hara and Takuya Minami. Supple, surprising, and filled with symbolism, ST/LL’s shape-shifting scenes and playful visual subversion will remain etched in your mind, long after the curtains fall.

Photos by Yoshikazu Inoue

SOUND â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

A MUTUAL TUNING Chong Li-Chuan (Singapore)

19 May, Sun 4pm Living Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Talk In this talk, composer and sound designer Chong Li-Chuan introduces the concept of acoustic ecology and the different modes of listening that often go unnoticed or unexamined in our everyday lives. Chong has collaborated with practitioners in theatre, dance, visual arts, architecture and spoken word on recent local works such as Cut Kafka!, How Did The Cat Get So Fat? and Lear Is Dead, Chong will allow audiences to gain a deeper understanding of the artistic expressions explored in SIFA 2019â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programme ST/LL by Shiro Takatani and Ryuichi Sakamoto. Chong discusses key concepts including the oscillation between the quotidian and the sublime, uncertainty and predictability, and the confluence of movement, sound, and image both concrete and abstract.

IN CONVERSATION WITH

SHIRO TAKATANI

(Japan) Moderated by Akiko Takeshita, Producer, Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media

25 May, Sat 2pm Living Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h 30m, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

From installation, exhibitions to performance, Japanese artist Shiro Takatani is known for his use of multimedia to create multi-disciplinary, visually-arresting works. One of the founders of experimental Japanese art collective Dumb Type, Takatani also works as a solo artist. Takataniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s evolution as an artist has also seen him collaborate with cutting-edge musicians like Ryuichi Sakamoto and Rei Harakami. Join Takatani in this conversation about his artistic influences, his views on the use of multimedia in his artistic creations, and his collaborations with diverse artists.

Talk

A SCREENING OF

SHIRO TAKATANI BETWEEN NATURE AND TECHNOLOGY A film by Giulio Boato

Produced by Idéale Audience Distributed by EuroArts

19 May, Sun 3pm Screening Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h, no intermission Rating to be advised Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Film Spanning three decades of Japanese artist Shiro Takatani’s artistic journey, this extraordinary film traces the evolution of his work in Europe and Japan through his installations, theatre and dance performances. Conceived by Italian director Giulio Boato, whose award-winning documentaries of artists began with his portrait of the controversial stage director Jan Fabre, these carefully selected performances – remarkably filmed – demonstrate the evolution of Takatani’s work. Featuring Takatani and his collaborators, including composer Ryūichi Sakamoto, the film explains the driving principles behind Takatani’s work. Nature and people are observed through modern tools, from enhancing infinitely small organisms, exploring large-scale galaxies, to creating interactions between performers with cameras and large screens.

VENUES

SIFA will take place at the following venues

THE ARTS HOUSE IS

FESTIVAL

HOUSE 1 OLD PARLIAMENT LANE, SINGAPORE 179429

Victoria Theatre & Victoria Concert Hall 9 Empress Place, Singapore 179556

Esplanade – Theatres On The Bay 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981

Drama Centre

#03-01 National Library Building, 100 Victoria St, Singapore 188064

Photo by Crispian Chan

The Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage

Our Tampines Hub

School of the Arts (SOTA)

KC Arts Centre – Home of SRT

1 Tampines Walk, Singapore 528523

Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Rd, S ingapore 259569

1 Zubir Said Drive, Singapore 227968

The Plaza, National Library Building

100 Victoria St, Lvl 1, National Library Board, Singapore 188064

20 Merbau Road, Singapore 239035

Oldham Theatre

National Archives Singapore, 1 Canning Rise, Singapore 179868

Festival Commission

24 – 26 May Fri & Sat, 8pm Sun, 3pm Victoria Theatre $40*, $60 * Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors. Limited student tickets at $10

2h, no intermission Advisory: Mature content and coarse language

Theatre

Photo by Joel Lim @ Calibre Pictures

From critically-acclaimed theatre company Checkpoint Theatre comes Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner, a powerful new play about humanitarian workers caught in the crosshairs of a crisis. A crisis tests the resolve of the international staff of a refugee camp. Can they stay sane, stay alive, and stay strong when their minds, bodies, and spirits are called upon to do the impossible? In a multi-disciplinary theatrical work set against the backdrop of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner, commissioned by SIFA 2019, investigates the realities of the aid industry. With sensitivity and nuance, playwright Huzir Sulaiman delves beneath media portrayals to discover a world where good people struggle with treacherous politics and flawed institutions. Directed by Claire Wong, this unflinching examination of the idealism and heroism of humanitarian workers raises vital questions about our world – from the nature of conflict, the toxic nature of institutions, and the challenges we face when confronted with powers larger than ourselves.

Checkpoint Theatre

DISPLACED

PERSONSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

WELCOME DINNER Written by Huzir Sulaiman Directed by Claire Wong

(Singapore)

CRITICS LIVE: A POST-SHOW RESPONSE TO

DISPLACED PERSONS’ WELCOME DINNER Arts Equator (Singapore)

25 May, Sat 10pm Living Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Panel Presented by :

Supported by National Arts Council Singapore and Japan Foundation Asian Centre Grant Program for Production of Cultural Collaboration.

