Life in Singapore wouldn’t be the same without local food such as chicken rice, roti prata and Nanyang breakfast – and to help our little ones appreciate what we enjoy here every day, the stories behind these favourite dishes are brought to life in the latest concert for young people by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO): Voyage to Nanyang 3 – Food Paradise. Whether you’re new to Singapore, or are born and bred on the Little Red Dot, one thing’s for sure: what makes the city so vibrant is its amazing food culture. But you’ve never seen Singapore’s renowned food scene celebrated like this…
Famed for its blockbuster productions and essential role in preserving Chinese culture, the SCO returns with its latest performance for kids in its popular Voyage to Nanyang Concert Series.
Following the story of Ah De (played by Singapore Chinese Orchestra’s Resident Conductor, Mr Quek Ling Kiong), the first instalment, Voyages to Nanyang 1: Tunes of Old Streets, saw him sharing stories of his journey to Nanyang (Singapore) and his gradual adoption of this land as his new home. Through music and lively skits, audiences were brought on an exciting tour of Chinatown’s famous streets and landmarks.
The subsequent edition, Voyage to Nanyang 2: Mesmerising Street Opera, had Ah De taking audiences on a heritage trail through local street operas, with the aid of Paper Monkey Theatre’s delightful puppetry.
This time, Ah De returns with stories of our food paradise, in a world premiere performance that portrays the power of food in creating a sense of belonging. Together with his newfound friend, Jing Suka (played by local actor, Sugie Phua), audiences are invited on a foodie journey where they’ll follow the history trail of hawkers, learn about local cuisine and get a taste for the huge variety of spices used in Singaporean dishes – all to the lively music of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra!
Innovative musical performances include Qian Zhao Xi’s Tableware Beats, which involves the SCO performing music with cutlery, and Simon Kong Su Leong’s piece, Izpirazione II – Rambutan and Durian, a musical interpretation of these unmistakable local fruits. One particular highlight is the world premiere performance of Singapore: A Gourmet Paradise, an instrumental piece composed by Eric Watson that translates mouth-watering Hainanese chicken rice, Nanyang breakfast and roti prata into sound! These exciting musical performances help young audiences to get to know the stories behind these everyday favourites and appreciate just how rich our country’s heritage is.
Created for children seven years old and above, the concert’s beautiful musical arrangements will cultivate your child’s interest in Chinese culture and orchestral music – you’re never too young to appreciate the arts! In conjunction with the concert, a special pre-concert activity will take place at the Singapore Conference Hall, where kids can use their sense of smell to explore some of the commonly used spices in local cuisine. Tickets for Voyage to Nanyang 3: Food Paradise can be purchased via SISTIC.
Sense of Smell Exhibition:
Saturday, 7 November; 1.30pm and 4pm
Singapore Conference Hall, Level 1, 7 Shenton Way, Singapore 068810
Young People’s Concert: Voyage to Nanyang 3 – Food Paradise
Friday, 6 November; 10.30am
Saturday, 7 November; 2.30pm and 5pm
Singapore Chinese Orchestra Concert Hall, 7 Shenton Way, Singapore 068810
Don’t forget, if you loved the first two series of Voyage to Nanyang, DVDs are available to buy at this concert!
This post is sponsored by Singapore Chinese Orchestra.