The Orient Express unveils a fairy-tale universe at Gardens by the Bay
The Orient Express has rolled into Gardens by the Bay. We piece together the history and glamour of the legendary train to help you make the most of this unique exhibition
WHAT IS ALL THE FUSS over a couple of musty old train cars? Plenty, in the case of the Orient Express. Apart from the sheer depth and scale of art and technical restoration, or even the massive logistics and red tape involved in bringing it from France to Singapore, there’s a treasure trove of history and glamour that surrounds the famous train service that first ran between Paris and Constantinople (now Istanbul) and later extended south to cover Egypt and expanded towards Asia. The Orient Express effectively bridged the East and West in the second half of the 19th century.
GAME CHANGER
One needs to remember that the train came into existence at a time before aviation technology and travel as we know it today. Without modern tunnelling expertise, laboriously laid railway tracks meandered through valleys, plateaus and mountain passes. They were a massive undertaking that spanned across Europe and into the Middle East, and marked the beginning of high-speed transportation. And indeed, all manner of important overland political and diplomatic connections had to be made via rail.
Although rail travel was the prevalent means of long-distance transport, the Orient Express became a game changer by the fact that it made travelling those distances infinitely more comfortable with the introduction of sleeping cars. These made perfect sense, of course, since passengers typically had to spend a number of days travelling. But back then, sleeping cars were the ultimate word on luxury travel, equivalent to first-class cabins in modern-day air travel.
It didn’t stop at mere practical consideration. Instead, it created a world of unprecedented luxury. Entrepreneur Georges Nagelmakers
had begun cultivating the art of travel and hospitality in 1883. And under the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, the Orient Express became the symbol of luxury travel and timeless refinement.
THE TRAVELLING BEAU MONDE
Travelling wasn’t exclusively for diplomatic or commercial reasons. It was an exciting proposition that attracted anyone with a taste for adventure. Naturally, there was always much intrigue over the people who travelled on the Orient Express. Before the word jetsetter came into existence, Orient Express passengers comprised the who’s who of royalty, high society and political circles. There have been kings, queens and consorts, businessmen and industrialists, scientists and artists.
Among these was mystery novelist Agatha Christie, who, of course, wrote the book Murder on the Orient Express. She made many trips to Egypt to visit her archeologist husband. Another frequent traveller was entertainer extraordinaire Josephine Baker. She was easily one of the most glamorously clad habitué, with her sequined purses and beaded gowns, rather than the banana-fringed skirts she wore on stage.
And because train journeys are long and passengers are necessarily confined on the vessels as they roll on the tracks, love affairs have been spawned between the dining and sleeping cars even among the most dignified travellers. It was inevitable that the Orient Express also inspired and developed a congregation of literary and cinematic characters, from spies James Bond and Mata Hari, to detective Hercule Poirot.
A RARE GLIMPSE INTO TRAVEL CULTURE
The pop-up attraction at Gardens by the Bay is the next chapter of life for the Orient Express, continuing on its way as a lyrical prism of culture and heritage, and sparking a sense of wonder in the minds of travellers all over the world, beginning with Singapore.
For the first time ever, two of the original train carriages and locomotive, along with over 300 artefacts, have left their home in France and been installed at the 2,000sqm exhibition space within Gardens by the Bay. The mythical carriages of the Orient Express include the Fourgon car and a Pullman car built in 1929, with interiors decorated by René Prou, featuring superb lemon burr marquetry inlaid with pewter floral motifs.
THE ART OF LIVING ON BOARD
The Orient Express was known for its lavish decorations. Its opulence and theatrical characteristics have made it a universal attraction since its creation in 1883. A masterpiece in itself, the train is constructed with Cordoba embossed leather ceilings, Lalique crystal bas-reliefs, Gobelins tapestries, velvet curtains from Genoa, silverware, precious tablecloths and crystal fine glasses.
AN EPOCH IN THE EVOLUTION OF TRAVEL
Since its inauguration, the Orient Express charted forth to the rhythm of European history and geography, evolving alongside with cross-border relationships and world history. The pop-up at Gardens by the Bay is a reminder that this train was in its own way a testament to the relationship between the East and West. It is not only a witness of the modernisation of the Middle East and the advent of the railroad in view of the domination of maritime links, but also the symbol of Europe that was formed before its time. For
three quarters of a century from 1883 to 1956, the Orient Express created and enchanted history. It was like a theatre witnessing the unfolding of major political events, and those historic moments can be relived via the exhibit.
Kicking off the experience at a facsimile train station, the voyage continues in the showrooms, where objets d’art, archival documents, photos, news videos, movie extracts and items from those era evoke the rich literary and cinematographic heritage inspired by the Orient Express. Referencing the different stops on the itineraries, the touring exhibition travels to cities that form part of the train’s historical itineraries, like Venice, Vienna and Istanbul.
Another area is devoted to the desire for the Orient conveyed by the train and how it abolished borders. Texts, works of art and films like the one shot in Lebanon in Rayak station by Gilles Gauthier and Eric Damon spoke in turn about the correspondences that arose between Orient and the Occident, to remind visitors of the meaning of travel.
A TASTE OF THE ORIENT EXPRESS
The dining car once served cuisines reflecting countries that passengers journeyed across, with a spread worthy of the greatest Parisian restaurants. As a special gourmet highlight, two-time threeMichelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno will be offering diners a unique experience on board the replica Anatolia dining car. Built in 1925, it boasts luxurious interiors based on the drawings of the great British cabinetmaker Albert Dunn, with marquetry and mahogany woodpanelled walls with garlands of flowers in a variety of deluxe wood.
Recipes have been created especially for this showcase, and everything has been curated to reflect the legendary meals of the era, both in terms of the dishes and the decoration. Following the codes of French gastronomy and fusion cuisine, whether it is consommé or modern food, chef Alléno’s creations are elegant, courteous and creative, a perfect interpretation of the myth of the Orient Express in all its glory.
ORIENT EXPRESS ROAD CAFÉ
In addition to the restaurant, visitors can also seek respite after exploring at the Orient Express Road Café. This special 40-seater café will offer the chance to embark on yet another journey through coffee blends that were discovered and made famous by the many stops along the Orient Express route such as Paris, Venice, Vienna and Istanbul. Curated specially for Singapore by Visionairs in Art, the menu will include the traditional local coffee, Kopi O. Helmed by chef Alléno, the team will prepare an exquisite selection of dishes aligned with the road map concept.