For an insight into how critics formulate their responses to performances, join senior Thai critic, Pawit Mahasarinand and other critics from Southeast Asia, in a post-show conversation about Checkpoint Theatre’s Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner written by Huzir Sulaiman. This critics-led discussion will bring a regional perspective to the work, a SIFA commission, by one of Singapore’s leading theatre companies. Organised by Arts Equator as part of the Asian Arts Media Roundtable. For more details, visit www.artsequator.com/aamr

ORESTE BY IFIGENIA Tan Shou Chen and Ng Tian Hui (Singapore) Performed by Cherie Tse, Chan Wei En and William Kephavong

25 & 26 May Sat, 8pm Sun, 5pm Chamber, Festival House $20* * Limited concessions available *for students, NSFs and seniors

1h 20m, no intermission Rating to be advised

Music

Ifigenia gave herself to the sacrificial sword so the Greeks could launch their war against Troy. Saved by Artemis, she becomes the priestess for the city of Tauris. Now in charge, Ifigenia faces an impossible choice: follow the law and slay her unfortunate brother, Oreste, or summon everything she has to save her only kin. Using George Frideric Handel’s music, this new work by theatre-maker Tan Shou Chen and music director Ng Tian Hui responds to Handel’s opera Oreste. This staging, set against the backdrop of Euripedes’ Ifigenia Among the Taurines, turns the spotlight to this enigmatic woman, to tell the story of Oreste according to Ifigenia, with the opera transforming her from a supporting character in Oreste’s journey, to a central figure.

Photo by Samuel Woo

28 May, Tue 8pm Esplanade Theatre $150* * Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors 1h 15m, no intermission

Music

Elegant, nuanced and profoundly moving, Ryuichi Sakamoto – Fragments is an intimate concert featuring two maestros, iconic composer and musician Ryuichi Sakamoto and Japanese multimedia artist, Shiro Takatani. In this concert, Oscar-winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto joins his friend and long-time collaborator Shiro Takatani, founder of Japanese art collective Dumb Type, to imagine a resplendent performance with a strong focus on improvisation and the sonority of everyday objects. The performance draws from Sakamoto’s latest solo album, async, along with newer works. Described as “an imaginary soundtrack to a film Andrei Tarkovsky never finished”, async is one of Sakamoto’s most deeply personal albums following the maestro’s own battle with cancer, and an introspective reflection on the essential nature of life and death. Sakamoto’s intense, masterful playing is heightened by Takatani’s cinematic visuals, full of poetic metaphors with its evocation of natural phenomena. The performance pulls the audience into singular, shared moments of Sakamoto’s sound creation and exploration. Don’t miss this intimate, sublime performance by one of Asia’s most accomplished musicians, and a celebration of a creative friendship spanning decades.

Programme Partner:

Supported by The Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan through the Japan Arts Council

Supported by:

RYUICHI SAKAMOTO

- FRAGMENTS -

WITH SHIRO TAKATANI (Japan)

Photo by nss (zakkubalan)

IN CONVERSATION WITH

RYUICHI SAKAMOTO

(Japan)

23 May, Thu 7.30pm SOTA Concert Hall Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h 30m, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Talk

In this highly-anticipated talk, join Ryuichi Sakamoto in an intimate conversation with one of the 21st centuryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most prolific and influential musicians. The Oscar-winning Japanese composer will speak fluidly about his life and career, from sharing his passionate exploration of the sounds of everyday objects, his involvement with various social causes, to his deepest personal reflections on life and mortality. He discusses the creation of his latest album, async, which draws from his own battle with cancer. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss this opportunity to meet Ryuichi Sakamoto whose over four-decade long career has been pivotal in shaping the landscape of contemporary music.

Photo by nss (zakkubalan)

Esplanade Presents

Flipside

Esplanade’s most playful festival returns! Physical theatre, comedy, music, puppetry & more.

24 May – 2 Jun 2019

THE ARTIST

THE SOCIAL SORTING EXPERIMENT

Circo Aereo (Finland)

Smartphone Orchestra (The Netherlands)

“A rib-tickling delight.” – The Times, UK

Photo credit: Nichon Glerum

Fun & Interactive Experience! Photo credit: Antti Saukko

Admission age 12 and above

24 – 26 May 2019, Fri – Sun Esplanade Recital Studio

24 – 26 May 2019, Fri – Sun Esplanade Annexe Studio

THE PIGEONING

GIANT'S TABLE

Robin Frohardt (US)

CCOTBBAT (Korea)

Admission age 4 and above

“... a tender, fantastical symphony of the imagination.”

Imagination comes alive on a magical table!

31 May – 2 Jun 2019, Fri – Sun Esplanade Annexe Studio Information correct at time of print.

30 May – 2 Jun 2019, Thu – Sun Esplanade Annexe Studio

Photo credit: Rob Long

− The New York Times

LATE NIGHT BACKSTAGE TOUR: THE SPACES IN BETWEEN 24 & 25 May 2019, Fri & Sat 30 May – 1 Jun 2019, Thu – Sat Admission age 12 and above

Tickets from $20.

BOOK NOW!

Early Bird Savings (29 Mar – 28 Apr 2019) Package of 4 for E&Me & PIP’s Club members* - 25% savings *Applies to 4 tickets to the same show or across applicable shows (The Artist, The Pigeoning and Giant's table)

www.esplanade.com/ﬂipside

4 or more tickets (Public)** - 20% savings

SISTIC hotline: 6348 5555. School or Group bookings of 20 or more: 6828 8389 or email boxoffice@esplanade.com. Admission age: 6 & above. Ticket prices exclude SISTIC fees. Tickets are required for all patrons. Terms and conditions apply.

Esplanade&Me Special

Esplanade is a charity and not-for-profit organisation. Help us bring the joy and inspiration of the arts to different communities, including the underserved.

**Applies to 4 tickets or more to the same show or across applicable shows (The Artist, The Pigeoning and Giant's table)

White card: 10% savings | Black card: 15% savings

www.esplanade.com

EsplanadeSG

EsplanadeSingapore #esplanade #mydurian

BILL FRISELL TRIO Featuring Rudy Royston & Thomas Morgan (USA)

Programme Partner:

29 May, Wed 8pm Victoria Theatre $50* * Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors Limited student tickets at $10 1h 30m, no intermission

Music

From mellow jazz tones to gorgeous lyrical harmonies, Grammy-award winning composer and celebrated guitarist Bill Frisell triumphantly takes the stage in this Singapore premiere. For over 40 years, the extraordinarily original and prolific Bill Frisell has been a seminal figure in modern American music. From jazz, bluegrass, country, rock and roll, to folk, interspaced with bursts of the avant-garde, Frisellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sound traverses the sweep of contemporary American musical history, yet remains instantly recognisable and wonderfully intimate. Yet, what makes Frisell a joy to watch is his free and improvisatory style, one which continues to astonish audiences around the world. His inimitable guitar skills are at the centre of it allâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;producing an infinite spectrum of reverberating chords from a single electric guitar. Joined by Thomas Morgan, one of the most in-demand bassists on the international scene, and Rudy Royston, a consummate drummer in the jazz world, Bill Frisell Trio will feature a lively improvisatory set and some of Frisellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most iconic compositions. Enjoy a wonderful evening with these world-class musicians as they bring to the stage their sheer love and passion for music.

