Bfm :: Front Row

Gone are the days of princesses waiting helplessly to be rescued by knights in shining armour. Twisted reinvents well-known fairy tale characters, intertwining them into a new plot with a contemporary twist, showcasing strong, independent, and realistic leads that serve as empowering role models for both girls and boys. As times change, our fairy tales must evolve to - and Twisted hopes to reflect this modern perspective. We find out what's in store from Fa Abdul, the director and producer of the show, from Big Nose Productions. 

"Jungle Jungle" is an exhibition by Taiwanese artist Zhang Xu Zhan, which delves into the shared and diverse cultural narratives across regions, highlighting how music's meaning and folk tales evolve locally. Inspired by the folktale "Sang Kancil and the Crocodiles" encountered during an artist residency in Indonesia, Zhang interweaves similar stories like Taiwan's "The Mouse and the Buffalo" and China's "The Rabbit and the Crab." Through the lens of a fly's compound eye, the exhibition portrays these interchanging animal tales, using metaphors like mirrors and shadows to reflect cultural flows and human-animal connections. We speak to Rahel Joseph, the Gallery Director of Ilham Gallery who are hosting this exhibition, to discover more about the artist, his works and his unique approach to storytelling.

"If There is An Afterlife, I Hope It’s Your Version Instead of Mine” is a semi-devised play by Asyraf Syahir Najib that delves into themes of death, faith, and emotional struggle. The story follows Sofia, as she is forced to reexamine her beliefs and confront her nihilistic views while caring for her religious, cancer-stricken mother. The story unfolds three years after her mother's death, as Sofia processes her experience and supports her childhood friends, facing a similar situation with their own mother. Presented by EJKLS Seni, we find out what's in store from writer Asyraf, who is also the Founder and Artistic Director of EJKLS Seni, and cast member Myrra Baity, who plays the lead character Sofia. 

Figures of History and the Grounds of Intelligence begins by questioning what happens when an image transitions from a state archive, into the feedback loops of an artificial neural network. This lecture performance explores the intertwined histories of state planning, global networks, and cybernetics, tracing back to the Cold War, and leading to the current surge in generative artificial intelligence. A new work by artist and writer Ho Rui An, he joins us to share more about this work  which is making its debut right here in Kuala Lumpur, including how he will be employing generative AI live during the lecture performance. This project was co-commissioned by the Centre Pompidou, Paris, and Kadist, San Francisco and Paris and supported by Five Arts Centre and The Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur.

The klpac String Orchestra, led by Resident Conductor and Music Director Andrea Sim, are set to present a vibrant program showcasing the Romantic period, in the concert titled The Age of Romance, with works by renowned composers from Europe, Russia, and South America. Be transported to Shakespeare's magical world with Felix Mendelssohn’s Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Tchaikovsky’s Themes from Romeo and Juliet. The concert also features Dvorak’s Carnival Overture, selections from Bizet’s Carmen, and rising viola soloist Glaris Tan performing Max Bruch’s Romance for Viola and String Orchestra. We find out what's in store from both Andrea and Glaris.

Solace of Papan is Malaysia’s first opera in English, which takes its inspiration from Sybil Kathigasu's novel No Dram of Mercy. With a libretto by Chin San Sooi and music composed by Lam Siu Chong, the opera is set against the backdrop of World War II-era Malaya, and tells the story of Sybil Kathigasu's courage in defying her Japanese interrogators during the Japanese Occupation. San Sooi and Siu Chong join us to discuss this monumental undertaking, and the challenges and triumphs of bringing Sybil Kathigasu's story to life.

