Legends In Motion by The Artists Village 

Go on Legends In Motion, walking tours with a difference over three weekends. The Artists Village, best known as the influential art colony founded by arts pioneer Tang Da Wu in 1988 and now a contemporary arts group, has created a series of unusual site-specific performances and interactive experiences as part of the Singapore Night Festival

Legends In Motion – When The Water Rose, directed by multidisciplinary artist Pat Toh, traces the hidden waterways of Bras Basah. Stroll through the district, experience participatory movement with Veronyka Lau, see fashion by Elden Zachery and sculptures by Natalia Tan. There will also be music by Nasrulhaq Kamsani and Kippy, as well as botanical drinks by Ben Lim of Vagabond Mixology. 

Based on somatic practice and research into fluid movement, this tour invites participants to experience and remember the rhythms and textures of waterways now channelled through hidden infrastructure. 

Interdisciplinary artist Sonia Kwek takes a page from legendary Italian writer Italo Calvino for her 90-minute walking experience. Legends In Motion – invisible city takes participants through the neighbourhood including the former Substation, Peninsula Plaza and Objectifs.

This is an area rich with recent but forgotten art and cultural histories, and director Kwek has brought together eight artists who will each respond to a particular location, creating a varied programme ranging from spoken word and storytelling to performance and movement. Each tour pairs an older artist with a younger practitioner, creating intergenerational reflections on the temporal nature of urban spaces in this fast-changing city. 

All the tours for invisible city will end with archivist-researcher Koh Nguang How’s mobile archive, which will spotlight artefacts of Singapore’s performance art history. 

Where: Bras Basah.Bugis district
When: Legends In Motion – When The Water Rose, Aug 22, 28 and Sept 5, 7.30pm to 9.30pm; Legends In Motion – invisible city, Aug 21, 28 and Sept 4, 6pm to 7.30pm and 8.30pm to 10pm
MRT: City Hall/Dhoby Ghaut
Admission: Legends In Motion – invisible city, $25;  Legends In Motion – When The Water Rose, $35
Info: https://www.instagram.com/theartistsvillage_sg/?hl=en 

When: Legends In Motion – When The Water Rose, Aug 22, 28 and Sept 5, 7.30pm to 9.30pm; Legends In Motion – invisible city, Aug 21, 28 and Sept 4, 6pm to 7.30pm and 8.30pm to 10pm

MRT: City Hall/Dhoby Ghaut

Admission: Legends In Motion – invisible city, $25;  Legends In Motion – When The Water Rose, $35

Composium 2026

Ding Yi Music Company’s Composium has been driving the creation of new works for Chinese chamber music ensembles since it debuted in 2012. The open call for the 2026 edition drew 95 submissions from eight countries and regions, from places as far flung as Argentina and Venezuela. 

Ding Yi’s resident conductor Dedric Wong De Li said in a statement: “After a five-year break, it is deeply encouraging to see such strong participation in Composium, including submissions from new countries. It affirms our belief that Chinese chamber music has the potential to reach wider international audiences.” 

The adjudicating panel, chaired for the first time by Ding Yi’s chief artistic mentor Maestro Yeh Tsung, has whittled this down to six contenders for the finals. Music lovers can choose to sit in on the open rehearsals for the finals on Aug 29 and Aug 30, or attend the prize presentation concert for the 5th Singapore International Composition Competition for Chinese chamber music on Aug 30. The latter will also include a work by Ong Ping Din, winner of the Young Singaporean Composer Award. 

Music students and hardcore fans will want to tune in to the three free symposiums on Aug 26, either in real life at the Esplanade’s White Room or live-streamed on Ding Yi’s Facebook page and WeChat platform.

Where: Esplanade Recital Studio and Esplanade White Room, 1 Esplanade Drive
When: Aug 29 and 30, various timings
MRT: Esplanade
Admission: Free with registration for symposiums, from $9 for open rehearsals from Sistic. https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/cata0826
Info: https://www.dingyimusic.com/composium2026/ 

MRT: Esplanade

Fried Rice Paradise – The Makan Party

Dinner theatre is the piping hot dish of the season and one of the pioneers in the offering is bringing back one of its recent hits. 

SRT’s Fried Rice Paradise – The Makan Party had a sold-out run in 2025 and it is returning for an encore season. Reserve a front-row seat at a culinary showdown as sisters Fancy and Nancy battle it out for control of their mother Bee Lean’s Fried Rice Paradise restaurant.

The drama unfolds over four courses – satay, laksa, fried rice and ondeh-ondeh – spiced with Dick Lee’s tuneful hits, including the titular song, once banned from the radio for its Singlish lyrics.  

Where: Paradox Singapore Hotel, 20 Merchant Road
When: Aug 18 to Sept 11, Tuesdays to Sundays, weekday dinner 7:30pm; Saturday and Sunday lunch, 12:30pm; Saturday dinner, 7:30pm; Sunday dinner, 6pm
MRT: Clarke Quay
Admission: $168 and $198, eligible for Culture Pass.
Info: https://www.srt.com.sg/show/fried-rice-paradise-2026/ 

When: Aug 18 to Sept 11, Tuesdays to Sundays, weekday dinner 7:30pm; Saturday and Sunday lunch, 12:30pm; Saturday dinner, 7:30pm; Sunday dinner, 6pm

MRT: Clarke Quay