Front Row

Award-winning artist and photographer Liz Fernando, who was born and raised in Germany, created “Trincomalee – My Father’s Stories and the Lost Photographs” from reconstructions of Sri Lanka’s collective memory and oral histories told to her by her father. Intertwining historical narratives with personal stories, the work has been acquired for the private collection of the World Bank Headquarters in Washington D.C., and is currently on an international traveling exhibition. We speak to Liz about the exhibition as the exhibition makes its way to Kuala Lumpur.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini is one of the most popular operas in the world. Set in Japan in the early 1900s, it tells the story of a young Japanese girl who marries an American naval officer, only to be later faced with heartbreak. We speak to the cast members Cecilia Yap and Samantha Chong, and conductor Juan Montoya, about a local staging of the opera by the Kuala Lumpur City Opera, and just what makes this tale of young love and tragedy so enduring.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a strong history of printmaking in Malaysia, which includes techniques both traditional and modern. An exhibition at the Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery explores this legacy by bringing together 29 prominent local printmakers, to trace the history of the art here over the last 80 years. We speak to the museum’s deputy director Noreen Zulkepli, and assistant curator Nur Zahirah Abdul Samad, about the show, called “The Art of Printmaking: Lasting Impressions”.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The artist who has done much of her work on the road now brings them back for her solo exhibition. She tells why the need for this event and the need to engage with local collectors. Poesy also shares on how technology is playing a crucial part in the world of art.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For his latest exhibition, Malaysia artist Ajim Juxta moves away from the typical solo show format in favour of a more collaborative approach, working with other artists and writers. The result is “Tugu|Ugut”, an exhibition that uses text, specifically anagrams, to reflect on the world around us. We speak to Ajim about the works in the show, and the process of creating them.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An art exhibition called “Editions” brings various artists together to examine the idea of multiples, both from the perspective of technique as well as the artwork itself. We speak to three of the creatives being shown, about how they each interpreted this theme into their works, and why it can produce some unexpected results.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two men wake up on the 43rd floor of a building, where they are being held captive by a demon - this is the premise of Floor 43, Kudos Productions’ latest play. We speak to performers Josh Blake, Nabil Musawir, and Jazz Yap, about scaling the heights of this psychological thriller.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Symphony Orchestra of Malaysia (NSO) is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with a concert in Istana Budaya. We speak to music director and conductor, Datuk Mustafa Fuzer Nawi, about how the NSO has evolved over the past 25 years, and what the future holds for it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The interview guest was first on BFM four years ago. And more recently, two years ago when he performed in a show of excerpts from West End and Broadway musicals. In that production, he also assisted as a vocal coach. Because he sung in West End performances of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, he is back in the Klang Valley to perform a one-night-only concert-version of that same musical. Our producer catches up with Richards to find out what he has been doing the last couple of years and what draws him to return to Kuala Lumpur. Hear more about performing ‘The Phantom’.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is halal, what is haram, and how to define these terms, are questions that come up frequently in Malaysian public discourse. An art exhibition by Sisters in Islam (SIS), themed “Halal Haram”, aims to examine these questions and break down some preconceived notions about the Islamic faith. The show, which is part of the SISArt initiative - now in its second year - features the works of 26 Malaysian artists of various backgrounds and belief systems. We speak to the exhibition’s co-curators Nia Khalisa and Hana Zamri, and SIS’ communications manager Majidah Hashim, to find out more.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.