We're promised back-to-back jazz music by 17 performers across four stages, at the Royal Selangor Jazz Festival, which will feature local legends such as Junji Delfino, David Gomes, Janet Lee, The Frankie Sixes, FAZZ, WVC Malaysian Jazz Ensemble, just to mention a few. Aside from music, there will be an array of other activities including jazz jam sessions, jazz film screenings, food, fun and so much more. One of the festival's headliners, jazz pianist, composer, arranger and producer Tay Cher Siang, who is also the festival's curator, joins us to share more about what's in store.Image Credit: Royal Selangor Jazz Festival

A decade after the iconic Palate Palette (PP) Restaurant and Bar closed its doors, its spirit lives on through the Palate Palette Pop-Up event, a one-day extravaganza that wants to celebrate Palate Palette's enduring legacy of community, creativity, and inclusivity. Featuring a curated mix of food, music, art, and workshops, the event honours the past, revels in the present, and looks forward to a future of shared experiences, making it a must-attend celebration for all. We catch up with Su-Ann Wong, the Founder of Palate Palette, for a walk down memory lane, while discussing highlights from the upcoming event.Image Credit: Palate Palette Pop, Instagram

Perhiasan Kaca is a Malay adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ beloved classic The Glass Menagerie. With translation into Bahasa Malaysia by Marlenny Deenerwan, the play, which is a semi-autobiographical piece centred on the dynamics of a family of three, is set to be presented as part of the Kembali Ke Pangkuan series, curated and helmed by The Actors Studio’s new Associate Artistic Director Christopher Ling. Christopher, who is directing the piece, fills us in on what to expect from this production.

ABBA fans, you're in for a treat - Abborn, an award-winning ABBA tribute act are here in Malaysia, and will be performing in Kuching and Kuala Lumpur. Known for their stunning vocals, costumes, and meticulously crafted performances, ABBORN has captivated audiences worldwide, from Russia to Singapore. We find more about these two concerts - Abba Aborn at Zepp KL and also Dancing Queen Concert – A Tribute to Queen and ABBA in Kuching - from Dato' Nicholas Pinder, the Director of Homme Productions, and Zaid Zaini, the Organising Chairman of Front Row Entertainment, who are producing the show in Kuching. Both are charity concerts, with a portion of proceeds from the KL concert being channelled towards Yayasan Tunku Naquiyuddin (YTN), and a portion of proceeds from the Kuching concert being donated to the Sarawak Heart Foundation.Image Credit: Megatix

Watercolour artist and educator Lee Wee Xian has made a name for himself in the world of watercolour painting, and is set to present his first solo exhibition titled Overture, that will feature over 25 watercolour paintings that capture the forgotten, vanishing scenes and landmarks of Melaka. Known for his skillful use of light, shadow, water, and pigments, his work captures the beauty of everyday moments and reflects his deep connection to his hometown. He joins us to share more about his blooming visual arts career, and his upcoming solo exhibition.

The MJPF Music Festival has been uniting music enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds for over a decade now. The aim of the festival is to curate an unforgettable musical experience for the audience, while also showcasing rising music talents in Malaysia, and to provide them with the support and encouragement of music industry professionals. We speak to Michael Veerapen, renowned jazz pianist, composer, producer, record studio head, educator and also the Principal Founder of the Malaysian Jazz Piano Festival, to find out what's in store at this year's festival - MJPF 11 - the eleventh in the series.Image Credit: Malaysian Jazz Piano Festival, Instagram

My Video Making Practice is a unique mashup event by Gan Siong King, one of Malaysia’s most original contemporary artists. This event combines an artist talk, a screening, and a dialogue with invited guests. Through My Video Making Practice, Gan seeks to expand his distinctive, research-driven approach by remixing seven selected videos of Malaysian artists at work, created over the past decade. In doing so, he turns the lens and editing machine onto his own video-making process, blending personal materials and memories with his previous works. This approach allows him to critically and humorously reflect on the pleasures and pressures of making art in Malaysia and growing up in the 1990s. The event is a collaboration with Five Arts Centre, who are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, and we find out all about it from Gan, and also Five Art Centre’s Mark Teh, who is the producer of the event.