Photo by Monica Frisell

IN CONVERSATION WITH

BILL FRISELL

(USA) Moderated by Associate Professor Dr Tony Makarome, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music

30 May, Thu 7.30pm Living Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h 30m, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Talk With a celebrated career spanning over four decades, the Grammy-award winning guitarist and composer Bill Frisell is recognised as one of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most productive performing artists. A seminal figure in contemporary American musical history, Frisellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s musical style runs the gamut from jazz, bluegrass, country, rock and roll, to folk, to even the avant-garde. In this rare opportunity, meet the maestro in person to experience his passion and dedication to music. Learn about his life, influences and his unique creative approach defined by an extraordinary gift for fusing diverse musical styles to generate his own original sound.

Photo by Monica Frisell

A SCREENING OF

BILL FRISELL: A PORTRAIT 23 May, Thu 7.30pm Screening Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg

Grammy Award winner and renowned composer, Bill Frisell has garnered countless accolades from critics, audiences and peers worldwide. Yet despite his iconic status, Frisell notoriously shies from the limelight. Now, Australian filmmaker Emma Franz’s intimate and insightful film portrait of this renowned virtuoso guitarist explores the nuances of Frisell’s thought processes, approach and character.

1h 54m, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Film

Besides capturing a rare collection of performances and the processes that led to them, Franz also spent time speaking to collaborators and people significant to Frisell’s personal musical journey. Luminaries who appear in the film include Paul Simon, Bonnie Raitt, Nels Cline, Jack DeJohnette, Ron Carter, John Zorn and the late Jim Hall.

Bill Frisell performing with one of his regular bands, ‘Richter 858’ Photo courtesy of Emma Franz

Sasha Waltz & Hans Peter Kuhn

KÖRPER (Germany)

Programme Partner:

Supported by:

Photo Photo byby Bernd Bernd Uhlig Uhlig © ©

Photo by Bernd Uhlig

31 May & 1 Jun Fri & Sat, 8pm Esplanade Theatre $40*, $60*, $80, $100 * Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors Limited student tickets at $10 1h 30m, no intermission R18 (Nudity)

Dance

Theatre

Berlin dance-maker Sasha Waltz’s provocative signature work, Körper, investigates the structure of the body against the mortality of human existence. Since its debut in 2000, Körper has been hailed as one of the most iconic works from Berlin dance-maker Sasha Waltz’s career. Celebrated for her groundbreaking choreography, rich theatricality and technical precision, her company Sasha Waltz & Guests has collaborated with over 300 artists and ensembles on over 80 productions. Combining dance, body-focused imagery with intimate personal monologues, Körper asks the question: what is the body and how is it constructed? Together with 12 dancers in Körper, Waltz creates a series of spectacular living tableaux. The dancers are weighed and measured; bodies are stacked akin to human walls; the performers writhe and squirm, celebrating the body in all its stark corporeality. Drawing unexpected links between the body with architecture, science and history, Waltz’s masterful and incisive analysis of the body makes Körper an intellectual tour-de-force. With the world accelerating into the age of genetic manipulation, Körper’s clinical investigation of the body speaks with extraordinary relevance for our times.

“Provokes wonder, terror and hilarity” The Guardian

IN CONVERSATION WITH

SASHA WALTZ (Germany)

1 Jun, Sat 2pm Blue Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h 30m, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Talk Join us for this illuminating chat with Berlin-based choreographer Sasha Waltz, as she discusses her prolific career, diverse collaborations and approach in understanding the potential and multifarious dimensions of the human body. Aweing audiences with some of the most dramatic spectacles on the contemporary dance stage, Waltz’s choreography is defined by its body-focused imagery and exquisite technical precision. Her internationally renowned dance pieces include Travelogue, Körper as well as the immersive dance installation inside out. With her company Sasha Waltz & Guests, Waltz has collaborated with over 300 guest artist to create critically-acclaimed work.

Photo by André Rival

VR_I Cie Gilles Jobin and Artanim (Switzerland)

28 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 30 May, Tue â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Thu Various Timings Play Den, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg Patrons are advised to arrive 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed places may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Dance

Multi-Disciplinary

Playing in over 20 cities, this one-of-a-kind virtual dance piece now lands in Singapore! In VR_I, you and four other viewers are immersed in a virtual environment. With a VR headset and your movements tracked with an optical motion capture system, see your own body in the shape of an avatar while you physically move in the virtual environment. The performance embeds you within a contemporary dance piece, where you can watch from any point of view as the dancers evolve, as if you were an actor on a stage. Immersive and contemplative, this unique installation is a fascinating exploration of cutting-edge imaging technologies with artistic expressions of contemporary dance and not-to-be-missed!

