Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts
I was at the opening of the Chinese Festival of Arts last Friday on 27 January 2012 and there were a host of interesting events. I was able to attend some of the activities and find that they are very well organised.
For example, at one of the events, Outdoor Sing-along 大家齐欢唱, the attendees were totally being entertained with their favourite nostalgic tunes and sang along heartedly with the singers from TCR Music Station. The atmosphere was incredible as the Outdoor Theatre was fully packed and everyone were immersed in the entertaining atmosphere provided by the Chinese Festival of Arts.
3 Interesting Children Programmes
Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts begins the year celebrating Courage and there are children programmes highlighting the theme. As these programmes are conducted in Mandarin, it encourages the children to learn Chinese and Chinese culture in an entertaining way. Here I recommended three programmes cater for the younger audiences and for the family.
1)The Baby Panda
"No, no, no!" says Baby Panda to his mother, as he pushes his bamboo shoots away and runs off to the forest to play.
Baby Panda thinks he is always right, but when he meets with danger and obstacles in the forest, is he able to humble himself and pluck up the courage to get himself out of trouble?
Specially written for the 2–4 year olds, The Baby Panda brings children on a journey into the forest to learn about respect and courage through an interactive story filled with music and interesting characters!
An original production by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, presented as part of PLAYtime! in 2011.
(45mins, no intermission. Performed in Mandarin)
When: 2 & 3 Feb 2012, Thu & Fri
Time: 9.30am, 11am & 4pm
Venue: Esplanade, Recital Studio.
MRT: City Hall or Esplanade MRT station
Admission: $15. School Special: $10 (for school bookings of 10 students or more)
2) Mulan – The Legendary Heroine - An interactive storyhouse performance
《木兰传奇》— 亲子流动故事屋
Let’s charge — for here comes Mulan! Let’s charge — and ride forth on military horses to beat off all invaders!
This is Mulan — one of the most beloved heroines from ancient China. Our young friends must find this strange: Shouldn’t boys be the ones going to war on their steeds? Don’t soldiers devise war tactics and charge forward? Why is a girl unafraid of battle?
Keep all of these questions in mind as we journey into the glorious adventures of the courageous Mulan!
Following an exciting storytelling session, it’s time for our young friends and their parents to experience the life of the legendary Mulan! Recreate her village, make your own “armour” and “weapons”, and learn to devise your own shadow puppet performance in a series of fun-filled activities. Participants will also get to bring home their handiwork!
My Village (Props Creation)
What would the village that Mulan lived in look like? Give free rein to your boundless imagination as we start to draw and get hands-on. Learn to create simple props and backdrops as we bring Mulan’s village to life.
Protect My Country (Character Role-play)
Do you wish to protect your country just as Mulan did? Then we need to fully prepare ourselves first! Not to worry, we can use environmentally friendly materials to create all kinds of outfits, “armour”, “shields”, “weapons” and more. Once ready, we can venture onto the battlefield together with our fellow “Mulan”, “General”s and “Soldier”s!
Army Camp Under The Stars (Shadow Puppetry)
What would Mulan’s army camp look like late at night and what would you find inside their tents? You will be guided to devise your own shadow plays where you get to perform exciting stories from inside a tent!
(1hr 30mins, no intermission. Conducted in Mandarin)
When: 4 & 5 Feb 2012, Sat & Sun
Time: 9.30am, 11am & 4pm
(Meet at Esplanade Theatre Studio entrance, Level 4, 15mins before start time)
Venue: Esplanade, Recital Studio.
MRT: City Hall or Esplanade MRT station
Admission: Adult-Child Pair: $28* (Tickets must be purchased as an adult-child pair. Children aged 5–8. Adults aged 16 and above)
3) Melodies of Classic Virtues: San Zi Jing and Di Zi Gui 贤文雅韵之《三字经》与《弟子规》
by Singapore Chinese Orchestra (Singapore / China)
Experience classic Chinese texts in a completely new way through elegant Chinese classical music as the Singapore Chinese Orchestra performs specially composed modern musical interpretations of the San Zi Jing (Three Character Classic) and Di Zi Gui (Standards for being a Good Student and Child).
These two classic Chinese texts have traditionally been used to educate young people. The San Zi Jing covers a wide range of topics including ethical and moral values and served as a child’s first formal education at home. The Di Zi Gui, based on the teachings of Confucius, is regarded as an essential text for moral education and has been widely used across generations.
Conducted by Maestro Tsung Yeh, this concert features original music written by famous Chinese composer Xu Jian Qiang, melodious voices of the Victoria Junior College and Tanjong Katong Secondary School choirs, students from the Hong Wen School and Nanyang Primary School, as well as vocalist Yu Ji Xing. Professor Qian Wen Zhong, a renowned scholar from China and host of the popular Lecture Room television series, provides an added dimension to the performance with his narration and interesting anecdotes and stories.
(1hr 30mins, including 20min intermission. Performed in Mandarin)
Co-produced by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay and Singapore Chinese Orchestra
When: 4 Feb 2012, Sat
Time: 7.30pm
(Meet at Esplanade Theatre Studio entrance, Level 4, 15mins before start time)
Venue: Esplanade, Concert Hall
MRT: City Hall or Esplanade MRT station
Admission: $38*, $48, $68
Limited concessions for students, NSF & senior citizens: $27
Matinee (For Schools Only)
When: 4 Feb 2012, Sat
Time: 2.30pm
(Meet at Esplanade Theatre Studio entrance, Level 4, 15mins before start time)
Venue: Esplanade, Concert Hall
MRT: City Hall or Esplanade MRT station
Admission:$18.
Available for school group bookings of 10 and above only, through Esplanade Box Office. Contact us at 6828 8389 or email: boxoffice@esplanade.com
Source and photos: Esplanade
