Front Row

There’s a big music exchange happening, one that brings together orchestras, choirs, young musicians, dancers, and composers from both Malaysia and Australia. It’s called Exchange for Peace , and it blends world premieres, children’s choirs, and Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man in a celebration of collaboration and hope. Here to share the story behind it, and to give us a peek into what it’s been like...

The Shantanand Festival of Arts returns this year with a joyful celebration of music, dance, theatre and storytelling, all brought together under one roof by the Temple of Fine Arts Kuala Lumpur . Now in its 8th edition, the festival has grown into a beloved cultural highlight, drawing audiences from all walks of life. Joining us are Festival Director Dhanya Thurairajah and Co-Music Arranger Harir...

We often hear Yap Ah Loy’s name in our history books, but a new production presented by Opus Harmonia Association and co-organised by the PJ Philharmonic Orchestra Academy is giving his story fresh life, through theatre and symphonic music. It’s Kapitan – The Musical , and we're joined by the creative team behind it - director and book and lyrics writer Chin San Sooi, and composer and music direct...

Back in 2009, The Swimming Instructor had its Malaysian debut under the direction of Christopher Ling, and it left a strong mark on audiences here. Sixteen years later, he’s revisiting the play with a brand new cast and an original soundtrack by composer Marco George. It’s a chance to see how this funny and quietly moving story evolves when placed in the world we live in today, where "no amount of...

Every now and then, something remarkable resurfaces, in this case, a ‘lost play’ from the archives of Jit Murad. Entourage – Murder Amongst Friends was written back in 2000 but never staged, until now. As part of JitFest 2025 , Dramalab is giving it the spotlight, premiering with an ensemble cast exploring friendship, ambition, secrets, and a murder that changes everything. We speak to cast member...

Three years ago, ILHAM Gallery launched a new platform to encourage Malaysian artists to dream big - to experiment, to take risks, to create something entirely new. That platform became The ILHAM Art Show , and this year, it’s back with its second edition, featuring twenty artists and collectives whose works explore everything from memory and identity, to nature and the future. We speak to Rahel J...

Gamers and music lovers, this one’s for you! Ode to the Lifestream is a chamber concert celebrating the unforgettable soundtrack of Final Fantasy VII, brought to life by a nine-piece ensemble. It’s presented by EnkeEnyo Music and the Zephyr Flute Ensemble, and joining us to share what to expect are Sylvie Wong and Qayyum Bin Zainal, the co-founders of EnkeEnyo Music , who are also the arrangers an...

It’s always a treat when the Singapore Ballet returns to Kuala Lumpur, and this year’s Ballet Illuminations 2025 is extra special. Presented with klpac, the performances celebrate 60 years of friendship between Malaysia and Singapore, through a programme of classical and contemporary works by the late Singaporean choreographer Choo-San Goh, an excerpt from an original piece made for Singapore Ball...

We often hear the word “cacat” used as a slur, but what if it could mean something else? Siapa Cacat? is a performance by the disabled, about the disabled, for everyone, created and performed by a collective of deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent artists. Presented by Teater Untuk Semua in collaboration with Five Arts Centre, it reclaims the word “cacat” as a statement of pride and empowerment, and...

Fairy tales, magic, and a little bit of mischief - that’s what audiences can expect from Ravel 150 , a brand-new double-bill production by KL City Opera celebrating the genius of French composer Maurice Ravel. It’s a concert that promises to delight both the young and the young at heart, featuring two of his most beloved piano works and a rarely performed opera about a naughty child who learns kin...

HANDS Percussion has long been one of Malaysia’s most dynamic and inventive performing arts groups, known for their powerful drumming, cross-cultural collaborations, and a deep commitment to telling Malaysian stories through rhythm. They return to the stage with Camaraderie , a brand-new production that celebrates connection, memory, and the bonds that hold us together. The show brings back some o...

Following the success of last year’s concert, Unveiling Uniqueness returns for its second edition - A Musical Celebration of Diversity . Organised by Musicians for Musicians Malaysia , the event aims to empower and spotlight musicians with disabilities, with proceeds supporting ongoing efforts to build more inclusive platforms in the local music scene. Joining us to share more about the event’s vi...

