The Singapore International Festival Of Arts (SIFA) may seem a little deep for us average folk to understand at a glance. But the music, colourful visuals, and experiences shared during the live performances are sure to transcend the “language” barrier even for those of us who don’t consider ourselves the artsy-fartsy type.
From 19th May to 4th June 2023, here are some of the acts you can come to expect from SIFA 2023.
With this arts festival, don’t expect regular performances. The artists tell their stories through various mediums like dance, interactive theatre, and digital visuals.
This year’s festival concept aims to provoke deeper thinking regarding the variety of experiences that each of us goes through and how they shape us as individuals.
Image credit: Brian Gothong Tan
Angel Island is a one-act music theatre performance that retells the story of the Chinese immigrants moving to America between 1910 and 1940. For Singaporeans, it’s an important reminder on maintaining racial harmony in our society today – just like the music, which melds together Chinese folk music and Western sounds.
Book tickets for Angel Island.
Admission: From $48
Date & time: 19th May 2023, 8pm | 20th May 2023, 3pm & 8pm
Address: 8 Raffles Avenue, Singtel Waterfront Theatre at Esplanade, Singapore 039802
Image credit: Sougwen
The collaboration between humans and robots is a hot topic, especially with bots like ChatGPT that have emerged. Realm of Silk explores this concept through the metamorphosing process of the silkworm into a moth. The beauty of this natural process represents how humans have evolved and adapted after collaborating with technology.
The combination of live music from Singaporean cellist Leslie Tan and the incorporation of tech for stunning visual effects will make for an engaging experience.
Book tickets for Realm of Silk.
Admission: From $38
Date & time: 20th May 2023, 3pm & 8pm
Address: 9 Empress Place, Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall, Singapore 179556
Image credit: Lona Foote
Those who love tales of introspection and self-growth will appreciate Me, You, Then, Now. The artist takes us through her life journey expressed through dance, videos and monologues. Watch Muna Tseng build her identity, from her youth having moved to New York City to the present where the culmination of her life experiences is reflected in her performances.
There’ll even be a post-show talk by the artist herself on 27th May for you to learn more about her after being captivated by her story and dance.
Book tickets for Me, You, Then, Now.
Admission: $38
Date & time: 27th May 2023, 8pm
Address: 9 Empress Place, Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall, Singapore 179556
Some of us might already be used to clowning around, but nothing like the circus act Human 2.0. The acrobatics by Australian circus troupe Circa celebrates our journey on the road to recovery after the pandemic. Just like the fiery spirit displayed by Singaporeans who queued up for bubble tea when essential businesses reopened, celebrate the strength and resilience of humanity with this circus act.
Book tickets for Human 2.0.
Admission: From $38
Date & time: 3rd Jun 2023, 8pm | 4th Jun 2023, 3pm
Address: Esplanade Theatre, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981
When we hear theatre, we’re reminded of a specific ill-fated couple from feuding families or a certain French youth who stole bread. Theatre today however has evolved – breaking the fourth wall and including the audience as participants are just some of the rules that are now thrown out the window. This is especially so for the performances you can find during SIFA 2023.
Image credit: @stamfordartscentresg via Instagram
This performance hits close to home – the memories of navigating through the maze of school life as youths are quite vivid for most of us. Well, if you don’t remember much then this participatory performance titled The School might jog those memories.
In this performance, you’re not just part of the audience but you’ll be taking part as a student, fully equipped with a school uniform. Join the rest of your “classmates” to get through school life that’s familiar yet foreign. There’ll be several assemblies, group projects and unexpected assignments, so come prepared to get the brain juices flowing.
Book tickets for The School.
Admission: $48
Date & time: 30th May – 4th Jun 2023, 7pm
Address: 155 Waterloo Street, Stamford Arts Centre, Singapore 187962
For homebodies, if going to a festival or watching a performance in person may not be your cup of tea, you can still check out SIFA’s digital platform Life Profusion to view their many digital programmes.
Image credit: @mojokoworld via Instagram
Privacy is a curation of art from 8 different artists that deal with various mediums such as animation, film, and illustration. These artists hail from across the globe and share their take on data privacy through their artwork. If data privacy isn’t a topic you’re familiar with, this is definitely the gallery for you to learn more about the topic.
SIFA 2023 is your chance to take a step into the world of the arts scene – you might just discover a new interest. Or just take it as a fun activity to do over the weekend with friends, there’s no hard and fast rule to enjoying the many performances.
This post was brought to you by Arts House Limited.
Cover image adapted from: SIFA SG & Lona Foote
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