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Singapore Sling

A 'Renaissance City'

By Rennie Loh


芸術・文化の盛んな都市を目指して

97年から建設が行なわれていた巨大な舞台劇場施設「エスプラネード・シアター・オン・ザ・ベイ」が先月、華々しくオープンした。果物の王様ドリアンを2つに割ったような不思議な形をしたこの施設は、芸術振興に力を入れるシンガポール政府が巨額の資金を投じて作ったものだ。

Oct. 12 found me inching through thousands of Singaporeans and foreigners to secure myself a prime spot near the harbor front of Marina Bay to witness the fireworks and the performances - by both foreign and local arts group - during the grand opening of "Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay," Singapore's premier performing arts center.

The long wait for a world-class performing arts venue is finally over since the idea was first mooted some 30 years ago and construction began only in 1997. Indeed, the Esplanade has heralded a new chapter in Singapore's fledgling arts scene.

The mammoth waterfront arts complex, built at a cost of Singapore $600 million (¥42 billion), comprises a 2,000-seat theater, a 1,600-seat concert hall, a 200-seat theater studio and a 250-seat recital studio.

The Esplanade is a new cultural icon. It is affectionately known by most locals as "The Durian" because its two spiky glass domes resemble two halves of the pungent fruit. Opinion about the striking architecture of the complex vary from admiration to derision. Some have commented that it looks like a hedgehog or a pair of fly's eyes, but most agree that, like durians, the appreciation of the Esplanade's architecture is an acquired taste.

In 2000, the government revealed its intention to make Singapore a "Renaissance City," articulating a vision of Singapore as a world-class city supported by a vibrant cultural scene. In the long term, Singapore aspires to join London and New York as one of a flourishing cultural city that fosters creativity and knowledge-based pursuits.

Though Singapore is in the top league of cities economically, it fares less well culturally - in terms of talent pool, facilities, activities, audience figures and state funding. To silence critics, the government has since pumped Singapore $50 million (¥3.5 billion) into realizing the vision of Singapore as a "Renaissance City." The Singapore Tourism Board has also actively marketed Singapore as an arts destination with the Esplanade as its West End or Broadway.

A group of Singaporean artists seized the occasion to air their views on censorship: "The existing rules are patently irrational and unnecessary, not to mention ineffective in this day and age," the director of the Practice Performing Arts School told a local newspaper in an article published on the day of Esplanade's opening. "We need regulation, we need education and we need informed, responsible dialogue and discussion," he added.

Despite that, the arts scene today has flourished. According to arts statistics from the National Arts Council between 1993 and 2001, the number of ticketed performing arts activities has increased tremendously from 1,915 to 4,110. However, attendance has increased a mere 15 percent over the same period.

"We now have the arts infrastructure; that is the hardware. So we should develop the software like our artists and arts administrators, and promote arts appreciation among Singaporeans so that an arts industry can take off," remarked journalist, Colin Yong.

"It makes economic sense to develop the arts sector especially since building a vibrant arts scene does help the government's initiative to attract foreign talent to our shores and contribute to the dynamism ofour economy and society," added Yong.

Still, local arts groups face the uphill task of finding an identity and an audience for their Singaporean works. "Support for the Singapore arts scene must move beyond a preoccupation with top overseas artists to our home-grown talents. Only when Singapore-based artists can make a living from their chosen paths can the city-state claim its distinction as a 'Renaissance City'," commented a part-time actress in a local theater company.



Shukan ST: Nov. 15, 2002

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