Advertise on podcast: Front Row

KL Festival 2026 lights up the city this May, bringing a mix of performances, installations, walks, and site-specific works across the city. From large-scale public events at Dataran to intimate shows in heritage spaces and creative hubs, the programme is designed to get audiences experiencing KL in new ways, under the theme “Memory and Tomorrow.” This year also marks a new chapter for the festival, with June Tan stepping in as Artistic Director for the first time, shaping the overall vision and direction of the programme. June joins us to share how she’s thinking about the festival as it unfolds across downtown Kuala Lumpur, and to walk us through what we can expect from the more than 80 multidisciplinary events and activations happening in the city over 26 days. The festival is organised by Think City, working with strategic partner Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A triple bill by Singapore Ballet is offering audiences a mix of classical and contemporary ballet, with works that range from technically demanding to more emotional and reflective. The programme for Ballet Illuminations 2026 includes Paquita, Evening Voices, and Shadow’s Edge, each bringing a very different style and mood to the stage. We catch up with Singapore Ballet’s Artistic Director Janek Schergen, to find out more.  Image Credit: Photo by Bernie Ng, courtesy of Singapore Ballet & KLPAC See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have ever wondered what Baroque sacred music actually sounds like, or why it still resonates today, the upcoming concert Schütz & Bach might just be the thing for you. Featuring the KL Madrigal Singers & Players, the concert brings together the works of Heinrich Schütz and Johann Sebastian Bach, tracing a journey from quiet devotion to something much more uplifting and assured. We find out what's in store from tenor and director, Scott Woo, and Dr Yi Li Chang, a multi-instrumentalist who will be performing on the viola de gamba. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From back-to-back live performances in the afternoon, to swing dancing in the evening and a full jazz orchestra at night, KL Jazz Day 2026 promises a full spectrum of what jazz can be. Taking place at Yap Ah Shak House, it’s as much about the music as it is about bringing people together. We find out what's in store from singer-songwriter and musician Reza Salleh, who’s organising this year’s event. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A funeral becomes the starting point for a deeply personal reckoning in Dua Darah, a new theatre production by ZXC Theatre Troupe, that brings us into the mind of a man caught between cultures, faiths, and expectations. As he carries out the rites for his late aunt, memories begin to surface, revealing the complexities of being a Malay-Chinese Muslim in Malaysia today. Blending language, movement, and music, the production tells a story that feels both intimate and universal. We explore this moving and thought-provoking production with director Chee Sek Thim, and playwright Johan Othman. Image Credit: ZXC Theatre Troupe See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ambition, power, and the unraveling of the human mind - Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedies. But what happens when we step inside the psyche of Lady Macbeth alone? Masakini Theatre Company’s latest production, Lady M, reimagines The Scottish Play as a gripping solo performance. We speak to actor, producer and Artistic Director Sabera Shaik, and lighting designer Normah Nordin, about bringing this bold vision to life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justice, mercy, revenge, forgiveness. These are big themes, and they sit right at the heart of Shakespeare Demystified: The Merchant of Venice, now brought back by KL Shakespeare Players in a way that speaks to today’s audiences. Joining us to talk about how they make Shakespeare feel immediate and relatable to today’s audience are cast members Nurul Sofia, Zul Zamir, and Lim Soon Heng, who is also the Executive Director, KL Shakespeare Players. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From legends like Roman Tam, Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung to more contemporary favourites like Eason Chan and Sammi Cheng, Cantopop has produced some of the most memorable songs in Asian pop music. Over the past six years, the Golden Melody series at klpac has celebrated those iconic songs through live performances that combine music, storytelling and nostalgia. Now the series returns for its sixth and final edition, Golden Melody: Our Story and joining us to share more about it are the show’s directors, Ian Chow and Alesia Dhana. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From performing with traditional instruments to producing electronic music and cinematic soundscapes, Belle Sisoski has built a reputation for blending heritage and modern sound. The Sarawak-born multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer-songwriter plays over 30 traditional instruments, possesses a five-octave vocal range, and has amassed millions of followers across the world. Now, she will be taking her special brand of fusion music to a new level in a special collaboration with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in the upcoming concert called The MPO and Belle Sisoski: Ethnosphere. She joins us to talk about her musical journey, her influences, and what to look forward to at the upcoming multi-genre concert featuring her signature ethnic-cinematic-EDM sound. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two monumental works by Johannes Brahms take centre stage in an upcoming chamber music performance, Brahms: The Two Sonatas for Cello & Piano, featuring the composer’s complete sonatas for cello and piano. These pieces showcase the cello’s lyrical voice and the rich partnership between the two instruments. Joining us to share more about the music is cellist and co-headliner of the recital, Ivan Torres. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nighttime means different things to different people. For some, it’s calm and quiet. For others, it’s when emotions feel a little closer to the surface. Presented by the VerSeS Music Ensembles, Moonlit Melodies is a concert built around that idea - music shaped by stillness, shadow, and reflection. It features songs and piano works inspired by the poetry of the night. Joining us to share more are Scott Woo, Director and Tenor with The Poetics Collective, and collaborative pianist Dr Andre Ng. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens to ordinary people when freedoms begin to narrow and uncertainty becomes part of everyday life? That is the question at the heart of No Particular Order, a dystopian play by Singaporean playwright Joel Tan. Told through shifting timelines and fragments of everyday lives, the play explores how people navigate fear, responsibility, and survival in a society that feels uncomfortably close to our own. The Malaysian premiere, presented by Theatresauce, places audiences inside an immersive world where the boundaries between observer and participant begin to blur. Joining us are two of the performers bringing this story to life, cast members Anne James and Kamini Senthilathiban. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new theatre production is inviting us into a story about family, loss, and the complicated bonds between siblings. Mati-mati (J’aime Ma Mère) is the second part of a trilogy by Christopher Ling and Arsyad Azrai, following the sold-out Saccharine. To tell us more about the show and how it builds on their earlier work Saccharine, we’re joined by writer Arsyad Azrai and cast member Muhammad Ibrahim. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From playful marches to cinematic finales, wind symphony music has a way of telling vivid and unexpected stories. An upcoming concert titled The Ambitious Plan brings together a wide range of works, including a world premiere by a local composer, while also marking an important milestone for BELIA’n Wind Symphony. Joining us to share more are Ho Chee Kiang, Music Director and Conductor, and Aaron Foo, Vice President of BELIA’n Wind Symphony. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when young theatre makers are given the freedom to experiment without playing it safe? The Young Blood Experiment under EJKLS Seni does exactly that, spotlighting bold new voices and ideas on stage. We speak to Yanu, director and writer of In Conversation with God, and Yuthes Umadevi Navarathinam, director and writer of  Yel! or A Compendious Lecture on the Reign of Sultan Paduka Seri Mahadewa Rahmatullah Al-Bara’ III (1784-1834), about their work, their questions, and what it means to create theatre right now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.