This year, Singapore’s largest international contemporary visual arts exhibition will surprise and awe with a selection of works revolving around the theme of Wonder. With exhibits at various locations around the island, including historic buildings and outdoor public spaces, this event provides opportunities for interaction and collaboration among diverse audiences.

www.singaporebiennale.org

Be enchanted by the works of acclaimed German artist Hans Mendler who expresses himself in a language of colours, surfaces and lines through his paintings. Hans Mendler follows his artistic instinct with the use of colour that for him embodies both spatial and atmospheric dimensions. The act of painting then becomes one of the internalisation and self-reflection for the painter.

Mendler’s works concentrate on the use of colour, enhancing it by layering, to produce an orchestral brightness of rich creations using unconventional canvas surfaces and materials.

www.thecoffeeconnoisseur.com
www.singaporesunfestival.com

Wartime bandleader Betty is in a predicament. Every time the Blonde Bombshells, the most glamorous swing band in the North of England, play an American G.I. camp, they lose members! Four of her girls have gone AWOL, and with an important BBC radio engagement in the offing, Betty needs to find new musicians – and fast!

Among those who turn up to the hastily organized auditions are naïve schoolgirl Liz who plays a mean clarinet; Miranda, an upper crust saxophonist; singing nun Lily, and Patrick, a male drummer prepared to don a dress in order to avoid a drafting. With her motley line-up complete, Betty and the band prepare to dodge Hitler’s bombs and make the dangerous journey to far-flung Hull, the BBC and potential fame and fortune.

Alan Plater’s original play “The Last of The Blonde Bombshells” starred Judi Dench and won a prestigious BAFTA award. This warm and witty musical version of the play is filled with glorious, live swing band performances of 40s jazz classics.

Packed with toe-tapping classics by Fats Waller, The Andrew Sisters, Ella Fitzgerald, Glenn Miller and many more, including Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree, Goodbyee and T’aint What You Do, Until the Real Thing Comes Along – drive away the blues with this hilarious musical play!

The Independent - “Delightful, the audience went wild, knock-out concert in the second half”

The Times – “A mixture of nostalgia, can-do spirit and Forties hits … get ready to swing”

Daily Telegraph – “An absolute blast … go see and enjoy”

www.britishtheatreplayhouse.com

Featuring the Singapore Lyric Opera Children's Choir and the debut of Singapore Lyric Opera Youth Choir.

A concert in honour of Mother Earth and the environment! Celebrate the splendor of Mother Earth with the Singapore Lyric Opera Children’s Choir and enjoy songs of nature and the beauty of all the little things around us.

“Rafael Alexandre Lustchevsky, the internationally acclaimed Polish pianist achieved world rank by winning the prestigious Dinu Lapatti Competition in Bucharest. Lustchevsky, who has been aplauded for his intelligence, passion and thrilling technique, makes one feel, says James Galway, that he is ‘playing for you especially’.” 

 “The Cape of Great Events”, Cape Town & the Western Cape, South Africa, September 20, 2004

"The harmony of musical poetry" performed by Raphael A.Lustchevsky

"Nice surprise and charm – these are the words to describe remarkable capacities of the Polish pianist Raphael A. Lustchevsky who represents the Polish piano school blending well both the classical and contemporary style. His talent and highly individual interpretations revealed the spirit of the music of the past and current times, showing great sense of diversity and esthetics in performing the works of different character and style. This particular charm which the artist cajoled the public with, during his concert organized jointly by the Syrian Ministy of Culture and the Polish Embassy at Al-Assad Hall in Damascus, was greeted with an enthusiastic response from the public."

„Al-Baas”, Damascus, Syria, 29.09.2003.

Expect the best, funniest and most successful German films made in the past two years! Political thrillers, light romances and historical dramas, desperate singles and stubborn wives, former beauty queens and war heroes: the exciting 2008 selection of films will make you reflect, laugh and cry!

As a special treat, the 12th German Film Festival proudly presents the Frank Beyer Retrospective featuring some of the most outstanding films made by this famous German director in the past four decades - including one that has been rated the best German film ever made!

So be part of this exciting event!

Tickets at S$10 (S$9* for members of Goethe-Institut, students, senior citizens and NSF)
The Cathay Cineplex, Level 1 & 5

Visit www.cathay.com.sg/GFF08 for more details on the screening schedule.

A Caribbean & Jazz Vocal Fest!

