Reimagining Melaka, an annual classical music festival by arts NGO Melaka Classics, aims to bring a culture of classical music to the city of Melaka. Taking place in significant cultural spaces around Melaka, this year’s festival will emphasise musicians who specialise in Historically Informed Performances - an approach to classical music that aims to be faithful to the manner and style of the musical era in which a work was originally conceived. We speak with the festival’s creative director Orest Smovzh, to learn more about this approach.

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Artist Anida Yoeu Ali, a first-generation Muslim Khmer woman who was born in Cambodia and raised in the US, combines live performance, installation, photography, and video art to explore issues of displacement and belonging - by performing as a human-sized bug. We speak with Anida as she debuts her work in Malaysia.

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The fourth edition of the annual Refugee Festival will bring artists from the refugee community to different communities that may not typically have access to the festival. The festival also brings together refugee and Malaysian artists to present their works together. We speak with the festival’s director Mahi Ramakrishnan about how the event continues to evolve as it provides a valuable voice to the displaced people who make Malaysia their homes.

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Mortality is not an easy subject to explore - a theatre production called “dust”, however, attempts to do so by bringing together five performers who will each present ideas related to death and grief through their own perspectives. We speak with the shows director Esther Liew and one of the actors, Ranessa Theyakaraja.

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On this festive episode of Speak Easy, we'll be looking into the concept of poetry exchange. Equally challenging and fun, the practice of exchanging words in a poetic form can be seen not only in our beloved tradition of berbalas pantun but the lively halls of poetry slams as well. Joining Sheena Baharudin are three poets to talk about poetry exchange and a new event entitled BALOH, which is currently making its way into the local poetry scene.

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How do you use art to comment on the constant development that Kuala Lumpur undergoes? In the case of Dhavinder Singh’s installation art project, he literally takes the art to the sites that are being developed. His work, called “Test Tanah”, is a touring art exhibition that will be displayed at various locations slated for redevelopment in Kuala Lumpur. We speak with Dhavinder to find out more.

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Funding is an essential aspect of the Malaysian arts landscape, with most artsmakers relying on government or corporate financial support. The INXO Arts Fund aims to help bridge this gap by seeding works by younger or emerging artsmakers, with RM100,000 available to fund up to 10 arts and culture-related projects. We speak with the INXO Arts and Culture Foundation’s CEO E-Jan Tan to learn more.

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After a decade, a theatre production called “Transitions” sees one of our most treasured theatre practitioners - Datuk Faridah Merican - essaying a lead role once again. The play was written specifically with her in mind by writer Marina Tan, and tells the story of the founder of a radio station who suffers an unexpected stroke. We speak with Faridah and Marina about how the play is brought to life by a combination of Malaysiana, music and memories.

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POW Ideas is a Malaysian design and architecture collective who will be the first Malaysian architects to be presenting at the Venice Art Biennale. They will be presenting an art installation called “Gerai Tai Tai”, which combines some truly Malaysian concepts - from pasar malams to fortune telling. We speak with Kyle E and Jun Ong, the people behind the idea.

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Bharatanatyam and music become the central points around which the story of “His Father’s Voice” unfolds - an Indian film that addresses memories, relationships, loss, and healing. Ahead of a special screening in Malaysia, we speak with the film’s writer/director Kaarthikeyan Kirubhakaran and actor/producer Ashwini Pratap Pawar.

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