A Chat with Selena Tan

I spoke to Selena Tan on the phone at the end of a long day of rehearsals, choping a seat at the MBS foodcourt with only 15 minutes to the opening of the dance spectacular Merchants of Bollywood. Soon to appear in her own Deam Aademy's Ting Tong Belles, this one-woman dynamo's presence has graced our TV screens and theatre stage, is impresario of her own act and promoted many well-known personalities from the stage instead of TV. But instead of a diva-CEO persona, I had a rather pleasant conversation with a down-to-earth and straightforward person. Here's what we discussed:

LANXESS-Singapore National Youth Orchestra - Musical Inspirations - 26 Nov 2013

Conductor David Commanday and violinist Max Mandel will lead the Singapore National Youth Orchestra in a series of masterclasses and workshops, culminating in a public performance entitled Musical Inspirations on 26 November 2013 at the Esplanade Concert Hall. On the programme are works by Weber, Stamitz and Brahms.Check out the LANXESS-SNYO Facebook Fanpage for more information and to win tickets!

Synergy in Music - 1 Nov 2013

I was happy to be invited to this closed door concert on 1 November, presented by Russian energy company Gazprom. In order to cultivate diplomacy ties with Singapore, three talented young Russian musicians, violinist Alena Baeva, cellist Alexander Buzlov and clarinettist Valentin Uryupin, were flown in to perform concertos by Mendelssohn, Saint-Saens and Weber, accompanied by young Singaporean musicians and our very own Darrell Ang.

Violinist Alena Baeva

Besides showing off their virtuosity, the three musicians also got to coach our young musicians in a few masterclasses. In addition to sponsoring this concert, Gazprom has also generously donated to Darrell Ang's Young Musicians' Foundation of Singapore and its resident orchestra (which performed here tonight). In partnership with Raffles Institution, it aims to help financially needy young Singaporean musicians with assistance for their studies.

Cellist Alexander Buzlov

The Mad Scene congratulates all performers and presenters for a job well done! Thanks for a lovely concert and providing more opportunities for our Singaporean musicians!

Clarinettist Valentin Uryupin

FreshAir FineArts Festival Singapore 2013

The Luxe Art Museum, located at 6 Handy Road near Dhoby Ghaut station, will be presenting free evenings of chamber music from 17 to 23 November as part of their FreshAir Fine Arts Festival. Part of the programme includes a song recital of Mozart, Schumann and Vaughan Williams by baritone Xiao Chunyuan, as well as Britten folksong arrangements presented by pianist Beatrice Lin and her singers.

Check out http://www.freshair-fine-arts.com/#!evening-concerts/c7ze for more info.

The Merchants of Bollywood in Review

With its English dialogue set among popular Bollywood tunes, The Merchants of Bollywood is a dance spectacular catered for non-Indians who ever wondered what the fuss about Bollywood movies is all about. Exciting traditional and contemporary dance numbers set to the latest tunes, intricate costumes made with buckets of sequins, beads and gold lamé and worn by dozens of hunks and babes, this is a production that goes all out to impress with razzle dazzle.

Much like a typical Bollywood movie, the leads make no pretense that they are miming to songs recorded by other singers. Between numbers there is a touching if predictable plot that traces the history of Bollywood movies, as told through the eyes of a grandfather and his grandaughter, the former a cultivator of traditional values through cinema, and the latter who keeps in trend with our amoralistic times in pursuit of commercial success.

While The Merchants of Bollywood was first seen in Singapore two years ago, it is now updated in many parts with the latest Bollywood hit songs, with brand new dance routines to go with it. This show is worth watching for the top quality of its dancing, its high production values, and its many attractive dancers!

Next up, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express, opening next week!

More pictures on our Facebook Group

More information at http://www.marinabaysands.com/Singapore-Entertainment/Shows/The-Merchants-of-Bollywood

UPDATE: Hawk interviews leading lady Carol Furtado on the MBS stage!

Merchants of Bollywood Showcase at MBS

I was fortunate to have been invited to attend an impromptu showcase of the upcoming Merchant of Bollywood performances at MBS Hotel Lobby 1. Although the duration was short (about 10 minutes), the energy put up by the cast was tremendous. Check out my photos and videos of the event, and get tickets for the full performance running from 5 to 10 November to see more!

http://www.marinabaysands.com/Singapore-Entertainment/Shows/The-Merchants-of-Bollywood/

'Starlight Express' at MBS - 14 to 24 Nov 2013

Premiered after Evita and before Phantom of the Opera, Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1984 rock musical Starlight Express, about the lives and loves of a bunch of train carriages, played out by actors performing entirely on roller skates on a stage made for stunts. While its tunes are not as famous as the composer's other works, it was a hit in its day for being an action-packed multi-sensory experience. Here's more information:

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STARLIGHT EXPRESS Glides into Singapore for the First Time

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock ‘n’ roller-skates musical sensation set to spin audiences at the Mastercard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands.

One of the best-loved, longest-running and most unique musicals in theatrical history - Starlight Express - is set to delight audiences at Marina Bay Sands later this year, direct from its sell-out tour around the UK. A first for Singapore, the show will run at The MasterCard Theatre from 13 November for a strictly limited season. Tickets are now on sale.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock ‘n’ roller-skates sensation is one of his most successful musicals. Light years ahead of the rest, Starlight Express is a futuristic tale about love, rivalry and hope in the face of adversity. The show delivers two hours of speed, energy, 3 dimensional spectacle, daredevil stunts and turbo-charged excitement.

Originally conceived as a cartoon story for his own children, Lloyd Webber’s masterpiece tells the story of a child’s dream, in which toy trains come to life and compete to become the fastest engine in the world, while also competing for the affections of the glamorous coaches with whom they must ‘team-up’ with.

With the entire cast of 28 on roller skates, Starlight Express will amaze audiences with its speed and skill, showcasing extraordinary roller-choreography from the renowned West End choreographer Arlene Phillips. The story hurtles along against a backdrop of high-tech staging, 3 dimensional projection, special effects and a pulsating score. The soundtrack by high-voltage team of Lloyd Webber/David Yazbek draws inspiration from numerous music styles, from rhythm and blues, rock ‘n’ roll, jazz, rap, country and western, and contemporary pop acts.