Supported by:

Photo by Cie Gilles Jobin

Toy Factory Productions Ltd, TOY肥料厂

A DREAM UNDER THE SOUTHERN BOUGH: REVERIE 南柯一梦之如梦 (Singapore, 新加坡)

Festival Commission

31 May – 2 Jun Fri & Sat, 8pm Sun, 3pm Drama Centre Theatre $40*, $60 * Limited concessions available for students, NSF and seniors. * 在籍学生、国民服役人员及乐龄人士能获得有限优惠票 Limited Student Front Row ticket: $10 前排学生票有限：$10 2h 20m, including a 20min intermission 时长约2小时20分钟, 包括20分钟中场休息 Rating: General 分级制：普通级 Performed in Mandarin with English and Chinese surtitles 华语演出，附英文和中文字幕

Theatre

A naval officer, Chun Yu Fen ventures into his fantastical dream in the Ant Kingdom in this ambitious undertaking of adapting Ming Dynasty playwright’s Tang Xianzu’s masterpiece onto the modern stage by Singaporean company Toy Factory. The dream world is an often-explored motif in the greatest works of Ming playwright Tang Xianzu, including A Dream Under the Southern Bough. Hailed as the Shakespeare of the East, Tang’s romantic view of love and dreams were a foil against the feudal conventions of his time. Bringing Tang’s lyrical play to the modern stage, Toy Factory presents the highly-anticipated first half of this epic play in A Dream Under the Southern Bough: Reverie, as disgraced naval officer Chun Yu Fen falls asleep and is thrust into the Ant Kingdom. In the ensuing 22 chapters of this wondrous journey, Chun finds himself in a situation beyond his wildest dreams, now betrothed to the Kingdom’s princess and the newly appointed governor of the Southern Bough. It appears to be a time for revelry – but trouble is brewing and inching ever closer. From the vision of award-winning director Goh Boon Teck, don’t miss this enchanting installment of Reverie, which meets its dramatic culmination in Existence, to be presented in SIFA 2020. TOY肥料厂根据明代剧作家汤显祖的史诗剧作《南柯记》，悉心改编的《南柯一梦》二部曲之如梦，将继续主人翁淳于棼在其蚂蚁王国的梦幻旅程。梦，是明代剧作家汤显祖最为珍爱的主题，在他最伟大的几部作品包括《南柯记》在内，都与梦相关。有东方莎士比亚之誉的汤显祖，对爱情与梦境的浪漫观点与他所处封建时代的思维大相径庭。 TOY肥料厂再次将汤显祖的如歌作品搬上现代戏剧舞台，观众将跟随主人翁淳于棼的脚步入梦蚂蚁王国，开始一场人生的如梦盛宴。在这一段奇幻旅程中，淳于棼赫然发现自己身处在一个超出他想象的梦境里——自己不仅同公主订亲，还被委任为南柯郡太守。然而，在这个看似值得狂欢之际，种种的麻烦与问题正悄悄地酝酿逼近。依旧由吴文德执导的《南柯一梦》之如梦，将继续婉约旖旎之姿演绎那种似乎了悟人生的感触。同时值得期待的是，2020年推出的巅峰完结篇《南柯一梦》之辱梦—— 将带您回归现实世界，触目蓦然一惊，人生倏忽，名利虚无。

AN OVERVIEW OF MING DYNASTY DRAMA: FOCUSING ON TANG XIANZU AND HIS PLAYS Dr Wang Bing (China)

19 May, Sun 11am Living Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 2h, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Talk Amongst the dramatists of the Ming Dynasty, Tang Xianzu is considered the greatest playwright. Highly revered in ancient literary and dramatic traditions, Tang is celebrated especially for his Four Dreams’ plays: The Purple Hairpin, The Peony Pavilion, A Dream under the Southern Bough, and Dream of Handan. This talk will trace the artistic evolution of opera during the Ming Dynasty, while contextualising Tang Xianzu’s several dramatic masterpieces and his achievements within the historical context of his time. 明代戏曲概观：以汤显祖及其剧作为重点有明一代，元杂剧由于南方戏曲形式的盛行而逐渐式微，最终北方刚健明快的音乐让位于南方柔和优美的旋律。南戏和传奇尤其受到知识精英、学者和文人的青睐。除了四大南戏（荆、刘、拜、杀）外，高明的《琵琶记》是第一部赢得文人称赞的南戏杰作。事实上，在明代戏剧家中，汤显祖被认为是最伟大的剧作家，在古代文学史和戏剧传统中备受推崇，特别是他的“临川四梦”传奇：《紫钗记》、《牡丹亭》、《南柯记》和《邯郸记》。本讲座将在描述明代戏曲发展的基础上，回顾汤显祖的几部戏剧杰作及其成就。 Conducted in Mandarin

IMPULSE Varsha (Singapore)

1 & 2 Jun, Sat & Sun 8pm Play Den, Festival House $20* * Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors

1h 30m, no intermission Rating to be advised Performed in English, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi

Music

Come witness virtuosity and joyful music-making with Varsha, an up-and-coming local group who blend their musical roots in the Indian culture with rhythmic music as the foundation for their compelling improvisations. Since their debut in 2014, Varsha has been pushing the boundaries of tradition with its synergy of styles, from jazz, classical Indian and popular Indian music. In this performance, Varsha will premiere new original compositions, along with the group’s arrangements of classic jazz standards. Adding to their unique sound is veteran guitarist Paul Danial and guest saxophonist Tim O’Dwyer. Translating their enthusiasm to audiences, don’t miss this inspiring night of music and improvisation!

ONE DAY WE’LL UNDERSTAND

Sim Chi Yin (Singapore) Moderated by Jason Wee (24 May) and Sam I-Shan (25 May)

24 & 25 May, Fri & Sat 7.30pm Play Den, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg Advisory: Mature Content Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Performance

Talk

One Day We’ll Understand takes photographer Sim Chi Yin’s family history as a point of departure and explores a largely hidden chapter of the Cold War in Southeast Asia, in what is today Malaysia and Singapore. In this performative reading, Nobel Peace Prize photographer for 2017 Chi Yin uncovers the unspoken story of her paternal grandfather, a leftist deported to China during the Malayan Emergency, and who was later executed by the anti-Communist Kuomintang soldiers. As she digs through oral histories and personal archives of a generation of anti-colonial activists, more questions emerge. In this reading, she asks: whose past is it? Whose truth? Whose fragile memories? The reading will be followed by a conversation between Chi Yin and curator Sam I-Shan on her on-going work to archive these counter-narratives of the region.

