15 Years of Dreams from The Red Chamber

This was the last performance for me in 2014, and the first concert at the revamped Victoria Concert Hall.  Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the City Chinese Orchestra restaged its popular programme Dreams from the Red Chamber to a full house audience.

The concert featured the music and songs featured in the hit TV series of the same title composed by Wang Li Ping (王立平). Music Director and Conductor Tay Teow Kiat (郑朝吉) led a well rehearsed orchestra. Vocalist Cui Rui interpreted the songs well whereas the chorus seemed the weaker section.

There was a segment where Wang shared with the audience his inspiration and challenges of his composition.  While it was included initially to make up for the short performance time, it had become a welcoming feature and we got to know the creator better.

It was a good Chinese orchestra concert.  And based on the applause given, the audience, some of them repeated, enjoyed the music offering.

CATS returns to Singapore

CATS, one of the most successful musicals of all time, is returning to Singapore and performing at the MasterCard Theatres, Marina Bay Sands from 9 January 2015.

Based on the T.S. Eliot's “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats”, CATS tells the imaginative tale of a tribe of Jellicle Cats (Rum Tum Tugger, Mr. Mistoffelees, Jennyanydots, Old Deuteronomy, Grizabella and Skimbleshanks). as they gather together for the annual Jellicle Ball, and one by one tell their stories for the amusement of Old Deuteronomy, who must choose one of the Cats to journey to the Heaviside Layer to be reborn into a new life.

The show features a musical score composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, known for other works such as The Phantom of the Opera, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita and Starlight Express.  Most of us would know the song “Memory” featured in this hit musical.   Together with a fantastical oversized set, inspired choreography and mischievous costumes, CATS is a brilliant song and dance spectacular not to be missed.

Seen by over 70 million people world-wide, CATS first opened in London in May 1981 to rave reviews and went on to win a record-breaking number of awards internationally including two Olivier Awards for ‘Musical of the Year’ and ‘Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Musicals’, and seven Tony Awards.  It holds the record for one of the longest-running musicals in West End history playing for 21 years.  In addition CATS played 18 years on Broadway and has been presented in over twenty-six countries, in about three hundred cities, in fourteen languages.

PERFORMANCE TIMES:
Tuesday – Friday 8:00pm;
Saturday: 2:00pm and 8:00pm
Sunday: 1:00pm and 6.00pm

TICKET PRICE:
From $65* through to $195
* Excludes the booking fee of SGD$3 per ticket

BOOKINGS:
THROUGH INTERNET: www.BASEentertainmentasia.com, www.BASEentertainmentasia.com or www.sistic.com.sg

BY PHONE:   +65 6688 8826