Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Unveils Cultural Extravaganza 2024 by (Re)presenting Our SINGAPO人 Treasures

Cultural Extravaganza (CE) 2024 will present original productions and creative reinterpretations through theatrical performances, exhibitions and concerts by various artists and arts groups.

Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre
Date: 8 May to 30 Jun 2024
Time: Various timings
Fee: Various pricings (see details below)

Cultural Extravaganza 2024

The Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) is thrilled to announce the seventh edition of Cultural Extravaganza (CE), an annual arts and cultural event that showcases the vibrancy of our distinctive SINGAPO人 culture through crossovers between disciplines, cultures and generations.

Based on the theme of “(Re)presenting Our SINGAPO人 Treasures”, CE 2024 presents original productions and creative reinterpretations through theatrical performances, exhibitions and concerts by our talented artists and arts groups. The shows and exhibitions will take place from 8 May to 30 June 2024.

Here's taking a closer look at what you can expect:

Free Programmes

[Exhibition] Treasures of Our Schools

Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Multi-Purpose Hall, Level 7
Date: 31 May to 30 Jun 2024
Time: 10am to 8pm
Fee: Free Admission

Treasures of Our Schools reveals little-seen works by renowned artists from the collections of local schools. Comprising important names such as Chen Wen Hsi, Liu Kang and Chua Ek Kay. The exhibition also includes works gifted by important overseas artists such as Liu Haisu, who had visited these schools. Many of these works are seldom seen by the public. It is also the first time that these collections have been brought together for a joint showcase. The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to appreciate the unique styles of these artists and the evolution of Singapore art from the 1950s to the present day.

[Exhibition] Devoted to Serve

Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Creative Box, Level 6
Date: 10 May to 2 Jun 2024
Time: 10am to 8pm
Fee: Free Admission

Deep dive into the lives and creations of eight prominent local cartoonists, Tchang Ju Chi, Liu Kang, Shamsuddin H Akib, Koeh Sia Yong, Lim Mu Hue, Morgan Chua, Dai Yin Lang and Kwan Shan Mei. This exhibition, curated by Lim Cheng Tju, explores the lives and cartoons of these artists who made Singapore their home, amid the political upheaval and changing times. Their original artworks are accompanied by works of the local illustrator Koh Hong Teng and students from local schools, highlighting the continuing interest in cartoons across generations.

Paid Programmes

The Pawned Wife

Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Far East Organisation Auditorium, Level 9
Date & Time:

• 9, 10 & 12 May 2024: 3pm
• 11 May 2024: 7.30pm

Fee: $10, $20

The Pawned Wife is a blend of traditional Teochew opera and contemporary theatre, featuring an international award-winning production team and local talents.

Based on a novel “The Enslaved Mother” and written by Chinese playwright Luo Huaizhen, the opera brings to life the poignant and tragic tale of a woman married into poverty. Caught in the vicious cycle of unemployment, drinking and gambling habits, the woman’s husband agreed to pawn his wife for one hundred silver coins after their only son fell sick and they have no means of seeking treatment.

Under the contract, the poor man’s wife will become the interim concubine of a wealthy but elderly scholar for three years. Yearning for an heir, the scholar hopes that the poor man’s wife can conceive and give him a son which she did a year later. The scholar even promised to take her in as a concubine but when the contract comes to an end, the bitter reality sets in.

She and her husband were both humiliated and her new son forcefully taken away from her. Torn between the past and the present, her dream of reunion with her family was cruelly shattered, when she realized her husband had not turned over a new leaf and her sick son was on the verge of death...

Jazz It Up! A Jazzy Celebration of Chinese Songs 2024 & Reunion 2.0

Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Far East Organisation Auditorium, Level 9
Date: 18 & 19 May 2024
Time: 7.30pm
Fee: $48, $58, $88

Jazz Association (Singapore) (JASS) returns with the fifth instalment of the Jazz It Up! A Jazzy Celebration of Chinese Songs 2024!

Jazz It Up! 2024 will highlight renowned English and Cantonese pop singer Teresa Carpio. The concert will also feature local Cantonese singer Wysom Wong and singer-songwriter Serene Koong.