TICKET HOLDER PRIVILEGES

FLASH YOUR SIFA 2019 TICKET

TO ENJOY SPECIAL DEALS AT OUR PARTNER OUTLETS Bangkok Jam

Kith Café

6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-105B/C, Marina Square, S039594 15% off total bill.

Bras Basah: 51 Bras Basah Rd, #01-03A, Manulife Centre, S189554

Barossa 8 Raffles Avenue, #01-11, Esplanade Mall, S039802 15% off total food bill.

Marina Square: 6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-49, S039594 10% off dine-in ala carte items purchased at KITH CAFÉ (Bras Basah, Marina Square).

Kuro Izakaya 3 Temasek Boulevard, #01-604/605, Suntec City Tower 3, S038983 15% off total food bill.

EMPRESS 1 Empress Place, #01-03, Asian Civilisations Museum, S179555 10% off dine-in ala carte food and drinks purchased at EMPRESS.

OTC Café 100 Victoria Street, #03-01, National Library Building, S188064 15% off food and beverages.

Esplanade Mall Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, 8 Raffles Avenue, S039802 Beware of Pity, ST/LL, Körper and Ryuichi Sakamoto ticket holders are entitled up to 15% savings on dining and shopping at Esplanade Mall on the day of the performance. Visit www.esplanade.com for details.

Privé ACM 1 Empress Place, #01-02, S179555 10% off dine-in ala carte food and drinks purchased at Privé ACM.

House Pour @ Festival House

The Naturally Better Company

The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane, S179429 Chill out and soak in the festival buzz at House Pour. Enjoy special promotions by presenting your SIFA 2019 ticket stub. Visit sifa.sg for details.

9 Raffles Boulevard, #02-46, Millenia Walk, S039596 5%* storewide discount and 20%* discount for 2nd pair of MELISSA shoes.

JW Marriott Singapore South Beach

30 Beach Road S189763 25% off at Beach Road Kitchen and 15% at Akira Back.

* Discount not applicable on selected nett-priced brands and promotional items.

The NCO Club 32 Beach Road, S189764 15% off à la carte food and beverage (Madame Fan, Cool Cats, Fish Pool, Stags’ Room).

For more Festival deals, visit sifa.sg. Terms & Conditions Unless otherwise stated, all promotions are valid from 16 May till 2 June, Sunday. Not applicable with other promotions, discounts, vouchers and offers by credit or privilege cards. Ticket stubs presented must be in its original condition and e-tickets must be shown via electronic devices clearly. Management reserves the right to amend any promotional terms and conditions without prior notice. Merchants’ terms and conditions apply.

GisĂ¨le Vienne

CROWD (France)

Programme Partner:

1 & 2 Jun Sat & Sun, 8pm Victoria Theatre $40*, $60 * Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors Limited student tickets at $10 1h 30m, no intermission Rating to be advised

Dance

Theatre

Crowd is choreographer-director Gisèle Vienne’s deep dive into the dark side within us. Inspired by the techno rave scene of 1990s Berlin, 15 dancers create temporal distortions, alternate realities and dreamscapes, exposing the core of our “inner selves”. With a background in music, puppetry, philosophy and the visual arts, Gisèle Vienne is recognised for her unique theatrical language that melds a fine arts sensitivity with a cinematic eye. In Crowd, Vienne unleashes the cathartic power of the stage and draws you irresistibly into its scenes of visual anarchy. Lifting the curtain on the everyday identities of 15 young revellers at an open-field party, Vienne lays bare their individual and collective emotions to confront us with the buried side of their inner narratives. Driven by a mesmerising electronic dance music selection including techno anthems spanning from Underground Resistance to Jeff Mills, the uncanny movements of bodies, together with rhythmic distortions and optical effects, plays tricks with the viewer and makes our linear perception of time stand still. Don’t miss this hypnotic work — at once an intoxicating musical outing, a visual feast, and a searing dissection of the violence at the heart of the modern human condition.

Photo by Barbara Braun/MuTphoto

ASIAN DRAMATURGS’ NETWORK CONFERENCE 2019:

DRAMATURGY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

25 & 26 May, Sat & Sun Various sessions between 9am – 6pm Blue Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg

Conference Dramaturgs work with choices and actions — the ones made by a creative team working on a performance, and their own in relation to how they intend to play their role(s), and what they hope to achieve. To act with purpose and meaning, dramaturgs must be deeply interested in the human condition, using their knowledge, experience and relationships with performance and artists to produce particular affects and effects. Dramaturgy and the Human Condition engage with key questions for the dramaturg in Asia in an increasingly complex world in need of critical action and speech. Over two days, dramaturgs, artmakers and observers from the region explore performance-making in relation to crucial concerns about being human, raising possible frameworks for responding to change and choice from an Asian perspective. Visit www.asiandramaturgs.com for Conference schedules and Speakers’ profiles.

Co-Presented by

Organised by

Arts Republic (Singapore)

16 May â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 Jun, Thu â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sun Various Timings House Pour, Festival House Free For dates and timings of the post-show discussions, please visit sifa.sg

Discussion Have you fallen in love with a work of art, only to find yourself wanting to extend the experience by sharing it with others? Plunge: New Ways to Talk about Theatre is an exciting platform bringing people together to share their post-show musings from SIFA 2019 in a casual and fun setting. Designed to be a cross between a review discussion and post-show discussions, mingle and chat with fellow art-lovers at these informal sessions. Join us in a series of conversations about various performance to share your perceptions and interpretations with others.

