A Splash Of Fun During Singapore International Water Week
As delegates discuss solutions to the global water crisis, they and members of the public will also enjoy performances and activities to celebrate this precious resource
Singapore — From arts and music to science and sports, there's something water for everyone at this month's Singapore International Water Week, a global gathering for the water industry. A myriad of performances, sports events, exhibitions and activities around Singapore will throw the spotlight on water as we will celebrate this precious resource with the world.
Some of the events are part of the Singapore International Water Week's Water Festival to encourage international visitors and Singaporeans to participate in a wide range of water activities, explore the city's gardens and water attractions, and be entertained by arts performances. Prominent water spots like Marina Bay and Bedok Reservoir will see more bustle than usual with activities for the public. Members of the public will be able to enjoy free banana boat rides, kayaking and dragonboating at the Esplanade Jetty on 26 June from 10am to 6pm.
The Marina Bay will see the Western Australian Show Ski team performing daredevil water stunts as they zip across the water on their skis (and occasionally barefoot). The professional team will perform a 30-minute routine comprising ballet three-tired pyramid stunts, comedy routines, a flag-past and more from 24 to 26 June at 6.40pm. There will also be water polo matches at the Merlion Park, where players will be in canoes and manoeuvring the ball with their hands and paddles. Matches will be held from 23 to 26 June, 3pm to 6pm.
Mr Michael Toh, General Manager of Singapore International Water Week, said: "The global water crisis is a serious issue, but at the same time we want people to enjoy and appreciate the water resources that we do have. The island-wide festivities will add a light-hearted touch to the Water Week and showcase Singapore's beautiful waterfront areas, to make it a memorable experience for the delegates and remind Singaporeans that our waterbodies and waterways are worth protecting and preserving."
Fluid Art
Water will be taking centrestage in two upcoming premier arts performances. Tan Dun, the contemporary classical composer who penned the haunting, Oscar-winning score in the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is flying in for a one-night-only concert staged especially for the Singapore International Water Week. The Singapore Festival Orchestra will share the stage with percussionist David Cossin and erhu player Xu Wen Jing to perform two of his works, the Water Concerto and Crouching Tiger Concerto, which blur the boundaries between East and West as well as classical music and multimedia.
"Organic music concerns both matters of everyday life and matters of the heart. These ideas find their origin in the animistic notion that material objects have spirits residing in them, an idea ever-present in the old village where I grew up in China. Paper can talk to the violin, the violin to water. Water can communicate with trees, and trees with the moon, and so on. In other words, every little thing in the totality of things, the entire universe, has a life and a soul," said Mr Tan.
The Tan Dun with the Singapore Festival Orchestra concert will be graced by Mr S.R. Nathan, the President of Singapore, on 24 June 2008 at the Esplanade Concert Hall, and attended by some of the high-level government officials, business leaders and technology experts gathered in town for the Water Week.
Open to all is the world premiere of Hydro Sapiens, a performance by acclaimed Dutch theatre troupe The Lunatics at Bedok Reservoir. This performance is staged at the Singapore Arts Festival 2008 Closing Celebrations organised by the National Arts Council, in conjunction with the Singapore International Water Week. French street theatre company Ilotopie's Water Fools, an aquatic extravaganza involving fireworks and giant mechanical sets, on Boat Quay was chosen as the Arts Festival's opening act.
Known for staging its unusual pro productions in locations such as jungles, deserts and marshlands, the Lunatics will debut its latest work Hydro Sapiens, which it describes as a "water fantasy", at Bedok Reservoir. Running from 20 to 22 June at 8pm, Hydro Sapiens is open to the public and free of charge.
"I enjoyed the Water Fools performance at the Singapore River. It was an eye-opener to see water becoming a stage for arts performances. I am looking forward to more water activities like Hydro Sapiens and the Australian waterski show that's part of the celebrations for the Singapore International Water Week," said Zeng Qi Jia, 19, student.
Flowing music for the world
The Singapore International Water Week will have its very own theme song, which will debut at the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize ceremony. A gentle rendition that soothes the soul, the song was composed by Singapore's pop maestro Dick Lee.
Mr George Madhavan, PUB's director in charge of the project, said: "Music travels round the world and we believe a good way to help spread the water message is through a theme song for the Singapore International Water Week. We wanted something catchy and inspiring and we think Dick is the right person to bring a Singapore flavour to the song.
Mr Dick Lee said: "I used water in the lyrics as a metaphor for life, and tried to capture how it moves us and shapes our world. I also wanted to write a song that would resonate in the hearts of those who care for the future of our world.
"I wanted people to recognise how precious water is because if we take it for granted today, the next generation may not be able to enjoy it at all."
Dick Lee is also the creative director for the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize ceremony, a prestigious event of the Water Week.
Science Wonder
Featuring live animals, interactive exhibits and immersive dioramas, the Water: H20 = Life exhibition, opened last week at the Science Centre Singapore, will uncover the mysteries of this life-giving resource and show how it shapes ecosystems around the world. The exhibition was curated by the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Science Museum of Minnesota, St Paul, in collaboration with Science Centre Singapore and PUB, Singapore's national water agency.
"The Science Centre Singapore is glad to be a collaborator on Water: H2O = Life. Water is and will continue to be a vital resource for Singapore, being a compact city-state with few natural resources. Through this exhibition, we aim to impress upon visitors the beauty of water and value of this precious resource," said Dr Chew Tuan Chiong, Chief Executive of Science Centre Singapore. The exhibition is on till 17 Oct 2008; the usual centre admission fees and opening times apply.
The island-wide festivities complement the Water Week's core events, which include the Water Leaders Summit, a high-level government meeting to discuss global issues; the Water Convention, a conference on technologies and solutions; the Water Expo, a major trade show; and the presentation of the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize.
About the Singapore International Water Week
The Singapore International Water Week is the global platform for water solutions. It will bring policymakers, industry leaders, experts and practitioners together to address challenges, showcase technologies, discover opportunities and celebrate achievements in the water world.
Comprising the Water Leaders Summit, Water Convention, Water Expo and Water Festival, it culminates in the presentation of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, a prestigious international award to recognise outstanding contributions in solving global water issues. The inaugural Singapore International Water Week will be held from 23 to 27 June 2008. The theme is Sustainable Water Solutions for Cities.
SOURCE: Singapore International Water Week