Front Row

From back-to-back live performances in the afternoon, to swing dancing in the evening and a full jazz orchestra at night, KL Jazz Day 2026 promises a full spectrum of what jazz can be. Taking place at Yap Ah Shak House , it’s as much about the music as it is about bringing people together. We find out what's in store from singer-songwriter and musician Reza Salleh, who’s organising this year’s eve...

A funeral becomes the starting point for a deeply personal reckoning in Dua Darah , a new theatre production by ZXC Theatre Troupe , that brings us into the mind of a man caught between cultures, faiths, and expectations. As he carries out the rites for his late aunt, memories begin to surface, revealing the complexities of being a Malay-Chinese Muslim in Malaysia today. Blending language, movemen...

Ambition, power, and the unraveling of the human mind - Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedies. But what happens when we step inside the psyche of Lady Macbeth alone? Masakini Theatre Company ’s latest production, Lady M , reimagines The Scottish Play as a gripping solo performance. We speak to actor, producer and Artistic Director Sabera Shaik, and lighting designer Normah Nordin...

Justice, mercy, revenge, forgiveness. These are big themes, and they sit right at the heart of Shakespeare Demystified: The Merchant of Venice , now brought back by KL Shakespeare Players in a way that speaks to today’s audiences. Joining us to talk about how they make Shakespeare feel immediate and relatable to today’s audience are cast members Nurul Sofia, Zul Zamir, and Lim Soon Heng, who is al...

From legends like Roman Tam, Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung to more contemporary favourites like Eason Chan and Sammi Cheng, Cantopop has produced some of the most memorable songs in Asian pop music. Over the past six years, the Golden Melody series at klpac has celebrated those iconic songs through live performances that combine music, storytelling and nostalgia. Now the series returns for its sixth...

From performing with traditional instruments to producing electronic music and cinematic soundscapes, Belle Sisoski has built a reputation for blending heritage and modern sound. The Sarawak-born multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer-songwriter plays over 30 traditional instruments, possesses a five-octave vocal range, and has amassed millions of followers across the world. Now, she will be t...

Two monumental works by Johannes Brahms take centre stage in an upcoming chamber music performance, Brahms: The Two Sonatas for Cello & Piano , featuring the composer’s complete sonatas for cello and piano. These pieces showcase the cello’s lyrical voice and the rich partnership between the two instruments. Joining us to share more about the music is cellist and co-headliner of the recital, Iv...

Nighttime means different things to different people. For some, it’s calm and quiet. For others, it’s when emotions feel a little closer to the surface. Presented by the VerSeS Music Ensembles, Moonlit Melodies is a concert built around that idea - music shaped by stillness, shadow, and reflection. It features songs and piano works inspired by the poetry of the night. Joining us to share more are...

What happens to ordinary people when freedoms begin to narrow and uncertainty becomes part of everyday life? That is the question at the heart of No Particular Order , a dystopian play by Singaporean playwright Joel Tan. Told through shifting timelines and fragments of everyday lives, the play explores how people navigate fear, responsibility, and survival in a society that feels uncomfortably clo...

A new theatre production is inviting us into a story about family, loss, and the complicated bonds between siblings. Mati-mati (J’aime Ma Mère) is the second part of a trilogy by Christopher Ling and Arsyad Azrai, following the sold-out Saccharine . To tell us more about the show and how it builds on their earlier work Saccharine, we’re joined by writer Arsyad Azrai and cast member Muhammad Ibrahi...

From playful marches to cinematic finales, wind symphony music has a way of telling vivid and unexpected stories. An upcoming concert titled The Ambitious Plan brings together a wide range of works, including a world premiere by a local composer, while also marking an important milestone for BELIA’n Wind Symphony . Joining us to share more are Ho Chee Kiang, Music Director and Conductor, and Aaron...

What happens when young theatre makers are given the freedom to experiment without playing it safe? The Young Blood Experiment under EJKLS Seni does exactly that, spotlighting bold new voices and ideas on stage. We speak to Yanu, director and writer of In Conversation with God , and Yuthes Umadevi Navarathinam, director and writer of  Yel! or A Compendious Lecture on the Reign of Sultan Paduk...

