Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and National Arts Council Join Hands to Launch Inaugural Chinese Opera Festival 2025

Taking place over five weekends from 21 June to 26 July 2025, the festival will feature five local Chinese opera troupes, each performing on a select Saturday in a different dialect. They are Chinese Opera Studio (Teochew), Chinese Opera Ensemble (Hainanese), OperaWorks (Singapore) (Cantonese), Tian Yun Beijing Opera Society (Peking), and Tang Renaissance (Yue), active troupes dedicated to keeping Singapore’s local Chinese Opera landscape alive.

By bringing quality performances to more audiences, this collaboration between SCCC and NAC is a significant one that strives for audiences from all walks of life to celebrate the diversity of Chinese opera in Singapore. The festival, as a gathering of five distinct dialect opera traditions on a single stage, presents an exciting opportunity for more to experience them, and appreciate the importance of their preservation. At the same time, it also promotes and provides vital support for our local Chinese opera groups to develop their capabilities, embark on artistic growth, and cultivate a paying audience. With accessibility being a key priority, bilingual surtitles will be provided for all performances.

According to Mr Alvin Tan, Chief Executive of SCCC, “Through the festival, we hope to support local Chinese opera groups by providing a safe creative space for them to showcase their works and capabilities without having to worry about venue rental, funding, ticket sales, marketing etc. In doing so, we hope to safeguard and showcase a traditional artform which is rich in Chinese history and culture; attract new and hopefully younger audiences; and contribute to its long-term sustainability.”

Low Eng Teong, Chief Executive Officer of NAC, said, "The traditional arts are a vital part of Singapore's arts landscape as they reflect, shape and strengthen our cultural identity. NAC is proud to partner with the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre on the inaugural Chinese Opera Festival. Through this initiative, audiences from all walks of life can come together to discover, connect with the arts and experience the richness and heritage of Chinese Opera in Singapore.”

In addition, in line with the goal of expanding arts touchpoints for audience participation and engagement, a series of carefully curated fringe activities will accompany the performances at SCCC. These include interactive Chinese opera movement workshops designed for participants of all ages, and insightful practitioner talks featuring respected artists. Participants can expect to hear from experienced Chinese opera artists including Cultural Medallion recipient Joanna Wong and Stewards of Intangible Cultural Heritage Award and Young Artist Award recipient Cai Bixia.

Troupe leader of OperaWorks (Singapore), Ms Winsome Chan, said: “It is our honour to collaborate with SCCC and NAC, and to participate in this year’s Chinese Opera Festival. We hope that our audience would enjoy our performance of Cantonese opera The Betrothal Sword of Love, and we also hope to reach out to and attract new audiences to the festival.”

Vice-President and Artistic Director of Tian Yun Beijing Opera Society, Ms Lim Mei Lian, added: “Being the inaugural Chinese Opera Festival in Singapore, we hope that the initiative does not stop here but will continue to stay true to its objectives and forge ahead with perseverance.”

Festival tickets are available on SISTIC at $30 with a special five-show bundle at $120. Early bird discount of 30% off tickets at $21 are available from 4 till 10 June 2025. To register for onsite fringe activities, please visit SISTIC. For more details on the performances, please download the media kit here ↗ (opens in new tab) or visit SCCC's website ↗ (opens in new tab).

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Issued by: National Arts Council and Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre

About Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC)

The Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre collaborates with arts and cultural groups and community partners to promote and develop local Chinese culture. Through engaging and accessible content, we hope to nurture greater appreciation of our multi-cultural identity and a stronger sense of belonging.

Opened by then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on 19 May 2017, our centre in the heart of the city welcomes everyone to enjoy exhibitions, fairs, performances, seminars, talks, workshops and other cultural activities throughout the year.

Website: www.singaporeccc.org.sg ↗ (opens in new tab)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/singaporechineseculturalcentre ↗ (opens in new tab)
Instagram: www.instagram.com/singaporechineseculturalcentre ↗ (opens in new tab)
Wechat ID: sccc_sg

About National Arts Council (NAC)

The National Arts Council (NAC) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth that champions the arts in Singapore. The Council promotes artistic excellence by providing diverse opportunities for artists and arts organisations while expanding access for audiences to appreciate the impact of the arts in enriching lives. By working closely with the arts community and partners, the Council seeks to build a connected society, creative economy and distinctive city through the arts. For more information, visit NAC Website.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Name: Maranda Lieu
Mobile: 8101 3988
Email: maranda.lieu@dstnct.co; teamsccc@dstnct.co

View Mandarin version here [PDF, 253.71 KB] ↗ (opens in new tab)