Ramayana, aerial arts and Intergalactic Dreams at this month's Singapore Night Festival
This year’s event lineup comprises 16 light artworks and more than 40 performances, and will cast a spotlight on regional folklore and traditions.
Fuerza Bruta's immersive theatre show. (Photo: Fuerza Bruta)
The Singapore Night Festival (SNF) returns for its 12th edition and this year, the event will incorporate regional twists to commemorate the Singapore Bicentennial.
The festival is set to transform the Bras Basah.Bugis district into an arts and cultural oasis from Aug 23 to 31, with the curtain-raiser starting tomorrow (Aug 8) at the National Museum of Singapore.
There will be more than 40 performances as well as 16 light artworks as part of Night Lights, with installations and projections cast onto familiar facades.
Said festival director, Angelita Teo, “SNF is 12 years old and many of our festival-goers have grown along with us on our festival journey. Year on year, they have come to expect new experiences that transform the Bras Basah.Bugis district, challenging them to see these spaces in a new light.”
One such space is The National Museum of Singapore’s Banyan tree, which will be the backdrop of a projection called The Legend Of Ramayana by French group Spectaculaires, inspired by the Indian epic poem. This will be complemented by a gamelan performance by local group Gamelan Asmaradana, from Aug 29 to 31, retelling the story of the Ramayana through traditional Javanese tembang or poetry.
For a child-friendly Ramayana experience, head to the Festival Village at Dhoby Ghaut Green for Sita’s Magical Forest, which follows Prince Rama’s wife Sita as she encounters the animals of the magical forest.
But first, the festival kicks off with the curtain-raiser: Three installations that will open to the public tomorrow at the National Museum of Singapore. Among them is the three-part Intergalactic Dreams by Singaporean artist Jahan Loh, which explores the theme of climate change through alternative homes in an imagined future where Earth is no longer hospitable.
While entry to the festival is free, there will also be ticketed events such as the headlining immersive theatre show from Argentinian troupe Fuerza Bruta. The show, which encompasses aerial acts and suspended “stages”, has already been performed to more than 6m spectators around the world.
The Singapore Night Festival runs from Aug 23 to 31. Entry is free, though some programmes are ticketed. Tickets to the shows are available from Sistic at a special price of S$12 until Aug 9. For more information, go to nightfestival.sg.
