Known for his unique vision of the human figure, Alberto Giacometti has been helmed alongside the masters of European art history. The Swiss sculptor who was also known for his association with movements such as the Surrealists and the Existentialists of modern Paris has often been cited to redefine the boundaries of sculptural forms and practices. This exhibition which showcases his drawings, sculptures and selected works from his Paris Sans Fin lithographs, also includes a special section of photographs of the artist at work by Ernst Scheidegger, eminent Swiss photographer and friend of Giacometti.

In Seeing.Feeling.Being , we explore Giacometti’s unique gaze and representations of man and his world in postwar Europe and enter the artist’s world of the contraries of reality as witnessed and experienced, amidst the ambition and anxiety for the absolute.

www.singart.com


Venue: Singapore Art Museum, 71 Bras Basah Road
Time: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily
Ticket Prices: $8 (adults), $4 (students / senior citizens)
Ticket Bookings : Purchase at Museum Front Desk
Presenter: Singapore Art Museum, Alberto Giacometti Foundation, Embassy of Switzerland, Credit Suisse

This delightful one-of-a-kind exhibition is guaranteed to enthrall all children!

Conceived by the world-renowned Da Ponte Institute and ZOOM Children’s Museum, this award-winning exhibition invites children to playfully explore 11 themed rooms to discover the differences and similarities of everyday living in the 18th century and present time.

Young visitors are encouraged to relate to the young Mozart, identify with him and to compare themselves to him: What was Mozart actually like as a kid? What games did he play and why did he travel so much?

A wonderfully enjoyable and educational experience for both children and parents, not to be missed !

www.nationalmuseum.sg

This year the 18th European Union Film Festival line-up features 21 acclaimed new films, award-winners, national hits and international successes from 17 countries. Showcasing the diversity, dynamism and accomplishments of European cinematography, these films promise an entertaining and stimulating evening out at the movies.

Click here to view the brochure

More than 100 photo classes from 19 countries competed for first place in the Epson Art Photo Award 2006. An authoritative jury of professionals (Andreas Gursky, Rupert Pfab, Ingrid Rollema, Tim Sommer  and Thomas Weski) evaluated the several thousand submissions that were received for the Epson Art Photo Award 2006. As a result of the particularly stringent competition rules – for example, group submissions must have a minimum of 5 individuals – the members of the jury noticed a further improvement in the standard of photography that year in comparison to the high standards already established with the previous year’s award. According to Andreas Gursky, “A very exciting element is the very different approaches with which this generation of photographers is working. The level this year is even higher than it was the first time around.”

The best photographic works from the 2006 competition is on exhibit at the Goethe-Institut Singapore until 31 May 2008.

www.goethe.de/singapore

Jacques Brel is Alive & Well & Living in Paris is based on the songs of the late Belgian songwriter and poet Jacques Brel, translated into English by Mort Shuman and the poet Eric Blau. The original revue opened in 1968 in New York and played for 4 years with nearly 2000 performances! The latest revival in 2006 off Broadway has received several award nominations.

For this Singapore performance, French director Nathalie Ribette (of No Regrets, A Tribute to Edith Piaf fame) has handpicked the "crème de la crème” of Singapore-based artists: Emma Yong (Dim Sum Dollies), Leigh McDonald (Forbidden City), George Chan (Celebrity Judge in The Dance Floor) and Tony McGill (Head of Musical Theatre at Lasalle – College of the Arts).

Accompanied by a five-piece live band, these actors/singers will take you on a musical journey of ballads, tangos, boleros, rock and classics.

www.singtheatre.com

This exhibition which opens on 7 May at 6.30 p.m. showcases the prints of Emilio Salgari’s book covers and illustrations.

Emilio Salgari, the 19th-century writer of action adventure swashbucklers and a pioneer of science fiction in Italy, wrote more than 200 adventure stories and novels, many of which are considered classics. Setting his tales in exotic locations, with heroes from a wide variety of cultures, he used his powerful imagination to bring the wonders of the world to the doorstep of generations of readers.

In conjunction with the 18th European Union Film Festival, come meet writer and filmmaker Jean-Philippe Toussaint in this exclusive session at Kinokuniya Singapore Main Store, Crossroads, as he speaks about his works and inspirations.

