Lights On: Recent Episodes
Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
Jendela became Esplanade’s dedicated visual arts exhibition space with some encouragement from celebrated arts educator Joseph NcNally. Get the whole story from Esplanade’s former CEO Benson Puah, and hear from artist Wang Ruobing about how Jendela—and Esplanade’s other visual arts spaces—invites artists and curators to think out of the box.
Before our Theatre Studio came along, Singapore already had a few flexible black box theatres, such as the one at arts centre The Substation. But the Theatre Studio’s scale and technical capabilities helped exploratory productions up their game, says Alvin Tan, the founder and Artistic Director of Singapore theatre company The Necessary Stage.
While designed to showcase music-oriented performances, the intimate Recital Studio also presents unique creative opportunities for other genres. Aravinth Kumarasamy, the Artistic Director of dance company Apsaras Arts, sheds light on how he approaches this space’s distinctive qualities when staging performances here.
The Outdoor Theatre is one of the most vibrant spots not just in Esplanade, but along Marina Bay. Actress Siti Khalijah talks about what this venue means to the up-and-coming performers who often take centre-stage here. Kuik Swee Boon, the founder and Artistic Director of T.H.E Dance Company, also shares more about how the Outdoor Theatre’s Singapore skyline backdrop can add thematic depth to performances here.
Singaporean singer Joanna Dong knows every nook and cranny of Esplanade pretty well, and she says the Roof Terrace is one of her favourite spaces in the centre. Find out what makes this spot special to her, and hear more about her experiences of other unconventional performance spots in Esplanade.
Esplanade played a key role in establishing Singapore as a cultural capital on the global stage, but it was also essential for the centre to be embraced by Singaporeans from all walks of life. Former CEO Benson Puah shares more about why forging this connection with the public was so important, and how this mission kicked off with the conceptualisation of the Opening Festival.
With the premiere of Marco Polo and Princess Blue — A Symphonic Epic at this venue during Esplanade’s 2002 Opening Festival, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) expanded the creative possibilities of Chinese orchestral music. SCO Music Director Tsung Yeh shares more about this milestone moment, his affinity for the Concert Hall, and how Esplanade changed the game for Singapore performing arts.
Though affectionately nicknamed the Durian by Singaporeans today, Esplanade’s cladding of aluminium sunshades was actually supposed to resemble a veil of leaves, and the centre was initially marketed as a lantern in the park. Arts administrator Juliana Lim, who played a key role in the planning and management of what would become Esplanade, and architect Koh Seow Chuan share more about how the design for the centre took shape.
Staging Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress at this venue during Esplanade’s 2002 Opening Festival was a major turning point for the Singapore Repertory Theatre, says its Artistic Director Gaurav Kripalani. Actress Siti Khalijah also describes exactly how it feels to perform to an audience of thousands from this very stage.
Arts administrator Juliana Lim, who headed the planning team for Esplanade from the mid-1980s to early 1990s, shares early milestones such as how Marina Bay beat other locations like Orchard Road to become the site of the proposed national arts centre.
Singapore Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director Gaurav Kripalani gives his views on Esplanade’s contributions to the maturing of the country’s arts ecosystem.
Alvin Tan, the Artistic Director of Singapore theatre company The Necessary Stage, talks about the evolution of the relationship between the arts community and Esplanade.
Singapore singer Joanna Dong talks about how being backstage at Esplanade feels like “a maze” but also like “family”.
The arts centre’s first CEO Benson Puah looks back on his early challenges on the job. This included a mid-1990s clash with Singapore’s drama doyen Kuo Pao Kun over the government’s decision to build the arts centre’s two big venues first, and to postpone the construction of its medium-sized theatres indefinitely.
Esplanade’s former CEO Benson Puah talks about why he held firm against government sceptics in the late 1990s, carving out part of the arts centre’s pre-opening budget for an Outdoor Theatre dedicated to free performances.
Former Esplanade CEO Benson Puah shares how the arts centre built up capabilities for arts programming and technical production that previously didn’t exist in Singapore.
Singapore actress Siti Khalijah gives her take on her favourite backstage space at Esplanade, the Rehearsal Studio, with its full-length windows overlooking Marina Bay.