AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS / New Opera Singapore Gala Dinner 2025

The New Opera Singapore (NOS) annual gala dinner was held on Sunday 16 November 2025, and having missed the previous years' events, there was no chance we would be missing it this year. The Grand Ballroom of the Fullerton Hotel played host to an evening of good music and fine dining by the only opera company in Singapore that receives a major annual grant by the National Arts Council. 

Founded by Korean soprano Jeong AeRee and her husband the cellist-conductor Chan Wei Shing in 2022, NOS celebrates its 14th anniversary this year. Known for its edgy productions that break all rules and pre-conceptions, NOS has been responsible for some of the most memorable opera productions in recent years. Here are some pictures from a scintillating evening.

The NOS Chorus performs the
Bell Chorus from Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci.

NOS Chairman Michael Tay greets one and all.

Appetiser: Sliced scallops.

And the concert begins:
Soprano Kezia Robson and tenor Edward Kim
in the Papa-Papageno duet from Mozart's Magic Flute.
Baritone Martin Ng in Charles Ives' Circus Band.

Tenor Shaun Lee in Licino Refice's Ombra di nube
and Sim Wei Ying in Nicholas Ho's Chicken Rice.

Soprano Lydia Li in Zhai Shui Di Fang
and Kezia Robson in the Drinking Song 
from Offenbach's La Perichole.

Main courses:
Salmon or beef cheek?

Edward Kim's sung Korean is impeccable
while Shaun Lee & Sim Wei Ying
ham it up in the Watch Duet 
from Strauss' Die Fledermaus.

Chan Wei Shing plays a Shepherd Song
while master calligrapher does his work.

The final Champagne Chorus from Die Fledermaus.

Chan Wei Shing plays the
garang (aggressive) auctioneer.

Finally, dessert!

Hobnobbing with the celebs:
Ever the promiscuous chorister, Patricia Teng
sings in every opera chorus.

With Chan Wei Shing and Martin Ng, who has
his own opera company Lirica Arts.

NOS Chairman Michael Tay

NOS Founder & Artistic Director Jeong AeRee.

All the beautiful people
take a final photo for the road.