Presented by Asian Civilisations Museum in conjunction with the Singapore River Festival, River Nights Festival 2015 celebrates the Singapore River’s changing identity – from the heart of Singapore’s early commerce to a colourful, buzzing hub of heritage and nightlife.
In fact, the festival is poised to be even bigger and better this year with night-time extravaganzas involving installations by local and international artists, a colourful façade light show, and a host of live outdoor performances by the historic Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall.
With so much going on, here are the top five favourites that will appeal to families during the festival:
1. DELIGHT BY YVES MOREAUX
With the Asian Civilisations Museum and Singapore River as a backdrop, Yves presents an imaginative, colourful lightshow inspired by the museum’s collection and Singapore’s multicultural heritage. Relax on the lawn and enjoy the captivating show with the scenic Singapore River as your backdrop and be the first to catch his exclusive work for the ACM at River Nights!
Date: 23 - 31 Oct 2015
Time: 7.45pm to 10.45pm (hourly)
Venue: ACM Green
Free for all
2. OCEAN OF FLOWERS BY LI HONGBO
(Open for viewing during museum hours)
Li Hongbo's paper sculptures breathe fresh air into traditional Chinese arts and craft. Li transforms his medium, paper – one of the key inventions of Chinese civilisation – through deconstruction and reassembly. Don’t be fooled by the beautiful landscape of paper sculptures of brightly coloured 'flowers' sprawling across the space. When flattened, they are revealed as weapons such as bullets, handguns, and AK 47’s. Offering a platform to reconsider current ideologies and to rethink the familiar, the work speaks of power, peace, destruction and beauty.
Date: 23 - 31 Oct 2015
Time: 10am - 7pm (Museum Opening Hours)
Venue: Asian Civilisations Museum
Free for all
3. 160 BY PIERRE & JOËL RODIÈRE / TRAFIK, PRODUCTION BY TETRO
160 is an interactive light and sound installation consisting of 160 light bars covering an area of about 60 meters that the public can interact with. Play with the light and sound of 160 light bars to create a visually stimulating and sensory experience. No doubt this will be a hit with the kids!
Date: 23 - 31 Oct 2015
Time: 7pm to 11pm
Venue: ACM River Promenade
Free for all
4. LES VOYAGEURS BY CÉDRIC LE BORGNE
Around the River Promenade, look out for seven installations of human figures sculpted from chicken wire. These installations of larger-than-life human figures invites dreamy wonder. The transparency of the material, when teamed with lighting, imbues these sculptures with a special, ephemeral quality. The artist sees them as a subtle and transient connection between sky and earth, between dream and reality.
Date: 23 - 31 Oct 2015
Time: 7pm to 11pm
Venue: ACM River Promenade
Free for all
5. OPENING WEEKEND PERFORMANCES (23 & 24 OCT 2015)
On Friday, 23 and Saturday, 24 October, special evening performances will be held as part of River Nights’ opening weekend. Notable performances include:
WHITE NOISE BY FRONTIER DANCELAND (23 OCT, 9PM)
Experience contemporary dance under the stars at the lawn outside the historic Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall. Performed by Frontier Danceland, White Noise is about the joints and ruptures in a group; a contagion of physical ideas clicks together and breaks apart. Patterns emerge, are interrupted and subverted. The work is about isolation, intimacy, consequences, and failures. The individual voice heard amongst the collective clatter.
ROVING PERFORMANCE & DRUM CIRCLE BY NADI SINGAPURA (23 & 24 OCT, 7PM)
In a feast of energy and improvisation, Nadi Singapura will parade and perform on Malayan drums and percussion instruments, including the kompang, hadrah, jidur and gong. Visitors can take part in a giant drum circle to share in rhythms and grooves of the region. Nadi Singapura welcomes enthusiasts of all ages, as well as anyone who wishes to participate, to experience this unique vibrant drumming style!
MUSIC, MOVIES & MAGIC BY T’ANG QUARTET (24 OCT, 9PM)
In Music, Movies & Magic the T’ang Quartet will weave an exquisite aural atmosphere around the short, silent film classic, The Haunted House (1921), by Buster Keaton. Silent film music composer Baudime Jam has created original accompaniment that is sure to take you back to a magical time.
SAILING PAST BY JONATHAN LIM (23 & 24 OCT, 8.15PM & 10.15PM)
Bring a comfortable pair of shoes on this unique walking tour of the Singapore River! Returning for a second year at River Nights, visitors reunite with the colourful characters of Sailing Past by Jonathan Lim. Travel back in time with a satay seller and a popular songstress from the river’s past. To you, it is 2015. To them, it is June 1930.
NEW OPERA (23 OCT, 10.30PM)
River Nights closes on Friday with a dazzling repertoire by New Opera, including a rendition in Mandarin of Habanera from the opera Carmen, and other pieces such as Una Furtiva and Les Oiseaux. Making the arts more accessible to the public, New Opera’s performance adds colour to the tribute to the history of Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall.
VOCALUPTUOUS (24 OCT, 10PM)
Spend your Saturday night with a series of eclectic, funky yet nostalgic tunes from Singapore’s premier a cappella group singing classics, from “Selamat Datang ke Singapura” to “Home”, punctuated with the smooth sounds of “Beyond the Sea” and “Sugar”.
ZINGO (24 OCT, 10.30PM)
River Nights closes on Saturday with a heart-thumping ending from local percussion professionals, ZingO, in a festive explosion of energy and colour. “Dream Big, Drum Loud” –the group’s motto permeates the closing performance with ambition and energy that is sure to create a night to remember.
BONUS!
River Nights Festival 2015 is held in conjunction with Singapore River Festival 2015, a free community event celebrating the history and heritage of the Singapore River taking place across Singapore’s Clarke Quay, Boat Quay and Robertson Quay from 23 to 25 October 2015. And if you are down for the festival, you will NOT want to miss its Headline Act - LA FURA DELS BAUS.
Be captivated by breath-taking and immersive performances by famed Spanish theatrical group, La Fura dels Baus. Drawing inspiration from the Singapore River itself, the show will pay tribute to Singapore with a street theatre production that revolves around the country’s transformation and growth.
Among their acts is the group’s hallmark 'Human Net', an aerial display where more than 30 performers will be suspended over the Singapore River using a 220-tonne crane!
Dates: 23 & 24 October 2015
Times: 8pm (First show), 10pm (Second show)
Venue: In front of Riverside Point, Clarke Quay
For more information on other events, visit singaporeriverfestival.sg
Looks like there are plenty of excuses for the kids to stay up late over the next 2 weekends!
Useful Information
River Nights Festival 2015
23 Oct 2015 - 31 Oct 2015
7pm till late (23 & 24 Oct)
Asian Civilisations Museum
Free admission
Website: acm.org.sg/programmes/festivals/river-nights-2015
Download the River Nights 2015 Festival Guide here.
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