From 27 February to 8 March, Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2026 was grandly held at the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay in Singapore. This year’s festival, themed “Let Huayi be your mane attraction this Year of the Horse”, brought together artistic talents from around the world, showcasing contemporary expressions of Chinese culture across diverse stages.
Let Huayi be your mane attraction this Year of the Horse
Singapore China Baijiu Pte Ltd is honored to be one of the sponsors of Huayi 2026.
For many years, we have supported this cultural celebration, believing that the power of culture can connect people and make art a bridge for communication and understanding.
Huayi 2026 · Opening Ceremony
As one of Singapore’s major annual cultural events, the festival officially opened at the Esplanade with a lively atmosphere. Guests from the arts, culture, and wider society gathered to witness the start of Huayi 2026’s artistic journey.
Deling & Cixi
Set in the late Qing imperial court, this drama presents the power, emotions, and societal changes of the era. Deling returns from the West, becoming Empress Dowager Cixi’s translator and Emperor Guangxu’s English teacher, navigating palace intrigues with sincerity and intelligence. Special guest: H.E. Mr. Cao Zhongming, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Singapore. (Photo 2, right 4)
Lao Song
This musical theatre transforms the stage into a Hong Kong-style cabaret, combining dialect, original songs, and multimedia to tell stories of immigration and identity. Music by Lu Yijun and performances by Liu Rongfeng bring humor and heart, allowing audiences to experience life and memory through laughter and melody. Since its debut in 2021, Lao Song has received widespread acclaim.
In 《在》 – Crispy 15th Anniversary Concert
Taiwanese band Crispy brought their 15th anniversary tour to Huayi 2026. Starting with fresh folk sounds and gradually incorporating rock and electronic elements, they have created beloved songs such as Where Darkness Ends and Sorry x 100. Winner of Best Vocal Group at the 34th Golden Melody Awards, the band shared their 15-year musical journey with fans through the themed performance I Love You x 100.
The Sun
Taiwanese troupe Four Chairs presented The Sun, a story of humans divided by a virus into nocturnal “Noxes” and diurnal “Clios.” Adolescents from both groups face a future shaped by their new abilities, and a conflict arises when a Nox youth challenges the village order. Amid division and survival pressures, the only shared goal is to stay alive. This production won the Taipei Theatre Award in 2024.
A Little Goes A Long Way
This family theatre piece reinterprets the myths of Jingwei Filling the Sea, Yu Gong Moving the Mountain, and Kuafu Chasing the Sun. Using live music, physical theatre, and puppetry, the production creates an immersive experience across land, sea, and sky, inspiring audiences to see that perseverance can make dreams go further.
Tell Tales: Bananas & Ang Ku Kuehs
This experimental theatre production explores “story rebirth,” drawing inspiration from The Decameron (十日谈). Using folk legends, live actors, and puppetry, the performance reconstructs memories and myths on a post-apocalyptic stage, interweaving human desires, nature, and layered narratives.
YELLOW
Taiwanese musician YELLOW made his Singapore stage debut, delivering a performance full of creativity, energy, and free-spirited music. Audiences experienced the charm of a new-generation musical genius, sharing moments of fun, laughter, and movement together.
Le Père (The Father)
One of the festival’s key theatre productions, Le Père, is written by Florian Zeller and won the 2014 Molière Award in France. The film adaptation, The Father, received Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor. The story follows André, an elderly man grappling with Alzheimer’s, and the love and struggles he shares with his daughter.
The Chinese version, produced by the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, stars Jin Shijie (Photo 5, Taiwanese actor, playwright, and director; Best Supporting Actor at the 6th Beijing International Film Festival) and Tian Shui. Through nuanced performances, they portray a disordered world and the heartbreak of family bonds, presenting a deeply moving journey of love, loss, and forgiveness.
Crispy Band 15th Anniversary Tour
Taiwanese band Crispy brought their 15th anniversary tour to the Huayi stage. Starting with fresh folk sounds, they gradually incorporated rock and electronic elements, creating works such as Where Darkness Ends and Sorry x 100. They were awarded Best Vocal Group at the 34th Golden Melody Awards.
This performance, themed I Love You x 100, invited fans to revisit and celebrate their 15-year musical journey together.
Wukong’s 72 Transformations
Wukong’s 72 Transformations is co-produced by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra and the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. Following his journey to the West, Sun Wukong reveals multiple facets through his 72 transformations—rebellious and defiant, stirring the three realms, yet also capable of bowing for love and reflecting in moments of loss, mirroring the desires and anxieties of the times.
Under the baton of conductor Quek Ling Kiong, the orchestra unfolds Wukong’s multifaceted universe across four movements. Directed by Benjamin Ho with original music by Benjamin Lim Yi, the production integrates puppetry and visual imagery to recreate a familiar yet entirely new Monkey King.
The performance was also attended by Mr. Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Transport, and Mayor of North-East District (Photo 2, centre).