Find out more about the man, the writer and his works. Critically-acclaimed and award-winning author Jean-Philippe Toussaint shares insights into his works which are marked by a clear style and sense of absurdity and strangeness that reviewers term a “certain existential emptiness.”

www.ambafrance-sg.org

Venue: Library@ Esplanade, 8 Raffles Avenue, #03-01
Time: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Ticket Price: Free admission
Presenter: French Embassy, Belgium Embassy, Cathay, Alliance Française, Kinokuniya, National Library Board

WingTai Holdings proudly presents together with STPI the first ever exhibition of French modern master Henri Matisse (b. France, 1869-1954). Supported by the French Embassy, this exhibition comprises 52 prints, three drawings and one painting dated 1917. This rare collection which is valued at €2.5 million (est. S$5 million) comes directly from the estate of Matisse.

This exhibition of rare and fine portraitures exemplifies the artist’s relentless study of the female form and his fascination with Oriental inspired interiors and textiles. In these works, Matisse conveys the sensuality of the bare female form not through erotic detail but in the simplicity of his drawings. These simplified forms become one with their surroundings (as in the Orientalist odalisque portrayals), at the same time serving the interests of an artistic experiment in form and composition. These works highlight the virtuosity of Matisse, where the restrained handling of lines clearly embodies the spirit of the artist.

www.stpi.com.sg

This Italian television mini-series, famous in the 1970s not only in Italy but also abroad, captures the scope and flavour of the first and best books of the Sandokan saga written by Emilio Salgari.

It has pirates, tiger hunts, intrigue, escapes, loyalty, treachery, and, of course, a great romance. The acclaimed Indian actor Kabir Bedi plays Sandokan, the pirate of Malaysia who opposed the British regime during the Victorian era.

Venue: Library @ Esplanade, 8 Raffles Avenue, #03-01
Time: 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Ticket Prices: Free admission
Presenter: National Library Board and Italian Cultural Institute

1928, as Paris was enjoying “Les Années Folles” and welcoming many Argentinian Tango Orchestras from Buenos Aires, Berlin was exploding with creativity with numerous dance-orchestras. At that time, in both cities, any dance-café had its own band, and fun was a must!

80 years later, let our Swing Orchestra, under German conductor, Volker Hartung, and with the beautiful soprano, Astrid Defauw, take you on a delightful musical journey, where famous tunes, such as “Sous les toits de Paris”, “Da Capo” from Georges Boulanger, some beautiful tangos “La Cumparsita”,  Marlene Dietrich’s  “Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuss auf Liebe eingestellt”, and “Orient-Express” will lead you back to the old-fashioned charm of the crazy years !

Venue: Jubilee Hall, Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Road
Time: 8 p.m.
Ticket Prices: $50, $45, $38, $30, $18
Ticket Bookings: GATECRASH 6222 5595 or www.gatecrash.com.sg
Presenter: World’s Talents Pte. Ltd

Continuing with the adventures of Sandokan written by Emilio Salgari, these episodes from the Italian television mini-series captures the drama, romance and intrigues of the famous pirate, Sandokan, who opposed the British regime during the Victorian era.

www.golibrary.nlb.gov.sg

Venue: Library @ Esplanade, 8 Raffles Avenue, #03-01
Time: 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Ticket Prices: Free admission
Presenter: National Library Board and Italian Cultural Institute

Giobbe Giobbe is a puppet show performed by Massimo Godoli with three comic characters: Sandrone, Fagiolino and Arlecchino.

Sandrone is not very clever and worried about having no customers at his restaurant. Arlecchino decides to take advantage of the situation to have some fun at Sandrone’s expense. But Fagiolino feels sorry for Sandrone and decides to teach Arlecchino a lesson!

www.golibrary.nlb.gov.sg


Venue: Woodlands Regional Library, level 1, progamme zone
Time: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Ticket Prices: Free admission
Presenter: National Library Board and Italian Cultural Institute

Everyone knows there are monsters hiding in your walls and cupboards, including poor little William.  As he hides out in his spooky little bedroom attic in Grandpa’s old house, he’s got to convince Grandpa that they’ll have to deal with the big bad beasts together, so he’ll get to sleep at night – but Grandpa has no imagination whatsoever…

London-based theatre group, Tall Stories, brings this favourite bed-time setting to life with its trademark brand of physical theatre, humour and an interactive performance.

www.singaporeartsfest.com

Venue: Drama Centre Black Box, 100 Victoria Street, #05-01 National Library
Time: 11.30 a.m. & 3.30 p.m.
Ticket Prices: $28 (Adult), $22 (Child)
Ticket Bookings: SISTIC 6348 5555 or www.sistic.com.sg
Presenter: Singapore Arts Festival

