VERDI'S MACBETH / Lirica Arts / Review

 

VERDI’S MACBETH

Lirica Arts

Victoria Theatre

Friday (27 March 2026)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 30 March 2026 with the title "Bold staging of Verdi's Macbeth by rising opera company Lirica Arts".

Lirica Arts, a local opera company formed just four years ago, has produced its second fully-staged opera since its very encouraging debut with Gioachino Rossini’s L’Inganno Felice in 2022. Giuseppe Verdi’s first Shakespearean opera Macbeth, which premiered in 1847 and revised in 1865, was a very brave and ambitious choice, but one the opera scene here really needs having had multiple La Traviatas, La Bohemes and Carmens.

The two Martins:
Martin Ng's Macbeth with
and Martin Ohu's Banco

Verdi’s Macbeth has exactly the same plot as Shakespeare’s play, with the same sequence of events but the added dimensions of music and being sung in Italian. It was first presented by Singapore Lyric Opera in 2001 conducted by Lim Yau, and 25 years later, this production with The Philharmonic Orchestra was led by his son Lin Juan.

Zhang Jie's Lady Macbeth
commands King Duncan to be killed.

With familiar characters and a story easy to follow, it was left for stage director Tang Xinxin to pique the imagination of the audience. Her task was considerably aided by baritone Martin Ng (artistic director of Lirica Arts) in the titular role, and soprano Zhang Jie as his infamous spouse. Ng’s transformation from humble Thane of Glamis to blood-thirsty King of Scotland was the stuff of tragedies, where self-doubt gradually turned into fatal ambition with all nuances in between.

Good as Ng was in his chest-beating stentorian arias, it was Zhang’s Lady Macbeth who delivered the tour de force. Her blood curdling La Luce Langue (The Light Fades) and sleep-walking aria Una Macchia E Qui Tuttora (Out, Damned Spot!) were solo high points, with deserved accolades from the audience.

Their respective deaths were strangely low key. She in her blood red gown just walked into the shadows, while he was unceremoniously dispatched by excellent tenor Jonathan Charles Tay’s MacDuff. Supporting them were South Korean bass Martin Ohu as the short-lived Banco (Banquo) and tenor Jonathan MacPherson as Malcolm, the new king.

Banco's ghost returns to haunt Macbeth.

The 18-strong Lirica Arts Festival Chorus (Chorus master Terrence Toh) was very effective in the crowd scenes, singing the famous chorus of exiles Patria Oppressa! (Oppressed Homeland!) and scenes involving the Witches (which had nine members rather than just three). Significant in community outreach was the inclusion of three students from Art:DIS (Arts & Disability Singapore) among the refugees.

The Birnam Wood marches forward
to confront Macbeth.
Photo: Pianomaniac

Set and lighting design by Dorothy Png was particularly evocative with the dark hues employed in scenes involving supernatural elements. The Lion Rampant to represent Scottish monarchy was historically accurate and smart use of AI-generated backdrops helped cost-savings without looking cheap. Costume design by Hayden Ng, subdued for the oppressed and bolder shades for main characters, contributed to generating the right atmosphere.

The two Jonathans:
Jonathan Charles Tay's Macduff
declares Jonathan MacPherson's Malcolm king.

The 2001 production of Macbeth may have been more opulent owing to a bigger budget, but Lirica Arts must be credited for even attempting this at the time when arts funding for classical opera is comparatively conservative. Lirica Arts is now ready to join the esteemed ranks of the more established Singapore Lyric Opera and New Opera Singapore.

There are two further shows on Saturday evening at 7.30 pm and Sunday afternoon at 4 pm.

Photo: Pianomaniac

Photo: Pianomaniac

All professional photography 

by Chris P.Lim

The review as published 

in The Straits Times:

Bold staging of Verdi’s Macbeth by rising opera company Lirica Arts | The Straits Times

A PHILHARMONIC NEW YEAR'S EVE GALA CONCERT / The Philharmonic Orchestra / Review

 

A PHILHARMONIC NEW YEAR’S EVE 

2026 GALA CONCERT

The Philharmonic Orchestra

Victoria Concert Hall

Wednesday (31 December 2025)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 3 January 2026 with the title "This New Year's Eve gala concert created orchestral fireworks".

