Front Row

Few films have left as indelible a mark on cinema as The Godfather - and now, for one night only, its hauntingly beautiful score will echo through Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS under the baton of Gerard Salonga. Gerard joins us to talk about capturing the soul of Nino Rota’s music in The Godfather Live, and the timeless emotional pull of Coppola’s cinematic masterpiece.

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Celebrating female strength and cultural resilience, Setanggi Tari Melayu 2025 brings the stories of legendary Malay women into the spotlight through the journey of Melati, a warrior destined to lead. Presented by ASK Dance Company, this production is directed by Prof Dr. Joseph Gonzales, and is an evocative tribute to the power of heritage, identity, and womanhood, expressed through the language of movement and tradition. We speak to Joseph and creative producer Imran Syafiq to find out more.

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Opera gets a fun and family-friendly makeover in KL City Opera’s Young Mozart Voyager, an original pantomime designed to introduce children to the wonders of classical music. Featuring iconic arias and scenes from The Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute, this English-language show makes Mozart’s world come alive for a new generation. We speak to castmembers Qahar Aqilah and Natalie Makulin to find out more.

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What happens when timeless literature meets cutting-edge multimedia? Apresiasi A. Samad Said 2025 is set to answer that question with a one-of-a-kind event in Cyberjaya that brings the words of Malaysia’s beloved literary giant to life through digital art, immersive theatre, and interactive storytelling. Organised by Pertubuhan Seni Nusantara in collaboration with MMU, Crisscut Design, and Manggis Group, we're all invited to experience Pak Samad’s legacy like never before, and we hear more from the production’s producer and creative director Mariana Samsudin, and advisor Nazura Rahime. 

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When singer-songwriter Straw Lim returned to Malaysia after travelling to over 50 countries over time, she didn’t just come home, she brought the world with her. Now based in Kota Kinabalu, Straw presents Marilah Pulang, an album showcase that weaves together folk, traditional instruments, and stories from her multicultural roots into a powerful statement on identity and belonging. Performed in over five languages, we find out what's in store at this performance from Straw herself, and also from Melina William, the show's music director, and the producer of Straw’s album, Pulang.

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What happens when you blend folklore, culture, and musical transformation into one powerful evening? That’s what we’re promised at Symphonic Image, presented by wind ensemble the Philharmonic Winds of Malaysia. Hear more about the pieces they will perform: Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird (arr. by Knox for wind band), Alfred Reed's Armenian Dances, and the Malaysian premiere of David Maslanka's Symphony No. 4.

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The Selangor Symphony Youth Orchestra joins forces with the Asia Ballet Academy to bring one of the world’s most cherished ballets - The Nutcracker - to life. Featuring a 50-piece live orchestra and over 100 dancers, this magical performance blends classical beauty with digital storytelling and guided subtitles. We speak with SSO Founder and Conductor Eugene Pook, along with Ivy Chung, the President & Artistic Director of Asia Ballet Academy, about the vision, collaboration, and passion behind this production.

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Disguises, deception, and declarations of love — Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is one of his most beloved comedies, and it’s set to hit the stage under the KL Shakespeare Players’ Shakespeare Demystified series. Aiming to make the Bard’s comedy accessible, we'll see seven actors playing close to 15 roles, promising a lot of creativity, humour, and heart. Cast members Nurul Sofia, Tika Mu’tamir and Lim Soon Heng join us to share stories from behind the scenes, tell us what it’s really like performing for the Bards’s works, and reveal just how fun (and funny!) Shakespeare can be.

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Pollination 4: the palms of y/our hands is a cross-border exhibition that traces memories, migration, and everyday rituals between Yangon in Myanmar, and Penang. Centred on friendship and shared storytelling, it brings together artists, curators, and communities from across Southeast Asia in a tender reflection of these themes. We speak to co-curator Mark Teh, artist Okui Lala, and collaborator Steven Nyi Nyi, a migrant worker from Myanmar who spent 25 years of his life in Malaysia, to talk about the stories behind the exhibition, and how it came to life.

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What does it mean to live in the afterlife of the plantation? That’s the question at the heart of The Plantation Plot, a new exhibition presented by ILHAM Gallery in collaboration with global arts organisation Kadist. Curated by Lim Sheau Yun, the show explores how plantation systems not only shaped economies but also displaced communities, altered ecologies, and built the modern world. We speak to Sheau Yun, ILHAM’s Rahel Joseph, and Kadist’s Marie Martraire about the ideas behind the exhibition, the power of cross-cultural collaboration, and the enduring relevance of this history.

Image Credit: ILHAM Gallery

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