PRODUCING ART & TECHNOLOGY

THE YCAM MODEL Akiko Takeshita & Clarence Ng (Japan & Singapore)

22 May, Wed 7.30pm Blue Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h 30m, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Talk

Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM] is an innovative producing arts centre in Japan that has been at the forefront of exploring collaborative projects where media technology, science, and arts, education and community intersect. In this session, Producer Akiko Takeshita and Project Manager Clarence Ng will give an introduction to YCAM and share their experience on the YCAM production process where professionals from multi-disciplinary fields are dynamically integrated for various output.

BUTâ&#x20AC;ŚIS IT DANCE? Moderated by Melissa Quek 1 Jun, Sat 11am Living Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h 30min, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Panel

What is dance, and do we need to define it? In response to the ongoing debate surrounding dance in Singapore, a group of panellists from different backgrounds, training and cultural perspectives grapple with defining dance today. Through a moderated dialogue session, locallybased artists Edith Podesta, Soultari Amin Farid and Susan Sentler will share diverse viewpoints on the question: what is dance? In doing so, the panellists challenge the cultural relevance of defining dance, and invite possibilities of exploring new questions within the topic of dance.

10 - 20 May, Daily, Our Tampines Hub 23 May - 2 Jun, Daily, The Plaza, National Library Building Mondays - Fridays 1pm - 4pm 5.30 - 8.30pm Saturday 12pm - 2pm 3.30pm - 5.30pm 7pm - 9pm Sunday 11am - 2pm 3.30pm - 6.30pm Free Multi-Disciplinary Installation

Photo by Teackele Soepboer

Spend a dreamy afternoon with De Relaxerette, a charming revolving installation conceived by Dutch artist Arjan Kruidhof. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re invited to lie down, grab your headphones and close your eyes, as you sink into this magical merry-goround of hammocks. As you spin, listen to a collection of sounds and stories, and soak in the riveting rush of words by Dutch and Singaporean storytellers, narrated in English. Plan your perfect escape with De Relaxerette as we take you away, for just a moment, from this overflowing world.

Arjan Kruidhof and Explore-the-North

DE RELAXERETTE (The Netherlands)

10 May – 2 Jun, Daily 4pm – 9pm The Plaza, National Library Building Free Dance

Installation

We Can Dance invites Singaporeans to transform their city walls into a collective dance! This large-scale interactive installation, by Canadian artists Daily tous les jours, was inspired by an earlier creation called McLarena and explores the principle of a “canon” where performers reproduce in regular intervals parts of a song or choreography. With original choreography created in collaboration with local dancers, ScRach MarcS, for SIFA 2019, bring your dance moves and get animated in this free-to-public imitation game! Step into the recording booth and record your dance following the original choreography, or the previous participant’s interpretation of it; then watch a giant, dynamic version of yourself join the troupe of We Can “Dancers”, projected on the walls of the National Library Plaza. Based in Montreal, Daily tous les jours is an interaction design and art studio, creating large-scale collective experiences in public spaces since 2010.

Programme Partner:

Daily tous les jours, featuring ScRach MarcS

WE CAN DANCE (Canada/Singapore)

Photo By Martine Doyon

FESTIVAL CLOSING CONCERT

WITH SINGAPORE SYMPHONYORCHESTRA Conducted by Joshua Tan Featuring Elena Wang, Julia Abueva and Sean Ghazi

Venue Partner:

Joshua Tan

Elena Wang

Julia Abueva

Sean Ghazi

2 Jun, Sun 6pm Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage, Singapore Botanic Gardens Free 1h 15m, no intermission Concert-goers are advised to take public transport to the venue.

Music

Perfect for families, young and old, join us for this free concert at the Singapore Botanic Gardens in a celebratory closing to SIFA 2019. The concert welcomes back to Singapore leading musical stars Elena Wang, Julia Abueva and Sean Ghazi – vocalists who have made their mark in Singapore’s theatre scene and also on the international circuit – to perform some of your favourite musical tunes, accompanied by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by Joshua Tan, the awardwinning conductor brings his extensive experience conducting symphonic, operatic and ballet works with renowned orchestras around the world to this rousing concert. The winner of Elle Magazine’s Breakout Star of the Year, Elena has performed in musicals such as Miss Saigon, The King and I and Bastard Jones, and has lighted up Singapore’s stage as ‘Ivy’ in Beauty World. Julia Abueva returns home from New York, fresh from playing a lead role in two critically-acclaimed off-Broadway musicals, Superhero. Other formidable experiences include performing as the opening act for the 23rd South East Asian Games and a guest artist for David Foster as well as TV and film work. The lead singer of Malaysian big band Tarakucha, Sean Ghazi’s musical career has taken him from London’s West End, to films such as C.O.G, to the concert circuit performing alongside Pink Martini and the Seattle Symphony. Regionally, he has played the title role of P. Ramlee in P. Ramlee – The Musical, and in Singapore, A Twist of Fate and La Cage Aux Folles for which he received a Life Theatre Award nomination in 2018. Selected songs that will be performed include Overture to West Side Story, I’d Give My Life for You (Miss. Saigon), Somebody to Love (We Will Rock You), and Fried Rice Paradise.

SINGULAR SCREENS Curated by Asian Film Archive

18 May - 2 Jun Various timings Screening Room, Festival House and Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore Film Tickets at $12 | Bundle of 3 different films at $30* TBA

TBA

SOUTHEAST ASIAN PREMIERE

DEMONS (Singapore)

Daniel Hui / 2018 /83 min English, Mandarin with English Subtitles 18 May, Sat 8pm Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore 26 May, Sun 2pm Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore

TBA

SINGAPORE PREMIERE

TEMPORARY VISA (Singapore, Bosnia Herzegovina) Ghazi Alqudcy / 2018 /123min English, Bosnian with English Subtitles 19 May, Sun 5pm Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore 25 May, Sat 2pm Screening room – Festival House

TBA

SOUTHEAST ASIAN PREMIERE

NAKORN-SAWAN (Thailand)

Puangsoi Akornsawang / 2018 / 76 min Thai with English Subtitles 20 May, Mon 2pm Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore

