Following the announcement that live performances can resume at designated venues with up to two zones for a maximum of 50 audiences each, major arts houses in Singapore are planning their highly anticipated comeback – and the wait for Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) is finally over.
The arts festival is taking centre stage IRL in December with three nights of double-bill jazz concerts, the world premiere of social media personality mrbrown's internet-turned-theatre show, and sonic sessions with electronic artists Zul and Planeswalker – just in time for Christmas. This marks the festival's physical return since its small-scale pilot performance of Poetry Under the Southern Bough by Toy Factory Productions, which rolled out in early October as part of a pilot scheme by the National Arts Council.
Initially scheduled to run in May, SIFA took a digital turn when theatres went dark during the circuit breaker. Under the banner of SIFA v2.020, special live-streamed performances, workshops, and talks led by theatre directors and artists are presented online to give home audiences their fix. But all that is turning into a reality now that theatre is making – albeit slowly – its return to the stage.
From December 17 to 19, jazz lovers can delight in the sweet sounds of Alemay Fernandez, Aaron James Lee, and Richard Jackson, among others, as they perform Christmas tunes, jazz classics, and even audience dedications.
If you're a fan of internet sensation mrbrown, see the podcast reimagined for the stage on Christmas and Boxing Day. It's set to feature new material from his upcoming music album, as well as acclaimed poet Marc Nair, and fellow blogger Mr. Miyagi.
Otherwise, journey through the unique soundscapes of sonic wizards Planeswalker and Zul Mahmoud in two unconventional, intimate music sessions. The sessions will also be live-streamed on Sistic Live, with weish of local indietronica duo .gif showcasing a sound session.
The live shows are set to perform at three different venues including the Victoria Theatre, KC Arts Centre, and Goodman Arts Centre Black Box, respectively. Safety measures including check-ins with SafeEntry, temperature screening, and safe-distancing will be observed across all three performance spaces. There will also be no intermission. For more information including ticket purchase, visit sifa.sg.