Behind every headline about school bullying lies a story of pain, silence, and loss, stories that Tewas: No Light at the End of the Tunnel brings powerfully to life on stage. The play is based on real experiences of students and families across Malaysia, exploring how trauma ripples through lives and communities. We speak to the production’s director and writer Hilyati Ramli, and its scenographer...

It began with three neighbours - Pentago House, SAM Mansion, and The Zhongshan Building - and a shared dream of bringing people together through art. Today, that small experiment has grown into PESZTA , a beloved neighbourhood arts festival that turns the spotlight on local creatives and community spirit. As it returns for its fourth edition, we speak to Nur’Adanee Binti Azmi, the administrator fo...

Once a community-driven art platform, A4 has grown into one of Malaysia’s most exciting creative movements, one that blurs the lines between art, design, and everyday life. This year’s A4 Art Fair , themed The Art of Everything, continues that mission, inviting visitors to experience how art shapes the spaces we live in and the culture we share. We speak to Si Juan, the fair’s curator, and feature...

Every year, the SeaShorts Film Festival offers a window into the many worlds of Southeast Asia - its cultures, struggles, and hopes, told through the art of the short film. This year’s theme, Through the Cracks, looks at stories that find light in the spaces between borders and identities. To find out more, we speak to Koen de Rooij, programmer for the International Film Festival Rotterdam and spe...

The D’Motion International Dance Festival is back, bringing together artists from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, and the UK in a celebration of movement, creativity, and collaboration. Among the international highlights is In the Absence, a hauntingly beautiful duet by PCK Dance from the UK. We speak to dancers/ choreographers James Pett and Travis Clausen-Knight, to talk about their piece an...

What happens when a symphony orchestra meets a rock band? You get Symphonic Rock 2.0 , a one-of-a-kind concert that brings iconic hits from Queen, Metallica, and even Malaysia’s own Wings and Search to life in a whole new way. Presented by Tutan Entertaiment, we speak to conductor laureate Kevin Field, and lead vocalist Muzza, to find out how they are bringing two worlds of music together on one e...

In the years after Merdeka, Malaysian artists were reimagining who we were and who we could be. The 1960s gave rise to painters who wrote plays, musicians who composed national anthems, and theatre-makers who told stories of identity and belonging. What The Elders Left Us is a new festival that revisits that vibrant period, not just to celebrate it, but to ask what lessons and legacies it holds fo...

Mozart’s Don Giovanni is often called the perfect blend of comedy, tragedy, and the supernatural - a story of a charming but dangerous man who lives for pleasure and pays the ultimate price. It’s been performed for centuries in grand opera houses around the world, but this October, KL City Opera is bringing it home in a bold, contemporary staging. Set in the world of modern corporate Kuala Lumpur,...

How often do we stop to notice the spaces around us, or the people we pass by each day? That’s the question at the heart of Searching Blue , an immersive contemporary dance work by The Human Experience (T.H.E) Dance Company from Singapore. It’s not a show where you sit and watch, it’s one where you might find yourself walking, listening, and even moving alongside the dancers. Ahead of its KL premi...

Tan Kah Kee may not be a household name today, but a century ago he was a towering figure - a philanthropist, educator, and community leader who rallied the overseas Chinese in Malaya and beyond during the Sino-Japanese War. His extraordinary life is now being brought to the stage in a new musical called Prelude to Peace – The Legacy of Tan Kah Kee. Joining us to share more about the production ar...

You know those songs that instantly transport you back to childhood? Well, this October you’ll get to hear them bigger and grander than ever before. When You Wish Upon A Star: A Symphonic Celebration with the National Symphony Orchestra, features a dazzling line-up of vocalists, and we find out what's in store from three of them: Sean Ghazi (Singer, Actor, Artistic Director, Bobo KL) and singer-so...

Since 1982, the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) has been providing shelter, counselling, and crisis support to women and children experiencing abuse. Beyond immediate refuge, WAO also works on legal aid and advocacy to help survivors rebuild their lives and push for systemic change. They are teaming up with Malaysian-born, New York-based artist Eng Tay for a very special charity exhibition called A...

Musicals have a way of lifting us up, even when they’re dealing with heavy themes. That’s exactly what Gou Li Hao Xi sets out to do, blending music, dance, and storytelling to spark conversations about mental health. We speak to the show’s Executive Producer, Ee Lai Cheng, to find out more. Image Credit: Capri Communications Sdn Bhd, Show K's Productions See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...