From 22 October to 22 November 2020, join in the festivities at vOilah! 2020, a France Singapore Festival. From educational and informative walks to local delicacies with a twist, here are five ways you can get a taste of France with vOilah! 2020, without leaving the country.
5 Highlights of vOilah! 2020
1. Retrace the history of France and Singapore through ”Clemenceau in Singapore”
In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the visit by former French premier Georges Clemenceau to Singapore, the National Museum of Singapore in partnership with Paris’s Musée Clemenceau, will retrace his journey here. Get a rare glimpse into the social life of Singapore 100 years ago. You can also watch “The Veil of Happiness”, which revives a century-old classic play written by Clemenceau through a dramatised reading at Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre of Wild Rice@Funan.
The performance is brought to life through music by renowned composer Gabriel Fauré, and the talents of local actors like Janice Koh and Hossan Leong and musicians from the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. The performance will be streamed on the festival’s Facebook Page, immersing audiences in a witty, fun and entertaining tale about truth and happiness.
2. Uncover the connection of Singapore and French art de vivre through Gardens, Plants and Spices
This exhibition is curated through a collaboration between one of France’s most renowned garden and plant experts, Pascal Garbe, and the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The “Gardens, Plants and Spices” exhibition will reveal Singapore’s lesser-known footprints on the French “art of living” by exploring how plants in the region intertwine with French perfumery, gastronomy, decorative arts and the art of gardens.
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Participants can also embark on a garden food tour and learn how to prepare classic French cuisine at Open Farm Community, or other expert local celebrity chefs.
3. Taste a fusion of French and Singaporean flavours in different foods.
Feast on unique creations by restaurants created especially for vOilah! 2020!
Tiong Bahru Bakery will be launching the Kaya Croissant for a limited period as a spin on our favourite breakfast food, the humble Kaya Toast.
Odette’s three-star Michelin chef Julien Royer has also created a pastry named Le Paris-Brest-Singapour, for this event. This pastry merges flavours of gula melaka, coconut and a rich kaya cream into the classic French dessert.
Both chefs will also conduct online classes to teach you how to whip up those dishes at home.
4. Go on a Virtual Voyage through Masterpieces at Gardens by the Bay
Offering an intimate rendezvous with famous French painters through virtual reality at the Waterview Room, Gardens by the Bay. Audiences can literally walk into renowned masterpieces including Monet’s iconic water lilies and Gauguin and Manet’s masterpieces and admire these works of art in a whole new way.
There will also be a series of live stream workshops conducted French VR film producers and directors as they share the thought process behind creating immersive art installations. Get more information here.
5. Listen to a Music Performance that Transcends Geographical Boundaries
As part of the vOilah! 2020’s grand finale, audiences will get to witness an artistic collaboration between Singaporean instrumentalists playing alongside the Orchestre National d’Île-de-France to present French classics such as Claude Debussy’s Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un Faune and César Franck’s Symphony in D minor.
Other virtual musical collaborations with local performers include a night of French baroque music titled Les Goüts réünis performed by Red Dot Baroque, as well as a presentation of the film William Christie, the Art of Giving, a film to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Les Arts Florissants, a world-renowned ensemble. It’s founder William Christie will also join in the screening to share more about its history and future plans for the ensemble.
For more information on the festival, visit the vOilah! 2020 event site.
