Connoisseurs of all things French, it’s time to bust out your berets and say bonjour again as Singapore’s favourite French festival Voilah! is back to present the best of France’s culture this Oct 22-Nov 22.
With a diverse range of personalities and partners collaborating with the Embassy of France in Singapore, expect close to 50 on-site and virtual experiences that will allow locals to discover more about the European nation and what it truly has to offer.
For starters, this first foreign cultural festival to be held in Singapore since the start of the pandemic will be staging Clemenceau in Singapore, an exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore in partnership with Paris’ Musee Clemenceau to retrace French statesman Georges Clemenceau’s journey to Singapore, providing a rare glimpse into the social life of Singapore a century ago.
Clemenceau in Singapore
Furthermore, Voilah! will be presenting performance The Veil of Happiness, which revives a classic play written by Clemenceau through a dramatised reading at the Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre at WildRice@Funan. Set against the backdrop of Clemenceau’s imagination of China, the play is brought to life through oriental-inspired music by renowned composer Gabriel Faure, plus local actors including Janice Koh and Hossan Leong. Streamed live on the festival’s Facebook Page, simply enjoy this witty and lighthearted tale of truth and happiness from the comforts of your own home.
Apart from the opening programmes, plenty of other cool experiences await. There’s the Gardens, Plants and Spices exhibition that’s curated by one of France’s most renowned garden and plant experts, Pascal Garbe, alongside the Singapore Botanic Gardens; as well as a thought-provoking dialogue involving three-Michelin-starred chef Anne-Sophie Pic, sheeding light on how emblematic Southeast Asian plants have made their mark in the French art of living.
Festival participants can also look forward to tantalising their taste buds at a great number of food workshops and bespoke menus designed by partner restaurants for the festival. Besides embarking on a garden food tour at Open Farm Community, also learn about the varying flavours of French cuisine from experts like Singaporean Sommelier Gerald Lu, celebrated chef Justin Quek, or even chefs at the Ti Yan Academy.
With so many events and experiences that will be coming to Voilah! 2020, just get excited to witness an authentic side of France right here in Singapore for an entire month. That way, you’ll also get to (sorta) live out your Emily in Paris dreams for now.
Voilah! France Singapore Festival 2020 runs from Oct 22-Nov 22 online and at selected venues. More information available here.