TBA

Burak Cevik / 2019 / 73 min Turkish with English Subtitles 1 Jun, Sat 2pm Screening room – Festival House

Malene Choi Jensen / 2018 / 87 min Danish, English, Korean with English Subtitles 18 May, Sat 5pm Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore

TBA

SOUTHEAST ASIAN PREMIERE

BELONGING (Turkey)

SINGAPORE PREMIERE

THE RETURN (Denmark, South Korea)

SOUTHEAST ASIAN PREMIERE

LIGHT + YOUR FACE (Taiwan)

Tsai Ming-Liang / 2018 / 18 min & 77 min Mandarin with English Subtitles 2 Jun, Sun 5pm Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore

Singular Screens, the film programme curated by the Asian Film Archive (AFA) for Singapore International Festival of Arts 2019 (SIFA), features an international selection of Singapore premieres celebrating independent and singular visions from Singapore and around the world.

TBA

Valuing the ingenious and the risk-taking in cinema, Singular Screens is diverse in representation and bold in putting together its palette of cinematic adventures. Screenings will be held at the Screening Room at SIFA’s Festival House and Oldham Theatre.

TBA

SOUTHEAST ASIAN PREMIERE

THE DEAD AND THE OTHERS (Brazil, Portugal)

João Salaviza & Renée Nader Messora / 2018 / 114 min Krahô, Portugese with English Subtitles 20 May, Mon 5pm Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore

TBA

SINGAPORE PREMIERE

BALANGIGA: HOWLING WILDERNESS (Philippines)

Khavn / 2018/ 116 min Waray with English Subtitles 24 May, Fri 8pm Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore

TBA

SOUTHEAST ASIAN PREMIERE

PRESENT.PERFECT. (USA, Hong Kong)

Zhu Shengze / 2019 / 124 min Mandarin & other Chinese regional dialects with English Subtitles 25 May, Sat 5pm Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore 29 May, Wed 8pm Screening room – Festival House

TBA

Hajooj Kuka / 2018 / 78 min Arabic with English Subtitles 22 May, Mon 8pm Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore

TBA

SOUTHEAST ASIAN PREMIERE

BLACK MOTHER (USA)

SOUTHEAST ASIAN PREMIERE

aKasha (Sudan, South Africa, Qatar, Germany)

Khalik Allah / 2018 / 77 min English with Subtitles 31 May, Fri 8pm Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore

SINGAPORE PREMIERE

DIAMANTINO (Portugal, France, Brazil)

Gabriel Abrantes & Daniel Schmidt / 2018 / 92 min Portugese with English Subtitles 25 May, Sat 8pm Oldham Theatre, National Archives of Singapore 31 May, Fri 8pm Screening room – Festival House

For full film line-up, visit sifa.sg

TALKING ABOUT THREE SISTERS Nelson Chia / Nine Years Theatre (Singapore)

SIFA 2020 Festival Commission

25 May, Sat 5pm Living Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Talk

In the style of Nine Years Theatre’s (NYT) signature Drink and Talk sessions – a casual dialogue with the audience over drinks – Artistic Director Nelson Chia will talk about NYT’s long working relationship with the SITI Company of New York. In particular, Chia will discuss how the two companies met, their training and creative processes, and their decision to embark on a work together, to adapt Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters. Audiences will get an insight into the conception of Talking about Three Sisters – to be presented at SIFA 2020 – and what embarking on a collaboration crossing language, cultures, geographical space and generations mean to both companies.

A LEGEND REIMAGINED

Chong Tze Chien / The Finger Players (Singapore)

SIFA 2020 Festival Commission

25 May, Sat 11am Living Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h, no intermission

Over the past year, Director/Playwright Chong Tze Chien of The Finger Players has been working on Oiwa â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a new work commissioned by SIFA in 2020. This new and original work is a reimagining of a classic Japanese ghost story and features a team of collaborators from Japan and Singapore. In this sharing session, Tze Chien will talk about the rehearsal process, staging devices and demonstrate staging and puppetry concepts which the creative team is exploring. Join us to discover what goes into the making of a Finger Players production.

Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Talk

Photo by Tuckys Photography

ANTICIPATING

THE YEAR OF NO RETURN: AN INSIGHT INTO THE CREATIVE PROCESS The Necessary Stage (Singapore)

SIFA 2020 Festival Commission

1 Jun, Sat 4pm Living Room, Festival House Free

with registration at sifa.sg 1h, no intermission Patrons are advised to be seated 15 minutes before the programme begins. Unclaimed seats may be given away to walk-in patrons.

Talk

Get a glimpse into the creative process and research behind The Necessary Stage’s The Year of No Return, a Festival Commission for SIFA 2020. Co-written by Haresh Sharma and Rody Vera, and directed by Alvin Tan, the interdisciplinary production is an Asian collaboration featuring artists from Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and The Philippines. Failure to curb carbon emissions by 2020 will mean we cannot keep global warming below 2°C—the threshold that represents the point of no return. In this presentation, Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma of The Necessary Stage, along with actor Siti Khalijah Zainal will share their creative processes for The Year of No Return, as well as provide a peek into the narratives beyond the science of climate change that may be explored in the work.

Photo by The Pond Photography

TICKETING

BOOK NOW! Tickets are available via Online Booking at sifa.sg, at all SISTIC Outlets, and Phone Booking (+65 6348 5555).

Early Bird Savings

20% off ticket purchases*

Applicable to Cat 1 and/or Cat 2 tickets.

Till 25 Mar 2019

Students (with a valid student pass) are entitled to a special rate of $10 for front row seats at selected programmes. Limited tickets available at SISTIC Outlets.

$10 Front Row Student Special (selected programmes)

Package of 5

25% off ticket purchases*

Till 2 Jun 2019

Valid with purchase of 5 or more different SIFA programmes.