What does it mean to grow up under pressure, and what happens when systems meant to help us quietly cross a line? Those are some of the questions explored in two new plays coming out of The Young Blood Experiment by EJKLS Seni . We speak to Adelia Khalid, director and writer of Mary/am , and Hanna Lee, director and writer of Lapar , two emerging theatre makers whose works invite us to look closely...

Malaysia is often described through slogans, policies, or headlines, but rarely through the messy, contradictory voices of everyday people. Kami Penipu Tapi Kami Tak Menipu flips that around, taking candid street interviews and transforming them into a 60-second snippets that form a full length contemporary dance performance, one that blends movement, text, multimedia, and live music. This is not...

The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) has kicked off 2026 with its 28th concert season , one that blends classical storytelling with cross-genre collaborations and crowd favourites. With programmes ranging from Verdi and Mozart to anime, film, and Broadway, the season reflects an orchestra constantly rethinking how it connects with audiences. We catch up with Gerard Salonga, the MPO’s Residen...

BUKA 2026 is a space for opening up. Through solo works in theatre and dance, it brings forward stories of identity, belonging, and emotional truth, and asks what it really means to be seen without defences. Joining us to talk about the production are producer Hoe Hui Ting, and performer Yon Lynn, who is the solo actor for the piece called “Kenapa Tak Tukar Nama?” - which explores love, faith, ide...

There are some conversations that only come with time, shared history, and a lot of lived experience. God’s Waiting Room feels like one of those conversations. Opening klpac’s 2026 season, this new play looks at old age, companionship, and the strange in-between space of waiting, through characters who are funny, irritable, vulnerable, and deeply human. It is written and directed by Joe Hasham OAM...

Anime music, a full symphony orchestra, and over 120 musicians on one stage - that’s the promise of Encounter: Anime 2.0 . Presented by AOrchestra, this community-driven concert brings iconic anime themes to life through brand-new orchestral arrangements, featuring music from Naruto, Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece, Studio Ghibli, and more. We find out more from producer Alvin Ong, the Founder of AOrche...

When we talk about the death penalty, it is often discussed in numbers, laws, and policy debates. But behind every sentence is a human life, and a ripple effect that reaches families, lawyers, prison officers, and entire communities. At a time when Malaysia has repealed the mandatory death penalty but continues to retain capital punishment in law, questions about justice, humanity, and accountabil...

At its heart, Lorong Cermin is a story about people trying to move forward while carrying the weight of the past. Set in a town recovering from a devastating flood, the musical explores strained family ties, unspoken feelings, and the quiet hope that comes with rebuilding. We discuss how the cast brings these emotions to the stage, the challenges of performing in an original musical, and what this...

What happens when identity slips, and the body moves between showing and hiding? Body For Nobody sits in that quiet, in-between space, using movement, sound, and ritual to invite us to slow down and pay attention. Joining me to talk about this new full-length dance work is its creator, choreographer and dancer Ethel Deidre, developed through the REFLEKT Residency by Goethe-Institut Malaysia. See o...

Opera doesn’t have to be intimidating, and klpac’s Classical For Kids concerts prove it. With floor seating for children, interactive storytelling, and an orchestra up close, families can enjoy Mozart’s The Magic Flute in a fun, relaxed way. Joining us are YiLing Chaing, the Music Director and Founder of Fiamma Opera Studio, and Lee Hai Lin, the concertmaster, to talk about what children and famil...

Into Still Life is a performance that invites us to slow our pace and notice the quiet relationships between stillness and movement. It looks at how tension, balance, and presence shape our experience of the world. We hear more from the artists behind it, Aiwei Foo and Kent Lee, from the Shaman Tearoom . Image Credit: Shaman Tearoom See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Audiovisual art can sound a little mysterious if you’ve never encountered it, but TEKKA wants to change that. The festival is making its first appearance in Kuala Lumpur with performances, workshops, and conversations that invite everyone to explore how sound and visuals can interact. Here to guide us through what TEKKA is trying to spark are its Founder and Creative Director, Wee Jia Foong, and V...

Taman Melawati is about to come alive with a very special community festival, one that brings together arts, environment, youth, and neighbourhood spirit. It’s called the Jalinan x Little River Festival 2025, and it’s the first time two grassroots movements are joining forces: Jalinan, a monthly arts and community programme centred on Jalan Negara Kita; and the Little River Festival, a project roo...