Coming Soon: Fences

Event: “Fences – An Opera in Two Acts”
Venue: NAFA Lee Foundation Theatre
Run: 18th – 19th Aug 2012

Fans of opera may have heard of OperaViva, Singapore’s second opera company started in 2008 that focuses on Baroque and contemporary opera, as well as new works by Singaporeans and other Asian composers and librettists.

OperaViva will be premiering a brand new original opera in two acts next weekend entitled “Fences”.

It is written by composer John Sharpley and playwright-poet Robert Yeo, with Leow Siak Fah having conceived the idea nine years ago.

Chandran K. Lingam is the artistic director, while Darrell Ang is the conductor.

“Fences” is a localised version of the well-loved “Romeo and Juliet” story, and is set in the tumultuous 1960s, just before Singapore joined Malaya, through the period when Singapore was in Malaya, and into separation from Malaya.

It is a show about whether love will triumph despite parental objections and racial and religious differences, and stars Akiko Otao and David Quah in the lead roles.

This opera has gone through a long and arduous process in order to make it to the stage, and come next weekend we will finally be able to see the fruits of countless upon countless hours of intensive labour.

Brand new operas don’t come our way very often, much less locally-written ones, so this is definitely an opportunity not to be missed.

Tickets are available through OperaViva Limited and EventCliQue, or call 6602 9900.