As May ushers in the Spring season, a unique and vibrant event is set to unfold. While we may not witness the natural beauty of cherry blossom dances, we are presented with a different kind of spectacle: the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre’s (SCCC), Cultural Extravaganza 2024. This seventh edition of the signature annual arts and cultural event promises a fresh perspective and a new phase of artistic exploration.
Happening from 8 May to 30 June 2024, the theme for this year’s Cultural Extravaganza is “(Re)presenting Our SINGAPO人 Treasures”. This theme is a call to see the world anew through new and fresh interpretations, and to rediscover and celebrate the unique cultural treasures of Singapore’s diverse art forms.
Cultural Extravaganza 2024 will feature an exciting lineup of performances and exhibitions, so here are the big highlights you should check off your list when experiencing the event!
The Pawned Wife
Featuring a blend of traditional Teochew opera and contemporary theatre, The Pawned Wife promises an opera performance like no other. An international award-winning production team and local talents join forces to bring this play to life.
Based on the novel “The Enslaved Mother”, Chinese playwright Luo Huaizhen weaves a tale of a woman married into poverty. As her husband spirals down the cycle of unemployment, drinking and gambling habits, he pawns his wife for one hundred silver coins as a means to afford treatment for their only son, who has recently fallen sick. This poignant and tragic story, brought to life by an international award-winning production team and local talents, is an emotional journey that should not be missed.
Multimedia elements and groundbreaking stage theatrics will follow the gripping plot of The Pawned Wife, inspiring audiences with this twist on Teochew opera.
🗓️Date: 9 to 12 May 2024
📍Location: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Far East Organisation Auditorium, Level 9
💲Price: S$10 (CAT 2), S$20 (CAT 1)
⏰Time:
- 9, 10, 12 May 2024: 3pm
- 11 May: 7.30pm
Tickets for the unique opera experience can be purchased via Ticketmaster!
The Singaporean Composers Series
The TENG Company (TENG) is having its 20th anniversary, and the festivities are being shared with Cultural Extravaganza 2024!
The Singaporean Composers Series is a grand celebration of those 20 years, featuring 10 diverse commissioned works by composers, producers, musicians and filmmakers. This includes works by Cultural Medallion recipient Dr Kelly Tang, Jazz maestro Chok Kerong, National Day Parade 2024 Music Director Bang Wenfu, and 14-year-old musical genius Nathanael Koh.
It is an exceptional showcase spotlighting Singapore’s artistry and diversity, with TENG’s signature East-West fusion of music and instruments at the heart of everything!
🗓️Date: 25 and 26 May 2024
📍Location: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Far East Organisation Auditorium, Level 9
💲Price: S$28 (CAT 2), S$38 (CAT 1)
⏰Time: 7.30pm
Join in the celebrations with TENG by getting your tickets here.
Devoted to Serve
Even today, the role of cartoons remains relevant in our landscape. To celebrate the medium, SCCC is paying tribute to eight local pioneer cartoonists at Cultural Extravaganza 2024 with the Devoted to Serve exhibition.
Follow the lives and cartoons of Ju Chi, Liu Kang, Shamsuddin H Akib, Koeh Sia Yong, Lim Mu Hue, Morgan Chua, Dai Yin Lang, and Kwan Shan Mei—cartoonists who have used their art to adapt to tumultuous periods of political upheaval and changing landscapes. Accompanying their original artworks are works by local illustrator Koh Hong Teng and students from local schools, illustrating (no pun intended!) how interest in cartoons continues to this day.
🗓️Date: 10 May to 2 June 2024
📍Location: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Creative Box, Level 6
💲Price: Free admission
⏰Time: 10am to 8pm
The best part of this? It’s free! So enjoy the cross-generational exhibition while you can! More information about it can be found on the SCCC official website.
Jazz It Up! A Jazzy Celebration of Chinese Songs 2024
There is nothing like soothing jazz to end the week. With that in mind, great news for jazz lovers: It is going to be a jazz extravaganza this May when the fifth edition of Jazz It Up! arrives for Cultural Extravaganza 2024!
Jazz It Up! A Jazzy Celebration of Chinese Songs 2024! brings a mesmerising blend of jazz and timeless Chinese classics. Presented by SCCC and Jazz Association (Singapore), it will be headlined by renowned English and Cantonese pop singer Teresa Carpio, with local Cantonese singer Wysom Wong and singer-songwriter Serene Koong featuring alongside her.
Jazzy renditions of iconic Chinese tunes and modern-classic songs will be performed by Jazz Association Singapore Orchestra (JASSO), with JASS Senior Associate Music Director Weixiang Tan leading them. It promises to be an enchanting night of musical excellence, so be sure not to miss out!
🗓️Date: 18 and 19 May 2024
📍Location: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Far East Organisation Auditorium, Level 9
💲Price: S$48 (CAT 3), S$58 (CAT 2), S$88 (CAT 1)
⏰Time: 7.30pm
Start your jazz journey this May by purchasing tickets on Ticketmaster.
The month of May sees Cultural Extravaganza 2024 begin in earnest, but there is so much more to experience from the event! To see everything that Cultural Extravaganza 2024 has to offer, visit the SCCC official website.
We hope that Cultural Extravaganza opens some fresh new perspectives for the rest of the year!
Cultural Extravaganza 2024
🗓️Date: 8 May to 30 June 2024
📍Location: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre
Visuals courtesy of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and The TENG Company.