Little cobbler and prankster Tallina thinks life is all about playing tricks and laughing at others’ misfortunes – until she provokes an unexpected response from one of her victims: There is another way to have fun, after all! Together with her friend Quak, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and learns how to bring joy to the lives of others. 

www.singaporeartsfest.com

Venue: Drama Centre Black Box, 100 Victoria Street, #05-01 National Library
Time: 10 a.m. & 2 p.m.
Ticket Prices: $28 (Adult), $22 (Child)
Ticket Bookings: SISTIC 6348 5555 or www.sistic.com.sg
Presenter: Singapore Arts Festival

The Reluctant Dragon is a story about friendship with people different from ourselves. Be ready for a stirring tale of friendship between a shepherd’s son and a gentle and poetic dragon, who is reluctant to fight and would love nothing better than to be accepted into society.

The Wind in the Willows is a cautionary tale about the dangers of materialism and what it means to be truly happy. This classic, written by Kenneth Grahame in 1908 stars animal characters such as Mole, Mr. Toad and Mr. Badger.

These stories appeal to the young and the young at heart. Both stories deal with themes of multiculturalism, racial harmony, personal roots and a sense of home, and act as perfect educational lessons for the youth of today.

www.singaporeopera.com

Venue: Victoria Theatre, 9 Empress Place
Time: 3.30 p.m. & 7.30 p.m. for all dates
Ticket Prices: $25, $20, $18
Ticket Bookings: SISTIC 6348 5555 or www.sistic.com.sg
Presenter: The Singapore Lyric Opera

Can one walk on the sea? Drive on the river? Acclaimed French street theatre company IIotopie brings Water Fools to Boat Quay.

In a mystical and magical journal, a man travels to Singapore’s popular waterfront, arriving in a sputtering little car. His car breaks down, so he gets out and reads a paper. Meanwhile a passing cyclist sprays water into his face.. and then his head suddenly bursts into flames.

Phantasmagoric and whimsical water creatures loom from the river, as fireworks unfold in an aquatic extravaganza. Giant mechanical sets that turn everyday objects into fantastic machines look set to wow audiences, as they take the man beyond the wildest dreams of his humble car ride into a dazzling opening show at the Singapore Arts Festival.

Supported by the French Embassy.

www.singaporeartsfest.com

Venue: Boat Quay
Time: 7 p.m (23 May), 8 p.m. (24 & 25 May)
Ticket Prices: Free admission
Presenter: Singapore Arts Festival

The savannah comes to Singapore, courtesy of Xirriquiteulateatre Spain, when life-size giraffes start frolicking among the crowds in this choreography of wonder through public space. The gentle puppet-creatures meander through side streets and thoroughfares, recreating a dreamlike safari for all young and old.

Supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain.

Venue: Various. (Details at www.singaporeartsfest.com )
Time: various
Presenter: Singapore Arts Festival

This animated film, based on the bestselling Chilean children’s book of the same title by Luis Sepulveda, was the most expensive Italian cartoon ever made at the time of its release.

This story of a cat entrusted to hatch a seagull’s egg and raise the baby bird, explores fundamental values such as love, solidarity and generosity that both children and adults can learn from.

Venue: Marine Parade Community Library, level 2, activity room
Time: 3 p.m. – 4.30 p.m.
Ticket Prices: Free admission
Presenter: National Library Board and Italian Cultural Institute

Acclaimed by critics and audiences everywhere, The Postman – Il Postino is the record-breaking, Academy Award-winning romantic comedy that delivers heartfelt laughs! Through a relationship between a simple Italian postman and the famous Chilean poet Neruda, this unforgettable comedy proves that passion… with some artful deception… can win the most improbable love!

www.golibrary.nlb.gov.sg

Venue: Library @ Esplanade, 8 Raffles Avenue, #03-01
Time: 3 p.m. – 4.30 p.m.
Ticket Prices: Free admission
Presenter: National Library Board and Italian Cultural Institute

In The Architecture of Silence, choreographer Edward Clug bridges the 200 year gap between seemingly two incompatible music – Mozart’s Requiem KV626, and Requiem For My Friend, by contemporary Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner (famous for his films scores for Polish director Krzystof Kieslowski) - through his monumental sweeping dance work that befits the cycle of eternal life and death.

