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Four-year-old Christopher Lee at his first NDP yesterday with his mother, Mrs Anne Lee, a 32-year-old teacher. The show rich in local references won the hearts of the crowd this year. -- ST PHOTO: MUGILAN RAJASEGARAN |
THEY came prepared for a parade with a difference - and got just that.
About 27,000 spectators at the Marina Bay floating platform were treated to the nation's biggest musical yesterday - this year's National Day Parade.
The third parade staged on the platform is also likely to be the last against a skyline of semi-finished skyscrapers of the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort (IR), which is due to open next year.
The show celebrating the country's 44th birthday was, quite proudly, uniquely Singaporean. Segments ran back and forth through time as hosts Gurmit Singh, Vernetta Lopez, Michelle Chong, Mark Lee and Suhaimi Yusof kept the crowd's spirits high with laugh-out-loud moments.
It was quite hilarious, rich with references to buayas, nonyas and 'jia pa buay?', Hokkien for 'Have you eaten?', a greeting which points to a nation obsessed with food.
Lee's Singlish-speaking Admiral, speaking to Sang Nila Utama, drew several guffaws, while perennial favourites like the Red Lions daredevil parachute jumps and marching contingents brought people to their feet.
Scoring this year's show was Dr Sydney Tan, who wanted to create a 'common chord'.
The NDP music director said: 'Everyone, including the guy next to you, will feel the same way, and that we are one.'
Music, in fact, linked the entire show and led up to the 'Pledge Moment', which played out at the bay and beyond.
