SINGAPORE, May 6 (Xinhua) -- From uncovering lesser-known Singapore legends and myths in an interactive performance, learning about the heritage behind a daily cup of coffee, discovering Singapore's thriving Chinese comic art industry, or even picking up a circus trick or two from the local community circus -- these are some of the key highlights of an upcoming festival to celebrate Singapore Chinese culture.
Presented by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC), the Cultural Extravaganza 2019 returns for its third edition and will run from May 24 to June 15 this year, as it was known here Monday in a press conference.
Held over three weeks, the festival will showcase a line-up of programs featuring performances by local arts and cultural groups, exhibitions, workshops, talks, creative markets and more.
The Cultural Extravaganza 2019 will kick off with a musical performance Memoirs of Nanyang by Siong Leng Musical Association. Centering around a story of an immigrant in Nanyang who grapples with a constant longing for home, the musical will infuse traditional Nanyin music with Malay cultural music and Mandarin pop tunes.
The festival will also see the return of a hallmark of Singapore's early entertainment scene, such as Wayang (a Malay word which commonly refers to Chinese street opera) and circus acts. Ground Z-0 Street Theatre, an up-and-coming theatre collective, will explore lesser known legends and myths of Singapore with an interactive retro game show.
The public will also be treated to a visual spectacle of juggling acts, diabolo spinning (Chinese yo-yo) and aerial performances put up by Bornfire, Singapore's very own community circus. Likewise in the past, Singapore's amusement parks would see spectacular circus acts by local performing troupes.
Visitors are treated to an auditory feast of concerts which aim to showcase different perspectives to Chinese music, ranging from Chinese chorale music, classic and contemporary wind percussion pieces, golden oldies that celebrate Peranakan (which generally refers to people of mixed Chinese and Malay or Indonesian heritage) culture, as well as jazz renditions of well-loved Chinese melodies.
Numerous markets, talks and workshops are also available to help people gain a richer and deeper understanding of Singapore Chinese culture.
For instance, visitors can visit a special exhibition which traces how Chinese wedding traditions of different dialect groups have evolved over the years, participate in a Peranakan beading and tile coloring workshop, create miniature clay art pieces of local biscuits and even try their hand at being a percussion artist.
The extravaganza will culminate in the grand finale of the Sing Lang Concert 2019 on June 15. Held at the Singapore Sports Hub, the free concert is a showcase of Singaporean artistes who have made waves overseas, as well as the next generation of artistes in the local Chinese music scene.
SCCC Chief Executive Low Sze Wee said "Through Cultural Extravaganza 2019, we hope to cast a spotlight on the many ways in which our evolving local Chinese culture has influenced our social practices, language, music and other art forms."
The Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre aims to nurture and promote Singapore Chinese culture, and to foster mutual understanding among all ethnic communities of Singapore's multi-cultural heritage. It was completed in December 2016 and officiated by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on May 19, 2017.
