New waterfront theatre, free exhibitions & affordable concert tickets at Esplanade from now till end of year

I’m an arts person through and through.

Since the easing of Covid-19 restrictions in Singapore, I’ve been actively searching for festivals and live performances I can attend after a near two-year hiatus.

If you’re just like me, or if you’re just looking for something to do with your friends and family in the coming weeks, look no further.

Esplanade, Singapore’s national performing arts centre, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

As part of its celebrations, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay is having a slew of events and offerings from now till the end of the year.

Here are the key happenings you might want to take note of:

Free exhibitions/programmes

Dancing with Light

As part of Esplanade’s “In New Light – A Season of Commissions”, you can enjoy a series of exhibitions and installations at Esplanade’s public spaces.

From now till Oct. 30, the walls of the Esplanade Courtyard will come alive with a projection titled, “Dancing with Light”.

The projection showcases the human body as a site of energy, struggle, and transcendence.

Admission for the show is free, and the projection will start at either 7:30pm or 8pm.

More information can be found here.

Lights On: The Story of Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Over at the Esplanade Concourse, you can enjoy “Lights On”, an exhibition and audio tour of insider stories about Esplanade’s development and the evolution of its public spaces, told by the decision makers, cultural workers, and artists themselves.

The exhibition will be showcased all day and admission is free too.

More information can be found here.

Home Grooves

Another exhibition you can visit at the Esplanade Concourse is “Home Grooves”.

It is an exhibition that documents the evolution of the live music scene and its pivotal role in pop culture, as well as the careers of notable bands and musicians.

The exhibition will include archival photographs, interviews and physical memorabilia such as musical instruments, albums and costumes.

“Home Grooves” will be showcased all day and admission is— that’s right— free.

More information can be found here.

Building Dreams

Esplanade has launched its new multi-format Singtel Waterfront Theatre.

To celebrate its new launch, you can experience the “Building Dreams” photo exhibition for free at the new waterfront theatre.

This photo exhibition goes behind-the-scenes to take a glimpse at the people who built the new theatre amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Building Dreams” will be showcased all day.

More information can be found here.

Pop-aholic

Music lovers, here’s an event you should take note of.

From now till Oct. 31, enjoy free live performances from various musicians as they bring pop, rock and other music genres to life.

The full list of performances can be found here.

Other performances

Esplanade’s “In New Light” will also offer a bunch of different arts programmes and shows.

Daybreak

At 7:30pm on Oct. 21, experience “Daybreak”, a concert performed by an ensemble of musicians from the Singapore Chinese Orchestra.

The concert explores three Chinese mythological figures—Pan Gu (盘古), who separated heaven and earth, Nu Wa (女媧), who created humankind, and Huang Di (黃帝), who brought the world from savagery to civilisation.

“Daybreak” will take place at the Esplanade Concert Hall, with tickets starting from S$30.

More information can be found here.

Dragon Ladies Don't Weep

Classical music artist Margaret Leng Tan is returning to Esplanade on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22.

Making her debut in the new Singtel Waterfront Theatre, Tan will be performing “Dragon Ladies Don't Weep”.

Tickets are priced from S$36.

More information can be found here.

Other programmes have also been slated for the month of November and December, including “Illuminations”, “Kingdoms Apart”, “Stream of Memory”, and “RATA”.

The full list of arts programmes under “In New Light” can be found here.

da:ns festival

If you’re a dance lover, here’s something that’s right up your alley.

From now till Oct. 23, Esplanade will be having the da:ns festival.

The festival will feature dance performances from artists around the world.

Full list of all the events happening at the festival can be found here.

Tours

Garden Tour

If you have any kids or young siblings, here’s an activity for them.

With Esplanade’s interactive “Garden Tour”, children can discover the diverse ecosystem in the Forecourt Garden and soak in the beauty of some nature-inspired sculptures.

The tour is priced at S$12 per person, with a minimum group size of 10 people per tour.

A minimum charge of S$120 is applicable for groups with less than 10 people.

More information on the tour can be found here.

When Stars Align: Guided tours

For Esplanade&Me U26 members, you can enjoy the “When Stars Align” guided tours, which are inspired by the horoscope elements of fire, earth, air and water.

This tour, which is available from now till December 2022, is only for Esplanade&Me U26 members, with admission costing S$35 per person.

More information can be found here.

Mall offerings

Besides the events and happenings at Esplanade, you can also enjoy some deals at Esplanade Mall.

Esplanade&Me members can get S$20 off with a minimum expenditure of S$40 on Esplanade Mall online.

For non-members, you can get S$10 off with a minimum spend of S$40.

These offers will only be available from now till Nov. 30.

If you’re not a member, you can join for free here.

This sponsored article by Esplanade made the writer fall in love with the arts all over again.

All images via Esplanade, unless otherwise stated.