Singapore HeritageFest 2025 features over 100 programmes, including a Chinese opera in English
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New Paper
31 minutes ago
- New Paper
Stefanie Sun anonymously donated to Guizhou flood victims: singer Han Hong
Stefanie Sun made an anonymous donation to flood victims in the Chinese province of Guizhou through Chinese singer Han Hong's foundation, the latter recently revealed on social media. "The Ms Sun whom I respect: you donated secretly again. Time and time again, you wouldn't let me talk about this, but why do we have to be secretive when doing good things? She always quietly and warmly conveys love," wrote Han. "We accept this kindness and are forever grateful! Thank you to my dear friend Stefanie Sun the teacher, see you on stage." According to Shin Min Daily News, Rongjiang county and Congjiang county in Guizhou's Qiandongnan prefecture suffered severe floods in June, with many houses destroyed. The Hanhong Love Charity Foundation then started relief efforts, with plans to donate 2 million yuan (S$360,000 dollars). It then received an anonymous donation with the instruction: "Give priority to the elderly, children and pregnant women." Han later confirmed that the donor was Sun, and decided to "expose" it. "Thank you... but I won't respond to the above!" said Sun, 46, in response to Shin Min's queries. Sun has reportedly made multiple donations to charity. When heavy rains struck Henan in 2021, a volunteer revealed that a "Ms Sun from Singapore" donated 600,000 yuan through an anonymous account, designated for purchasing speedboats and drinking water. Since 2004, Sun has helped build a shelter for poor children in the Indian city of Kolkata. For the past 20 years, she has also sponsored the education of many students in Yunnan and Gansu from primary school to university. Five libraries in remote mountainous areas are reportedly named after Sun, who helped build them.
Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
Concert review: SCO's Metamorphosis a harmonious celebration of SG60
Metamorphosis Singapore Chinese Orchestra Singapore Conference Hall July 19, 7.30pm The Singapore Chinese Orchestra's (SCO) opening concert for the 2025/2026 season, led by principal conductor Quek Ling Kiong, was a celebration of SG60. Sixty years of Singapore's nation-building were premised on a multicultural identity and social harmony, all represented in this concert. The evening opened with SCO composer-in-residence Wang Chenwei's Lion City Rhapsody, a modern look at the baroque concerto grosso. Its concertino group of soloists played 14 different instruments and covered the five Chinese dialect groups in Singapore, each with its own distinct colour. Its infectious and kinetic energy founded upon the Nanyin classic Trotting Horses culminated in a greeting for National Day in Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Hakka and Hainanese. Of a more descriptive nature was Chen Si'ang's The Grand Canal, which began quietly with serene scenes of quaint river towns on the 2,500-year-old water system. Working itself into a big climax as it empties into the great Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, the quasi-cinematic work was symbolic of longevity and endurance. Former SCO composer-in-residence Law Wai Lun's The Stories Of Singapore highlighted landmarks in the nation's history as viewed in the pages and photographs of local Chinese-language newspapers. The accompanying images to the music's optimistic and self-congratulatory tone have been updated to include defeating the Covid-19 pandemic and the ascensions of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. There were two concertante pieces, both featuring Young Artist Award-winning percussionists. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 1 in 3 vapes here laced with etomidate; MOH working with MHA to list it as illegal drug: Ong Ye Kung Singapore HSA extends hotline hours, launches new platform to report vaping offences Singapore Tampines regional centre set to get more homes, offices and public amenities Multimedia How to make the most out of small homes in Singapore World Diplomats dismissed: Inside the overhaul reshaping Trump's foreign policy Life US tech CEO Andy Byron resigns after viral Coldplay 'kiss cam' video Opinion I thought I was a 'chill' parent. Then came P1 registration Singapore 'God and government are the only things beyond our control,' says Group CEO India-born tabla player Nawaz Mirajkar was soloist in his Soul Of Damaru, a raga-based work where he performed on one tabla and five damarus (hourglass-shaped Indian drums). The hypnotic spell generated was most magical when heard in counterpoint with Benjamin Boo's xylophone. A quite different atmosphere came with Riduan Zalani helming no less than eight frame drums (including tambourines) in Taiwanese composer