On the evening of 14 Jun 2013, I have had the great pleasure to attend the Opening Ceremony of the Teochew Cultural Festival at the Teochew Building. This is the first "Teochew Cultural Festival" presented by the Ngee Ann Cultural Centre, a subsidiary of Ngee Ann Kongsi. The theme for the festival is Teochew Music and Opera.
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| Teochew Building. |
After the Open Ceremony, members of the audience were treated to various performances that showcase Teochew Music and Teochew Opera. Members from Er Woo Amateur Musical and Dramatic Association, Thau Yong Amateur Musical Association, Eng Tiang Huat, Nam Hwa Amateur Musical and Dramatic Association, Hwa Siah Musical Association and The Teochew Drama Association have came together to make the event a great success.
Although I do not understand Teochew, it was very helpful that the organizers provided both English and Mandarin subtitles that accompanied the Teochew opera and the Teochew vocal performances. I have found it equally useful to focus on listening to the background music, especially the rhythms of the percussion section, so as to appreciate the emotional nuances that the performers were attempting to convey.
I learnt from the programme notes that the origins of Teochew music can be traced to the reign of the Tang and Song dynasties. As for Teochew Opera, it is a genre of Chinese opera performed in the Teochew dialect with over 450 years of history.
Other than appreciating the Teochew Music and Opera performances, I have had the pleasure to learn more about Teochew Music and Opera by viewing the various artefacts that were on display in the exhibition hall. The exhibition will be held daily from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. from 14 - 20 Jun 2013 in Teochew Building.
Here are the upcoming programmes that will be held in conjunction with Teochew Cultural Festival - Teochew Music and Opera.
15 Jun 2013 (Sat) and 16 Jun 2013 (Sun):
2.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m. Teochew Gongfu Tea Ceremony
3.00 p.m. - 4.30 p.m. Teochew Music presentation by Hwa Siah Musical Association
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| Teochew Gongfu Tea Ceremony. Uploaded on 15 Jun 2013. I learnt more about tea appreciation from the tea master. |
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| Teochew Music presentation by Hwa Siah Musical Association. The performers showed dedication to their art. |
14 Jun 2013 (Fri) to 20 Jun 2013 (Thu):
11.00 a.m. - 7.00 p.m. (daily) Exhibition on Teochew Music and Opera
Teochew Cultural Festival 2013 - Teochew Music and Opera
Teochew Building
Ngee Ann Exhibition Hall and Auditorium
97 Tank Road
Singapore 238066
Nearest MRT station: Dhoby Ghaut.
Event page: http://www.ngeeann.com.sg/en/eventslist/tcw/
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