1 June 2010 � SINGAPORE � The Singapore Arts Festival opened in mid May along the banks of the Singapore River at Empress Place, all aflame with the burning lights of a post-apocalyptic-like fire garden, called Invitation To Dream presented by the National Arts Council and devised by Compagnie Carabosse, a French entertainment company. With ninety-nine ticketed performances, this year, the Singapore Arts Festival explores the theme �Between You and Me�, aiming to bring audiences closer to the arts. The Festival showcases works from across the world, alongside Singaporean programmes. The rare and visually stunning Indian production, The Manganiyar Seduction by Roysten Abel, is the Festival�s Gala performance. A theatrical evening of traditional Indian folk music, the show features over forty Indian musicians and singers who span three generations, many of whom performed for the Rajasthani Court.

The performing arts scene in Singapore is rapidly becoming unsurpassed in Asia and proving Singapore as a destination is more enticing than ever, with scores of entertainment options for visitors. Furthermore, Singapore, with its concentration of sights, sounds, tastes, cultures and attractions is a small enough island city that visitors can easily personalise their visit around what they love to do, at the pace they wish to do it.

The Singapore Arts Festival, which runs from 14 May 2010 to 13 June 2010, has both free and ticketed programmes, including workshops and masterclasses. Comprised of programmes that appeal to a whole gamut of people, the Festival seeks to connect with the younger generation with productions such as I, Peaseblossom, in which internationally awarded playwright, performer and storyteller extraordinaire, Tim Crouch, retells Shakespeare�s Midsummer Night�s Dream.

For those who wish to delve into local culture, a series of Learning Workshops, called Zapin 101, focuses on Malay cultural arts such as Silat, Pantun and Zapin - a popular traditional dance in Indonesia and Malaysia.

This year also marks the return of Emily of Emerald Hill performed over three nights by the venerable Singaporean actress Margaret Chan, who made the play renowned across the region. Staged at the well-known Victoria Theatre, the play marks the historic venue�s last performance before it closes for renovations.

In keeping with its appeal to a wide variety of audiences, the Festival will close with a Mega Line Dance, which is expected to attract up to sixteen thousand performers and will be held at the Marina Barrage and the Central Promontory, two venues which offer breathtaking views of Singapore.

International productions include In the Mood, in which two lady tailors transform clothes from passers-by into original pieces of art on the spot by using two sewing machines powered by classical Dutch bikes. Additionally, the legendary British director Peter Brook presents 11 and 12, a play that explores an extraordinary conflict in West Africa under French occupation. Another side of life is presented in Cargo Kuala Lumpur � Singapore, which takes the audience on a journey through the city�s unseen arteries of economic life on a specially converted freight truck.

Music is a pre-dominant theme in the Festival. In 2010 the Festival has attracted elite performers from around the world. One highlight is the Acoustic Evening with Nitin Sawhney, a British musician who makes his Festival debut. Expect a delectable programme which will present him and an exciting line-up of international musicians, unplugged. A sold out performance by the celebrated musicians of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields along with Joshua Bell, who wields the precious Gibson ex-Huberman Stradivarius of 1713, forge a unique artistic relationship to present the music of Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Mozart over two evenings at the iconic Esplanade Concert Hall.

Eonnagata, on the 4th and 5th June, through dance theatre, a bevy of artists explore the life of Chevalier d��on, perhaps the first spy to use transvestitism in the furtherance of his duties. Conceived and performed by the combined talents of internationally acclaimed dancer Sylvie Guillem, theatrical wizard Robert Lepage and award-winning choreographer Russell Maliphant, Eonnagata is a unique collaboration that unites three renowned artists on a shared path to dance theatre excellence.

Combining different art forms to create new ones is also evident at the Festival. Audiences can learn about dance and film at masterclass sessions with Alex Reuben, Lee Yanor and a forum with speakers Jason Wee, daniel k, Lim How Ngean. Further to that the Festival will also screen outstanding examples of dance on film to stretch your imagination and enhance your understanding of how to perceive dance/film as an art form.

Make your next stay in Singapore an entertaining one. Visit http://www.singaporeartsfest.com and http://www.yoursingapore.com for more information about the Singapore Arts Festival and to book your stay in Singapore.

- ENDS - For media enquiries, please contact: Aaron Yeo, Senior Associate, Burson-Marsteller DID: 6829 9333 | Mobile: 9843 3505 | Email: aaron.yeo@bm.com

Uma Vicnesvare, Manager, Corporate Communications, National Arts Council DID: 6837 9506 | Mobile: 9387 0874 | Email: uma_vicnesvare@nac.gov.sg

About the Singapore Arts Festival The Singapore Arts Festival 2010, themed Between You and Me, promises to be an intimate and inspiring showcase of international, Asian and seminal local performances. As a People�s and Creation Festival, the programmes are selected and designed to connect with audiences on a personal level through active consumption of the arts. Beyond performing and creation opportunities in intriguing productions, the Festival also introduced a new year-long education and outreach programme, com.mune, to enable deeper understanding and better appreciation of the arts. Connect and create with the Singapore Arts Festival like never before! For more information, visit www.singaporeartsfest.com.