ANDAYOMA….Elegant, Sensual, Soulful

‘The unique French Caribbean living soul of Singapore ‘

After performing in smaller venues throughout Malaysia and Singapore, Andayoma is now ready to make a Splash at the Esplanade! She has chosen the warm intimate setting of the Recital Studio to be at one with her audience. Born in Paris with French Guianan heritage, she will be accompanied by the Singapore band, "The Alter_Natives."

Experience & Move to the rhythm of the French Caribbean music ’Zouk’. Travel with Andayoma as she shares her soul and world of giving, warmth and sensuality with her ‘Love in Translation ‘Jazz and Caribbean repertoire. Discover a few original songs written and sung by Andayoma herself.

Most of all be ready to lose control of your body as the music gets to you!

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"The Future of Imagination", a time based, performance art event was first held at the Substation on 6 December 2003. Since then, it is still the one and only local performance art event organised by artists. The event features renowned international and local performance artists. The aim is to promote the visibility of the practice of performance art and time-based art.

This year, we would like to continue efforts to encourage a committed discourse by holding workshops, a forum and a catalogue publication based on the writings and documentation of previous year's event. In addition to the presentation of live performances we would like to have some workshops to be conducted by some of the invited artists before or during the event. This is part of our desire to enhance awareness as well as to make comparative studies between the different practices of performance artists.

Hungary has produced many virtuoso pianists, but arguably none since Franz Liszt have exhibited the star potential of Adam Gyorgy. Gyorgy's virtuosity and his sensitive interpretations have won him critical acclaim and built him a fan base worldwide.

Following his successful performances at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall and Zankel Hall, he continues to tour the world, delighting audiences in the United States, Europe and South East Asia with his virtuosity, his charm, and his improvisations on well known melodies, all of which invite comparisons to the incomparable Franz Liszt. He has been invited back again to play at Carnegie's Stern Auditorium, in 2 Nov 2008.

TCM Examinations Centre, in collaboration with Embassy of the Republic of Hungary in Singapore are proud to present Adam Gyorgy, Steinway Artist, piano recital at Victoria Concert Hall.

Adam Gyorgy will also be presenting a master class and a lecture on piano technique at the Arts House. For more information, visit www.adamgyorgy.com/vch , www.tgexams.com or email: info@tgexams.com  

Seventy - five years ago, Alvar Aalto, Finland's most celebrated architect, created STOOL 60. Today, the stackable stool is still in production and has become a design classic.

The innovative and strong L-leg construction of STOOL 60 is based on the technique of bending solid birch wood, a technique innovated and refined by Alvar Aalto in 1933. This exceptional technique was further developed by other great designers like Eero Saarinen and Charles Eames, who made mouldable furniture affordable to the masses after WWII. These examples can be seen at the WEAPONS OF MASS DESIRE exhibition, currently on until 4 January 2009.

Part 1 of two concerts France-Anglo @ Esplanade presented by The Flute Studio, French Music features 4 distinguish musicians graduated from Paris. These alumni will perform music for flute, oboe and two pianos by French composers such as Dutilleux, Enesco, Faure, Gaubert, Martin, Milhaud and Poulenc.

Flutist Tiong Eng Goh is a pioneer and well known flutist in Singapore. His recordings are being played regularly on radio. Oboist Audi Goh is an active performer in the local scene with an impressive 1st Prize from Paris. Established accompanists and chamber musicians, Low Shao Suan and Shao Ying are highly sought-after performers.

This concert also commemorates the 100th anniversary of the death of French flutist Paul Taffanel. Founder of the renowned French school of flute playing, he passed away on the 22nd of November 1908. All the famous flute pieces in this concert were written and dedicated to him.

Roland Tchakounte is living proof that the blues knows no boundaries. Blending American blues with African traditions sung in the Bamileke dialect, Roland draws his inspiration for this fusion of sounds from two mythical composers: John Lee Hooker and Ali Farka Toure. Unlike other aspiring blues players so keen on mimicking their idols that they lose their own identity in the process, Roland Tchakounte confirms his by telling his own story and in the process, delivers a unique and mesmerising bluesy sound.

Roland has honed his delivery of blues from playing at various festivals such as the renowned Festival International de Jazz de Montreal (Montreal Jazz Festival), Cognac Blues Festival in France, recognised as one of the leading European festivals for Afro-American music and the Chicago Blues Festival.

On route to the highly acclaimed Jak Jazz (Jakarta International Jazz Festival), Roland Tchakounte's performance in Singapore is made possible with the support of the French Embassy. Mick Ravassat and Mathias Bernheim join him on guitar and percussions respectively as a trio.