Beginning with Mozart’s Lacrimosa and ending with Preisner’s Lacrimosa framing the rituals of baptism, purification and transcendence, Clug’s precise, complex, rich and narrative expression of motion mingles with the majestic music into an ode to life.

This would-be water ballet performed to a live choir of 80 singers, 45 dancers and 68 instrumentalists is one of the largest combined musical and dance forces to be ever presented at the Esplanade Theatre.

Venue: Esplanade Theatre, 1 Esplanade Drive
Time: 8 p.m.
Ticket Prices: $130, $110, $95, $75, $55, $35
Ticket Bookings: SISTIC 6348 5555 or www.sistic.com.sg
Presenter: Singapore Arts Festival

For All The Wrong Reasons asks what it means to be stupid. How stupid can one be? How big and sad can be the consequences of stupid behaviour? Can stupidity be seen as a form of intelligence? Six talented performers challenge one another in a raucous end-of-the-pier revue at a place reminiscent of the faded grandeur of a Blackpool-like seaside town. They party, sing and dance, fight and make-up, and roll off discomforting confessional soliloquies as pretend-fairground music plays on the background.

Victoria, a Belgian production platform for experimental theatre, collaborates with Contact Theatre, Manchester’s award-winning company focussing on young adults, to produce this theatre masterpiece that is full of life’s paradoxes and absurdities.

“The success of the piece lies in its mix of emotional openness and ambiguity… spectacularly silly and touchingly simple.” – The Guardian

www.singaporeartsfest.com

Venue: Esplanade Theatre Studio, 1 Esplanade Drive
Time: 8 p.m.
Ticket Price: $38
Ticket Bookings: SISTIC 6348 5555 or www.sistic.com.sg
Presenter: Singapore Arts Festival

This is the tender story of a young orphan Salvatore who, after losing his father in a tragic way, quits school and starts working as a fisherman and a farmer in order to support his little sister and grandmother. A young, idealistic teacher is moved by Salvatore’s struggle. Whilst trying to help him, the two of them become inseparable…

www.golibrary.nlb.gov.sg

Venue: Library @ Esplanade, 8 Raffles Avenue, #03-01
Time: 3 p.m. – 4.30 p.m.
Ticket Prices: Free Admission
Presenter: National Library Board and Italian Cultural Institute

While researching for a film project, Italian director Gianfranco Cabiddu accidentally discovered lost footage of life in Sardinia in the 1930s. This is now vividly re-animated in this collaboration with the celebrated Italian trumpeter Paolo Fresu in Sonos È Memoria.

Music is at the core to this beautiful show. Performed live by a stellar gathering of singers and musicians that embraces the island’s robust tradition – famed Sardinian songstress Elena Ledda, and Concordu ‘e su Rosario, four men steeped in the unique polyphony of the island. With the launeddas, a distant relation of the uilleann pipes providing an expressive and haunting voice, they are joined by an island diaspora led throughout by Fresu’s lyrical trumpet, evoking Miles Davis as much as his native Sardinia.

In this paean to a forgotten island identity, the folk melodies, jazz harmonies and vocal polyphony have given Cabbiddu’s rare film a magical touch, evoking an emotional musical journey that illuminates the pride of a people, its culture and its roots.

Supported by the Italian Cultural Institute.

www.singaporeartsfest.com

Venue: Drama Centre, 100 Victoria Street, 3rd Storey, National Library
Time: 5.30 p.m. (Free film screening), 8 p.m. (Performance)
Ticket Prices: $55, $45, $35, $25
Ticket Bookings: SISTIC 6348 5555 or www.sistic.com.sg
Presenter: Singapore Arts Festival

Responsible for giving dance music a good kick between the legs, Pedro Winter’s (in)famous label was synonymous with the sweet new-rave-indie-disco rock sound before punters even coined the term. Providing the tracks for many a Readyset Glo anthem, they smashed the party when Justice and Busy P performed last May.

Now back with not one, not two but seven label mates - whether its Uffie’s irreverent rap style or Sebastian’s nose bleed now sound, the party loving animals that make up Ed Banger’s crue are like nothing you’ve ever seen, heard or experienced. 

The biggest line up to ever feature in one night at Zouk, it is going to be one record-breaking, history- making event you won’t forget! 

www.edbangerrecords.com
Myspace: www.myspace.com/edbangerrecords

www.zoukclub.com
www.readysetglo.net