Heritage will collide with cutting-edge technology and art for two weekends straight as a part of Singapore’s River Nights festival, which celebrates the country’s ever-shifting relationship with its namesake Singapore River. One of the organizers of the festival likened the relationship between the nation and its river to a gorgeous, dreamlike affair. As the modern architecture and skyscrapers in Singapore continue to go up, the nighttime lights of these buildings are reflected in the river below, creating the illusion of a dual world and identity for Singapore.
This year’s River Nights event, which spans two consecutive weekends, will feature exciting art displays and performances sure to ignite the interests of the majority of visitors.
One performance scheduled will be the first time in world history that a Japanese Noh theater production has incorporated 3-D technology into a show. Viewers of the spectacle will all receive 3-D glasses attached to a Noh mask to wear during the performance so they can thoroughly enjoy all of the subtle additions to the traditional art form.
A Singaporean poet composed text for a special sound art display. The display takes place in a specially designed theater in the round — only the audience is the one sitting in the center of the circle. Arranged near the newly refurbished Victoria Theatre, stages ring the audience, who sits in the center to enjoy being surrounded by sound. The display itself is interesting, as the poet himself considers it incomplete. Unique instruments such as a traditional Chinese stringed lute, as well as a didgeridoo that most people will readily associate with Australian culture, will create a special soundscape while singers and speakers will recite poetry relating to the river. The poet says that the audience will be required to participate, using their imaginations and own personal experiences with the river to complete the performance.
Other performances include Singaporean talent, as well as a special collaboration between an American dance company and a renowned American technological institution. The two entities teamed up to create 100 light-up umbrellas with various settings that are designed with a choreographed performance in mind. Students from a Singaporean school of higher education will be wielding the umbrellas in this particular performance, and will be sure to dazzle the audience with their moves, lights, and coordination.
Do you have something in your life — a vacation, a series of memories, or perhaps just a certain feeling about a dear friend or family member — that you would like to examine and preserve? Think about taking an art class to learn about all the creative ways you can commemorate your memories and display them in a more accessible and permanent fashion. Visit SGArtClass.com to investigate all of the various art classes you can enroll in — from photography art, scrapbook art, and many more.
To read more about all the various art on display at the River Nights festival, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/return-of-river-nights.
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