When the conservative Ethan relocates to a dilapidated apartment in a rough part of London, he meets its quirky and captivating residents—Ms. Wong, the straightforward landlady; Afternoon, the eccentric hippy; Cat, the moody graduate student; and Lord Vallen, the peculiar thespian. These new acquaintances ensure that Ethan's flat is always bustling with activity and drama. However, he quickly realises that his greatest challenge is dealing with Horace, his talkative, philosophical, and homicidal couch. This is the premise of Pop Up Theatre's latest production, Horace The Killer Couch, written and directed by Scott McQuaid. We speak to cast members Firdaus Sufiyan and Alexandria Kay, to find out more.

The good people from Musicians Linkage return, this time promising a night of beautiful music from movies and upcoming musicals in the performance titled: Cinematic Souls. Featuring singers Nixon Tan and Insyirah Azlan, the show will also mark the premiere of Artistic Director Dr Goh Chia-Chien's first original piece for string orchestra, performed by the Philomusica String Orchestra (PCO). Dr Goh joins us to share what's in store in this fundraising initiative by the Philomusica Society.

It's time for our yearly fix of all things French, as this year's instalment of the Le French Festival kicks off from the 29th of May until the 14th of July 2024. Back for its 22nd edition, the festival promises a mix of French-themed movie screenings, visual arts exhibitions, theatre performances, family and kids activities, workshops, gastronomy discoveries and so much more. Co-organised by the Alliances Françaises de Malaisie and the Embassy of France in Malaysia, we find out what's in store from Emmanuelle Marchand, the Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs, from the Embassy of France in Malaysia.

In June, Malaysia's Bach Festival Singers and Orchestra are set to be the first ensemble from Southeast Asia to be invited to perform in the most prestigious and important Bach landmarks in Germany: St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Bach Church in Arnstadt, as well as St. George's Church in Eisenach. The grand concert tour commences with two fundraising concerts right here in Kuala Lumpur. We catch up with Dr David Chin, the Founder and Artistic Director of Bachfest Malaysia, who is also the Director of the Bach Collegium and Music Professor at Augustana University in Sioux (SOO) Falls, South Dakota, and a Senior Fellow of the Bach Archive in Leipzig, Germany, to find out more about the programme in these fundraising concerts.

The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) continues its mission to broaden public appreciation for music beyond Western classical traditions, through the upcoming concert, Celestial Serenade. The concert celebrates Chinese classical music, highlighting the suona, a significant woodwind instrument in Chinese culture. Led by Jebat Arjuna Kee, the MPO collaborates with renowned suona performer Liu Wenwen to present Gong Guotai’s Hundred Birds Worshipping the Phoenix and Ode to Kylin by Kong Zhixuan, alongside Tan Dun’s Crouching Tiger Concerto featuring cellist Dylan Lee and other compositions such as Li Minxiong’s Flying Dragon Leaping Tiger and Zhu Jianer’s Sketches in the Mountains of Guizhou. We speak to cello soloist Dylan Lee, to find out more.

Cinderella, A Musical Comedy is not the Cinderella everyone knows; it is packed with live music, topical jokes, audience interaction, and just a touch of K-Pop flavour too. Telling the story of the supremacy of love, empathy and kindness over cunningness, selfishness, bullying and greed; the musical is loaded with humour and a touch of magic. We find out what's in store from director Joanna Bessey, and cast member Amsalan Doraisingam.

12tone Ensemble are set to present their second ever concert, “Dream Tryst,” featuring rarely performed choral compositions, right here in Malaysia. Highlights include John Corigliano's "Fern Hill," based on Dylan Thomas' poem, and Benjamin Britten's "Rejoice in the Lamb," set to Christopher Smart's text, among others. Founded in 2023 by Music Director Caeleb Tee, the ensemble comprises experienced choristers from Klang Valley, with Steinway Artist Zhang Chi on piano as a special guest for this concert. Caeleb joins us to discuss what's in store in this exploration of choral literature and poetry.Image Credit: Dream Tryst