Package of 3

15% off ticket purchases*

Valid with purchase of 3 or 4 different SIFA programmes.

(From 26 Mar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 Jun 2019)

*Applicable for selected programmes only.

Concessions SIFA offers 20% off ticket purchases to local and international students, NSFs, and seniors aged 55 and above (Applicable to selected ticket categories).

Tote Board Arts Grant

For selected programmes approved by the Tote Board Arts Grants, government schools may enjoy subsidies up to 50% of the ticket price. Applicable for Secondary Schools, Junior Colleges, Centralised Institute and Institute of Technical Educations (ITE) levels. Special Education Schools may use the Tote Board Arts Grant to subsidise up to 70% of the programme cost. For more details on school bookings or Tote Board Arts Grant, please email sifa@artshouse.sg

Corporate Bookings For corporate and group bookings of 25 tickets and more, please contact sifacorporatebookings@artshouse.sg

All information is correct at the time of print. Every reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information within, hence, Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) cannot accept responsibility for errors and/or omissions however caused. Every effort has been made to identify copyright holders. We deeply regret that if, despite our concerted efforts, any copyright holders have been overlooked or omitted. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or the official policy and position of SIFA and their related corporations. Any reproduction, retransmission, republication, or other use of all or part of this publication is expressly prohibited, unless prior written permission has been granted by SIFA or the appropriate copyright owner. SIFA reserves the right to make changes and modifications to the programme without prior notice. For updates, please visit our website at sifa.sg.

MY SIFA CHECKLIST PROGRAMME

PAGE

16 May THU

17 May FRI

18 May SAT

19 May SUN

20 May MON

8pm

7pm & 10pm

8pm

3pm

21 May TUE

22 May WED

7.30pm

8pm

PERFORMANCES 100 Keyboards Gallery ll, Festival House

A Dream Under The Southern Bough: Reverie Drama Centre Theatre

Bedtime Stories Meeting Point: The Plaza, National Library Building

Beware of Pity Esplanade Theatre

Bill Frisell Trio ft. Rudy Royston & Thomas Morgan Victoria Theatre

Crowd Victoria Theatre

Dionysus Victoria Theatre

Displaced Persons' Welcome Dinner Victoria Theatre

Festival Closing Concert Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage, Singapore Botanic Gardens

Frogman SOTA Studio Theatre

Impulse by Varsha Play Den, Festival House

Körper Esplanade Theatre One Day We'll Understand Play Den, Festival House

8pm

3pm & 8pm

Oreste by Ifigenia Chamber, Festival House

36 17

Ryuichi Sakamoto - Fragments with Shiro Takatani Esplanade Theatre

ST/LL Esplanade Theatre

VR_I Play Den

7.30pm

Peter and the Wolf KC Arts Centre - Home of SRT

The Mysterious Lai Teck SOTA Drama Theatre

7.30pm

8pm

10am & 3pm

8pm

5pm & 8pm

10am & 3pm

TALKS, DISCUSSIONS & CONFERENCE A Legend Reimagined Living Room, Festival House

Anticipating the Year of No Return Living Room, Festival House

An Overview of Ming Dynasty Drama: Focusing on Tang Xianzu and his Plays Living Room, Festival House

Asian Dramaturgs’ Network by Centre 42 Blue Room, Festival House

But...Is it Dance? Living Room Culture, Theatre, Body: The Works of Suzuki Tadashi Living Room, Festival House

11am

60 8

Critics Live: A post-show response to Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner Living Room, Festival House

Hierarchy-free Work Ethic: What it means to be a collective Blue Room

From Traditional to Contemporary A Producer's Insight Blue Room, Festival House

In Conversation with Ryuichi Sakamoto SOTA Concert Hall

In Conversation with Bill Frisell Living Room, Festival House

In Conversation with Ho Tzu Nyen Blue Room, Festival House

In Conversation with Sasha Waltz Blue Room, Festival House

In Conversation with Shiro Takatani Living Room, Festival House

In Conversation with Tadashi Suzuki Blue Room, Festival House

Plunge: New Ways to Talk about Theatre House Pour, Festival House

Producing Art & Technology - The YCAM Model Blue Room, Festival House

Sound - A Mutual Tuning Living Room, Festival House

Suzuki Method of Actor Training Workshop Blue Room

Talking about Three Sisters Living Room, Festival House

1.30pm

6pm 11am

2pm

4.30pm

7.30pm 4pm 10am

INSTALLATIONS 100 Keyboards Gallery ll, Festival House

De Relaxerette Tampines Hub, The Plaza

The Nameless & The Name Gallery II, Festival House

We Can Dance The Plaza, National Library Building

Various timings 10 May – 20 May, Various timings

FILMS

Bill Frisell: A Portrait Screening Room, Festival House

Shiro Takatani: Between Nature and Technology Screening Room, Festival House

Singular Screens Festival House & National Archives of Singapore

3pm

FREE 23 May THU

7.30pm

24 May FRI

7.30pm

The Arts House will be transformed into Festival House during SIFA. For latest programme updates, please visit sifa.sg. 25 May SAT

7.30pm

26 May SUN

27 May MON

28 May TUE

29 May WED

30 May THU

31 May FRI

1 Jun SAT

2 Jun SUN

8pm

3pm

8pm

7.30pm

8pm

3pm

8pm

2pm & 8pm

1pm

6pm 8pm

8pm 8pm 7.30pm

8pm

7.30pm 8pm

5pm

8pm 8pm

8pm

Various timings

11am 4pm

9am

9am 11am

10pm

7.30pm 7.30pm

2pm 2pm

Various timings

5pm

Various timings Daily, 10am – 10pm 10 May – 2 Jun  Daily, 4pm – 9pm

7.30pm

18 May – 2 Jun, Various timings

* All information is correct at time of print. Schedule subject to change without prior notice.

Photo by Jan Westerhof

Singapore International Festival of Arts 2019 Festival Guide

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