Olivia Ho recommends Legend Of The White Snake which combines live action opera and animation

PHOTOS: ODE TO ART GALLERY, CHINESE OPERA AND DRAMA SOCIETY (SINGAPORE), SINGAPORE DANCE THEATRE

SINGAPORE DANCE THEATRE 30TH ANNIVERSARY GALA

The Singapore Dance Theatre marks 30 years of performances with a gala night of four ballet works, including the world premiere of Linea Adora by Thomas Harbour, created specially for the gala to music by Philip Glass. The programme also includes the company premiere of Nils Christe's Sync, originally created for the Washington Ballet, as well as Goh Choo San's Double Contrasts and the pas de deux from Configurations.

WHERE: Esplanade Theatre, 1 Esplanade Drive MRT: City Hall/ Esplanade WHEN: Today and tomorrow, 8pm ADMISSION: $35 to $75 from Sistic (call 6348-5555 or go to www.sistic.com.sg) INFO: www.singaporedancetheatre.com

POETRY FESTIVAL SINGAPORE

The festival takes the stage in its fourth year with its first poetic drama, Benches, a coming-of-age two-hander by American theatre-maker Giovanni Ortega and Singaporean actress Ranice Tay that incorporates poems written by both of them.

Poet Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingde will moderate a discussion of spiritual writing with writers Gwee Li Sui, Krishna Udayasankar and Nuraliah Norasid, while poets such as Edwin Thumboo, Grace Chia and Aaron Lee will do an inter-faith reading, accompanied by choir PsalmiDeo.

Free Food For The Soul will feature readings from seven up-and-coming young female poets, while humanitarian group Sanrakshan will co-organise Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves, a poetry reading in English and Tamil.

WHERE: The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane MRT: City Hall/ Raffles Place WHEN: Today to Sunday, various timings ADMISSION: Free unless otherwise stated, register at pfs2018.peatix.com before 10pm. today. Benches is $20 from benches-sg.peatix.com INFO: www.poetryfestival.sg

PORTRAIT OF THE HEART

Veteran Singaporean artist and Cultural Medallion recipient Lim Tze Peng, 97 (with his work, Hutuzi, in the background), holds one of his largest solo exhibitions with more than 80 works, ranging from his iconic scenes of Chinatown and the Singapore River, to his more recent calligraphy works.

WHERE: Ode To Art Gallery, 01-36E/F Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road MRT: City Hall WHEN: Till Aug 12, 11am to 9pm daily ADMISSION: Free INFO: www.odetoart.com

LEGEND OF THE WHITE SNAKE

The Chinese Opera and Drama Society (Singapore) combines live action opera and animation to stage this classic love story, in which the spirits White Snake and Green Snake travel to West Lake in Hangzhou and transform themselves into beautiful women.

White Snake, now Bai Suzhen (played by Chinese opera performer Huang Ping), meets her benefactor, a young man called Xu Xian, but an abbot from a nearby temple tries to break up their relationship.

WHERE: Gateway Theatre, 3615 Jalan Bukit Merah MRT: Redhill/Tiong Bahru WHEN: Wednesday, 2pm; Thursday, 8pm ADMISSION: $25 (Wednesday), $25 to $100 for Thursday from Sistic INFO: Call 6292-3393

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 27, 2018, with the headline Olivia Ho recommends Legend Of The White Snake which combines live action opera and animation. Subscribe