The year 2025 has been an unbelievably productive year for Singapore’s community, youth and student orchestras. Even without the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, one could still have witnessed concerts of works like Gustav Holst’s The Planets, Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, Gustav Mahler’s First Symphony, Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra and Ottorino Respighi’s Roman Festivals. The final word came from The Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO) in its annual New Year’s Eve Concert led by resident conductor Lin Juan.

Filled with lollipops, it resembled the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Day Concert or the BBC’s Last Night of the Proms, but more importantly it was a showcase of the virtuosity of Singapore’s younger generation of professional and part-time musicians.

Beginning with Carl Maria von Weber’s Oberon Overture, one would be immediately impressed by the French horn solo which opened the work. The orchestra did not need too much time to warm up before delivering a performance of verve and ebullience.

Arguably better was Czech nationalist composer Bedrich Smetana’s The Moldau from Ma Vlast (My Country), a programmatic work which recounted the course of the beloved river that flows through Prague. Beginning with a trickle from solo flute, the melody which shares a common source as the Israeli national anthem (Hatikvah) soon built up to an impressive swell. Patriotic fervour setting hearts aflutter could only be the just result.

Lighter in heart were the four movements from Claude Debussy’s Petite Suite, originally a work for piano four hands, orchestrated by Henri Busser. En Bateau (Sailing) could have been a tad dreamier, but there was no mistaking the dance rhythms of the Cortege and Menuet movements, before closing with the lively and energised Ballet.

Photo: Andrew Bi Photography

After a half-hour intermission where downing of complimentary champagne was an annual ritual, more ballet music flowed. Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Pas de deux (Andante Maestoso) from ballet The Nutcracker has to be his most glorious melody, and when so sumptuously played, fully deserved the cheers that followed.

Photo: Andrew Bi Photography

Castanets, triangle and drums coloured the brief pages of Alexander Glazunov’s Spanish Dance from ballet Raymonda, a prelude to the main course of Georges Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suite No.2. Arranged by Ernest Guiraud, it is less often heard than Suite No.1 but has some the incidental music’s most beautiful moments.

A rustic and drone-filled Pastorale, and ensuing Intermezzo were well-played, but there could not be more tender music than the Menuet, which showcased Teo Shao Ming’s beautiful flute solo accompanied by Nigel Foo’s harp, later to be joined by Samuel Phua’s saxophone. This set the stage for the finale, a rollicking Farandole which has become a proper Christmas favourite with its infectious foot-tapping rhythmic beat.

Those inclined to rhythmic clapping were indulged in a perennial favourite, Johann Strauss the Elder’s Radetzky March, which preceded the obligatory balloon drop, and a rush to witness the pyrotechnics over Marina Bay. This was a sure sign that 2026 promises more orchestral fireworks.

FACE(T)S OF NATURE / Concordia Quartet / Review

 

FACE(T)S OF NATURE

Concordia Quartet

Chamber @ The Arts House

Friday (21 November 2025)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 24 November 2025 with the title "Concordia Quartet deliver close ensemble work, precise timing and accurate intonation".

Despite changes in personnel within the past year, Concordia Quartet, the dedicated string quartet of Resound Collective, has been remarkably consistent in its concert programming. Violinists Wilford Goh and Kim Kyu Ri, with violist Edward Tan and cellist Lin Juan, have continued to surprise and challenge audiences and their expectations.

Where else but in the Chamber of The Arts House can one expect to hear great chamber music in a perfectly intimate setting? The delightful evening opened conventionally with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Quartet No.14 in G major (K.387), appropriately nicknamed “Spring” because of its freshness of thematic ideas and cheerful disposition.

Playing in Singapore's "Wigmore Hall".

See the resemblance, sort of?