Enjoy an evening of jazzy renditions of well-loved Chinese evergreens and modern-classic songs performed by the Jazz Association Singapore Orchestra (JASSO), led by JASS Senior Associate Music Director Weixiang Tan.

[Concert] The Singaporean Composers Series

Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Far East Organisation Auditorium, Level 9
Date: 25 & 26 May 2024
Time: 7.30pm
Fee: $28, $38

A celebration of 20 years of The TENG Company and its signature East-West fusion music and instruments! The Singaporean Composers Series features 10 commissioned works across genres by 20 composers, producers, musicians and filmmakers.

Immerse yourself in a musical odyssey that showcases the unique diversity of Singaporean artistry, alongside four documentaries featuring the producers and composers!

Featuring the works of:

• Cultural Medallion recipient Dr Kelly Tang
• Jazz maestro Chok Kerong
• Veteran music producer George Leong
• Esteemed music producer Evan Low
• National Day Parade 2024 Music Director Bang Wenfu
• 14-year old musical genius Nathanael Koh

Disappearing Series...: Childhood Melodies of Yesteryears

Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Far East Organisation Auditorium, Level 9
Date: 1 Jun 2024
Time: 3.30pm, 7.30pm
Fee: $28, $96 (Bundle of 4)

Ding Yi Music Company returns with the third edition of their cultural series! Disappearing Series...: Childhood Melodies of Yesteryears spotlights Singapore’s musical heritage, specifically childhood songs.

Helmed by Artistic Director and Guest Conductor Quek Ling Kiong, and featuring disappearing dialect nursery rhymes and iconic Chinese, Malay and Indian folk songs from Singapore, these classics will be presented with a contemporary twist!

Join in the fun and be a part of this immersive experience that perfectly blends past and present.

Reunion 2.0

Venue: SCO Concert Hall (Singapore Conference Hall)
Date: 2 Jun 2024
Time: 5pm
Fee: $7

Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra (SNYCO) Alumni Collective returns with Reunion 2.0!

Look out for modern twists to songs, such as:

• Admiral of the Seven Sea by the Cultural Medallion recipient Law Wai Lun
• Spring by renowned composer Lo Leung Fai
• Popular fusion pop pieces such as One Night in Beijing and Spring Breeze
• The beloved Cantonese classic Dry Thunderstorm
• Genshin Impact’s Sounds of Liyue, for youths by youths!

A reunion of musical minds under the baton of SNYCO Guest Conductor Lien Boon Hua, Reunion 2.0 is not to be missed.

A Choral Extravaganza

Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Recital Studio, Level 6
Date: 8 & 9 Jun 2024
Time: 4.30pm, 7.30pm
Fee: $20

Be blown away by this choral performance - the first in Cultural Extravaganza’s history!

A Choral Extravaganza highlights the classical art of choral singing, by showcasing local talents and re-interpreting classics.

Once a prominent musical tradition in Singapore, A Choral Extravaganza seeks to revive and maintain the legacy of this classical art form, emphasising its significance in the cultural landscape.

Featuring the powerful voices of:

1. Chordinate Singers
2. Southern Arts Society
3. Nanyang Hakka Federation Choir
4. Singapore Choral Artists
5. The Vocal Consort

Essentially Macbeth

Photo Credits: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre

Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Far East Organisation Auditorium, Level 9
Date & Time:  

• 15 Jun 2024: 7.30pm
• 16 Jun 2024: 3pm

Fee: $20

Essentially Macbeth tells the story of a group of ex-drama club members coming together to stage Macbeth in order to rekindle their passion for the arts they felt 10 years ago. By coming back to theatre, they find themselves re-examining their life choices and asking the same question they had before – what is the meaning and purpose of the arts in their lives?

Directed by Judy Ngo, with an original score composed by Phang Kok Jun and conducted by Moses Gay, Essentially Macbeth is a collaboration between NUS Chinese Drama and NUS Chinese Orchestra and explores what success, ambition and fulfilment mean to today’s generation.

Not your ordinary theatre experience, this production promises a unique experience with actors and musicians performing alongside one another to dynamic live music.