Chang Yung-chin's Within And Beyond. In its sequence of increasingly exuberant dances, there were spots for ad libbing and even audience interaction, which kept the episodic work edgy and absorbing. Then came the world premiere of Wang's Converging Resonances, which commemorated 60 years of the Singapore Conference Hall's history. Its metamorphosis from National Trades Union Congress headquarters to SCO's performing home unfolded in the form of a passacaglia, an inventive series of short varaations on a ground bass. While its inspiration came from Johannes Brahms' Fourth Symphony, the immaculate execution with numerous instrumental solos was wholly Chinese in character and feel. Closing the concert was Felix Phang's Pasat Merdu, translated as 'melodious marketplace', another concerto grosso-like work where diverse cultures and ideas are welcome. This adaptation by Germaine Goh for Chinese orchestra placed centrestage four members of The Straits Ensemble – Govin Tan (tabla), Nizar Fauzi (rebana), Azrin Abdullah (oud) and Phang (double bass) – in a raucous and colourful melange. This and the encore of Tamil song Iyarkaiyin Kaatchi, which included guest of honour President Tharman in a clap-along, were enjoyable reminders that multiculturalism in harmony is what makes Singapore tick.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
S'pore sees no baby boom in Year of the Dragon despite slight rise in births in 2024
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Historically, there has been a baby boom each dragon year, which falls every 12 years in the zodiac cycle. SINGAPORE – The much hoped for baby boom did not materialise in the Year of the Dragon, but there was a slight rise in births in 2024. In total, 33,703 babies were born in 2024, up by 0.5 per cent from the 33,541 born in 2023, according to the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths 2024. The report was released by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority on July 18. Singapore's birth rate is among the world's lowest, and the Government has been trying for years to get Singaporeans to have more babies. Meanwhile, the number of deaths fell from 26,888 in 2023 to 26,442 in 2024, a drop of 1.7 per cent. This is the first time the number of deaths fell from the previous year in almost a decade, a check by The Straits Times found. With Singapore's rapidly ageing society, the number of deaths has been steadily rising over the decades. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore A deadly cocktail: Easy access, lax attitudes driving Kpod scourge in S'pore Singapore 'I thought it was an April Fool's joke': Teen addicted to Kpods on news that friend died Asia Cool photo spots, viral food videos: Malaysia plans to woo Chinese tourists via social media Asia From propaganda to passion: N. Korean TV show mimics K-drama to fend off banned media from the South Singapore New auto pet wash service in Buona Vista draws flak, but firm stands by its safety Singapore 314 suicides reported in Singapore in 2024, remains leading cause of youth deaths Asia 'Guardian angels': Taiwan's dementia-friendly village promotes ageing in place Life US tech firm launches probe into Coldplay 'kiss cam' couple after clip goes viral The Covid-19 pandemic is likely to have also contributed to the higher number of deaths between 2020 and 2022. The two leading causes of death in 2024 were cancer and heart and hypertensive diseases, which accounted for over half of all deaths here. In February, Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, said that the dragon year effect has been diminishing over the years, reflecting the generational shifts in attitudes and priorities among young couples. Ms Rajah, whose ministry oversees population issues, said the preliminary total fertility rate (TFR), which refers to the average number of babies each woman would have during her reproductive years, remained at 0.97 in 2024. This is the same figure as 2023, when Singapore's TFR fell below 1 for the first time. In February, the total number of babies born in 2024 was not made public yet. In the Chinese zodiac calendar, the Dragon Year has traditionally been considered an auspicious time to have children, as the dragon is associated with good fortune, success and leadership, among other desirable traits. Historically, there has been a baby boom each dragon year, which falls every 12 years in the zodiac cycle. For example, there were 36,178 babies born in 2011 but 38,641 in 2012, which was Year of the Dragon – an increase of 6.8 per cent. The increase in births in the dragon year before that was even higher. In the 2000 dragon year, a total of 44,765 babies were born - an 8.3 per cent jump from the 41,327 babies born in 1999. Over the past two decades, the Government has introduced a slew of measures and benefits to boost the country's birth rate.