Playing on a raised platform under a cupola, the setting superficially resembled that of London’s Wigmore Hall but the shared experience of close engagement between players and audience was real. Close-knit ensemble work, precise timing and accurate intonation were all part of the game, and the foursome generously delivered.

Gentility in the opening movement was well-realised and articulated, with the graceful dance of the second movement upping the tempo ever so slightly. Even when shades grew darker for the slow movement, the warmth of sonority never flagged. The finale was all sunshine and smiles, and one cannot get more congenial than this.

For the second half, the quartet literally moved to the floor of the house. The players were seated so close to the audience that one could even see the scored notes on their tablets. Four of Czech composer Antonin Dvorak’s Cypresses, string transcriptions of songs, were selected for variety of moods and feelings. One did not need to know the original words to understand the sentiments of love, grief, joy and contentment portrayed within.

Photo: @ Joelcaptures

The music then transplanted from Central Europe to the Sceptred Isles for six short pieces by two of England’s greatest composers. It was an artistic coup to alternate three of Henry Purcell’s Fantasias In Four Parts with Benjamin Britten’s Three Divertimenti. These transitions between baroque and 20th century aesthetics were both daring and ear-catching.

The order and form of Purcell, polyphony at its prim and prettiest, sounded well-groomed and decorous. His G major Fantasia soon gave way to the dissonance and irony of Britten’s March, music that was both acerbic and anarchic. Purcell’s F major Fantasia then dissolved into a slow and sentimental Waltz which later took on more sarcastic overtones.

Photo: @ Joelcaptures

Chalk and cheese, or oil and water, never the twain shall meet but to the many enthused listeners, these sounded totally plausible because of Concordia’s ardent advocacy. The quartet’s ability to skillfully shift between vastly contrasting dynamics and idioms was a credit to their technique, discipline and musicality.

Photo: @ Joelcaptures

The final D minor Fantasia would now morph into a bristling Burlesque, filled with quickfire responses and split-second surprises. The enjoyment of the small but keyed-in audience was clear and palpable.

Photo: @ Joelcaptures

AN EVENING OF DOUBLE HAPPINESS / Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (University of the Arts Singapore)

Judging from the title, I thought this was going to be a Chinese wedding dinner. In a way it was, as the evening marked the union of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (University of the Arts Singapore) and London's Royal College of Music with the formation of their Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree programme. 

NAFA and RCM have been dating had over a decade of working together, with local music undergraduates spending their last semester in London to complete their basic B.Mus degree. This one goes all the way one step further, a consummation of a joint project to further our musical students' education. The evening also marked the start of a working relationship with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Here are photos of the auspicious event, complete with a gong-beating ceremony and a concert to boot.

Guest-of-honour Heng Sweet Keat
and NAFA CEO Tan-Soh Wai Lan
gave mercifully short speeches.

Singapore Symphony Group CEO Kenneth Kwok
receives a gift from NAFA.

All the honoured guests reveal
the inner percussionists in them.

Zechariah Goh conducted the opening work,
Joey Yeo's Retrospect. The composer was also
the guitarist in this performance

NAFA Chinese Ensemble performs
Li Bochan's Ancient Tea-Horse Road.

Close-ups of the exquisite performers.

The piece de resistance was 
Dante Tan performing Henri Tomasi's
Alto Saxophone Concerto with the 
NAFA Orchestra conducted by Lin Juan.

Dante had earlier performed this concerto 
with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra
at the President's Young Performers Concert.

The repeat performance was just as awesome.

And here are some of

the wedding guests:

Esplanade's Christel Hon with
NAFA Head of Vocal Studies Jessica Chen.

SSO's Ong Shu Chen with
Lianhe Zaobao's Zhang Heyang.

Former Ding Yi Music Company's Elvia Goh
with former NAFA CEO
Mr & Mrs Choo Thiam Siew.

British concert pianist Ashley Wass
with Kenneth Kwok and 
NAFA's Nellie Seng

Pianists all:
See Ning Hui, Nicholas Ong & Zhou Yun.

NAFA Dean of Performing Arts Ernest Lim (centre)
made sure everyone had a good time.