HELLO, CELLO!

This month, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra ( SSO) presents two nights of music featuring renowned cellist Yo-yo Ma playing with the SSO and the Silk Road Ensemble at the Esplanade Concert Hall. On 11 November, audiences can look forward to Yo-yo’s performance of Elgar’s “Cello Concerto in E Minor”, and SSO Music Director Lan Shui conducting Kayhan Kalhor’s “Silent City” with the Silk Road Ensemble; on 12 November, Yo-yo will perform with the ensemble and partner with renowned Chinese musician Wu Tong for Zhao Lin’s “Duo”, a double concerto for cello and sheng, a traditional Chinese woodwind instrument of 17 bamboo pipes; the second night will also include Dmitri Yanov- Yanovsky’s “Sacred Signs Suite”, which draws parallels between Russian instrumental traditions and diverse instruments such as the sheng, pipa and kamancheh. Tickets from Sistic. sso.org.sg

Pantomime season is upon us, which means it’s time for Wild Rice to roll out its annual musical extravaganza. This year, the theatre company brings back Monkey Goes West, a cheeky retelling of the beloved Chinese fantasy classic set in modern-day Singapore, about a fearless foursome – including an orphan-on-the-run, a mischievous monkey king, a brave pig warrior and a stubborn but loyal ogre – that embarks on an adventure fraught with trials and tribulations at every turn. We asked director SEBASTIAN TAN about what we can expect from the performance, which is packed with catchy songs and gags to entertain the entire family.

Tell us about this year’s production of is it different from the 2014 show? What do you love most about the story? Who’s your favourite character? How

This year’s production is basically for people who missed our sold-out run in 2014, and for those who had so much fun watching it and can’t get enough of it. While the overall story remains the same, the show features new choreography, shadow puppetry and some new cast members – including Darius Tan as King Bull, and new First Stage Kids. The show will be staged in a different and slightly bigger venue, the Drama Centre Theatre, so expect a bigger, better production!

How has this old Chinese tale been adapted to current-day Singapore?

It’s localised with a parallel story between a Singaporean family and the legend that is Journey to the West. Watch it to see for yourself just how that is done! I love how it’s a very Singaporean story of a local family, seen through the eyes of our main character, Ah Tang. But it’s also about how his world gets intertwined with that of Monkey and his gang, as he goes on a journey with them that leads to self-discovery and a great adventure. That’s like asking a parent who his favourite child is. I won’t choose – I love all of them!