Asia's Top Music and Lifestyle Event Singapore Sun Festival to Celebrate the Art of Living Well

Asia's Top Music and Lifestyle Event Singapore Sun Festival to Celebrate the Art of Living Well

350 Regional and International Artists and Celebrities Including Robert
Redford and Kiri Te Kanawa to Perform in October

SINGAPORE, July 24 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The critically-acclaimed Singapore Sun Festival, returns for another celebration from 17 to 26 October 2008. This annual multi-arts premium lifestyle festival celebrates The Art of Living Well, through seven disciplines -- music, visual arts, literature, film, wine, cuisine and wellness. This year's festival is bigger than before, with more than 90 exhilarating events over a period of 10 days, featuring more than 350 regional and international artists and celebrities in some of Singapore's leading venues.

The Singapore Sun Festival 2008 continues the international tradition of high quality events featuring stellar artists and unforgettable experiences that celebrate life and the art of living well.

The Festival begins with a Gala Opening Concert at the Esplanade Concert Hall on Saturday, 18 October, where for the first time ever, Academy Award- winning director and actor Robert Redford, the legendary grand dame of opera Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, and the renowned Vienna Boys Choir will share one stage. The concert will feature Prokofiev's popular work, Peter and the Wolf, narrated by Robert Redford, accompanied by the Academies Festival Orchestra under the baton of Mexican conductor, Alondra de la Parra, as well as a selection of arias and songs by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and the Vienna Boys Choir, led by conductor Julian Reynolds.

Chairman of IMG Artists and Founder of the Sun Festival, Mr Barrett Wissman said, "This year we are delighted and proud to be able to offer Festival audiences in Singapore even more unique and special premium experiences including a number of "firsts" and world-premieres. The programme for the Singapore Sun Festival 2008 is extraordinary, with a line-up of incredible and world-class artists and events, in keeping with our aim to deliver premium international music and lifestyle events that are unique and fresh, and that also position Singapore as a truly global entertainment and lifestyle destination."

Mr Lim Neo Chian, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive of Singapore Tourism Board said, "Singapore is proud to be the Sun Festival's exclusive Asian home. An event of this standing strengthens Singapore's position as a key entertainment and premium lifestyle hub in Asia. The Singapore Sun Festival 2008, which follows closely after the inaugural 2008 FORMULA 1TM SingTel Singapore Grand Prix and the Singapore GP Season, will add to Singapore's range of exclusive experiences, from luxury accommodation, top-end shopping, gourmet dining, and five-star wellness and spa facilities, to world-class performances and vibrant night entertainment all year round. Well-travelled and discerning visitors can expect an exciting and memorable experience in Singapore."

Other key highlights include concerts by one of the world's finest orchestras -- the Los Angeles Philharmonic -- visiting Singapore for the first time with its Music Director, prominent Finnish conductor, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Grammy-winning pianist Yefim Bronfman; Sarah Chang, the captivating Korean-American violinist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic; the Singapore debut performance by the UBS Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra with conductor Gabor Takacs-Nagy; and a recital by one of the great pianists of the century, Murray Perahia.

Sensational indoor and outdoor waterfront concerts by superb artists from the jazz and popular music genres -- Peter Cincotti, Jesse Cook, Spencer Day and the Brazilian Grammy Award-winning legend Sergio Mendes -- make up the other music performances of the Festival.

Other tantalizing events of the 2008 Festival include sumptuous cuisine and glorious wines in fabulous settings, involving world-renowned chefs and wine-makers, including the American culinary arts legend Charlie Trotter who will prepare an elegant five-course signature dinner event at the Straits Room of the Fullerton Hotel and also conduct a cooking demonstration at Prive; Luke Mangan of Glass Brasserie in Hilton Sydney, Salt Tokyo and San Francisco's South Food and Wine Bar fame who will be involved in four different cuisine and wine events throughout the Festival with international wine writer Curtis Marsh who will guide diners through a selection of fine wines; and Riccardo Genovesi, chef and owner of Il Girasole (Sirmione on Garda Lake) who will feature the premium produce of white truffles in his culinary creations for the Festival, at some of Singapore's best restaurants including Graze, Flutes at the Fort and Garibaldi.

Local celebrity chef, Samia Ahad, will provide insights and guidance (as well as fun!) at her cooking classes in the intimate setting of Coriander Leaf's Cooking Studio; as well as prepare a gourmet feast for dining on board a magnificent schooner, Rising Tide, with celebrated traveller, photographer and publisher Hans Hoefer as host.

A prestigious Wine Auction will also be held as part of the 2008 Festival, following on from the successful Wine Auction held in 2007 that raised over S$800,000 for the charity, The VIVA Foundation for Children with Cancer. This year, the Wine Auction will feature a main course specially designed by Charlie Trotter, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa as guest performer and Sotheby's senior auctioneer Stephen Mould who will conduct the auction of many superb and exclusive lots that will include some of the world's rarest and most valuable wines paired with premium items such as VIP visits to Hollywood film sets, fashion festivals, leading international sporting events and much more.

Oil paintings by German-born abstract artist, Sibylle Szaggars at the Arts House, and works by acclaimed artist Hans Mendler at tcc (The Gallery) make up this year's Visual Arts programme.

Continuing on the themes of travel, globalisation and the art of living well, the Literature programme features talks and workshops by three great authors -- Australia's best-selling author Cameron Forbes; award-winning novelist and playwright Merlinda Bobis; and published travel writer and accomplished political foreign correspondent Andrew Forbes -- who will delve into the world of history, fiction, food, poetry and news journalism.

The Literature programme is complemented by a regional travel writing competition entitled "Asia Through My Eyes"; and a new regional photography competition entitled "Urbanscapes" organised together with Insight Guides, the leading publisher of visual travel guide books and maps.

The Festival will also present free outdoor screenings at the Singapore Botanic Gardens of films with a Singapore Sun Festival flavour -- Eat Drink Man Woman; Tortilla Soup; and Big Night. Special food and film-paired events at Screening Room -- Le Grand Chef and Volver -- underscore the spirit of the Sun Festival.

Finally under the Wellness programme, Festival-goers can indulge in special Sun Festival spa treatments at the Festival's official spa, Spa Botanica; free yoga and taiji sessions along the waterfront; and yoga workshops conducted by international yoga instructors. Talks by wellness experts on taiji philosophy and practice, energy healing, and stress management with meditation and acupressure complete the programme.

Those who are planning their travel to Singapore would be pleased to note that they can book special travel packages which include hotel accommodation, ground transfers and Festival tickets through a group of selected travel agents in India. Details of these travel agents can be found on http://www.singaporesunfestival.com/packages.php .

Tickets for the Singapore Sun Festival events can be booked directly with SISTIC at http://www.sistic.com.sg/ ; SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555; and all SISTIC authorized agents.

The Singapore Sun Festival is the third and only Asian chapter of a global lifestyle brand owned by the international arts management group, IMG Artists. The Sun Festival is also celebrated annually in Cortona, Tuscany (Italy) and the Napa Valley, California (USA).

The Singapore Sun Festival is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board. For more information, visit http://www.singaporesunfestival.com/ .

For media enquiries, please contact:

Florence Fang or Samuel Chua
Flame Communications
Tel: +65-6259-3193
Fax: +65-6259-0693
Email: florence@flamecomms.com or samuel@flamecomms.com

Source: Singapore Sun Festival

CONTACT: Florence Fang or Samuel Chua of Flame Communications,
+65-6259-3193, fax: +65-6259-0693, florence@flamecomms.com or
samuel@flamecomms.com

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