Two-day performing arts festival by Yayasan Sime Darby returns to delight audiences after three-year hiatus (VIDEO)

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — In the modern world of fast-paced technology, it is indeed a huge task to try and keep traditional arts alive.

Case in point is the 300-year old Chinese opera art and puppetry that is done by the Penang-based Teochew Puppet and Opera House.

In its bid to introduce the art to a whole new audience, the troop will be taking part in the Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival (YSDAF) which is returning after a three-year hiatus.

Its founder and puppet master, Ling Goh, is honoured to be part of YSDAF this year and hoped to further spread the beauty of the traditional performing arts.

“By participating in this festival, we will be able to introduce ourselves and connect with different groups of audience.

“Especially audiences with different races and young people, and this will allow them to interact closely with traditional Chinese opera art,” she said.

Ling added that traditional performing arts put forth many valuable moral values, which were important to a growing society and pointed out that the gentle approach of performing arts was the ideal medium to convey these messages to the public.

The Teochew Puppet and Opera House will be having three sessions on each day of the YSDAF finale and they will also be having their own exhibitions and audience interactions during the festival.

The fourth edition of the Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival (YSDAF) will be themed Shout It Out: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. — Picture by Robin Wong

The biennial art fest, which made its comeback in February this year with its talent searches and competitions, will culminate in a two-day finale taking place this August 19 and 20 at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) in Sentul.

There will be over 300 art activities, performances and exhibitions which includes live concerts, theatre plays and film screenings taking place at 19 pocket locations around the venue with over 1,000 local artistes involved.

YSDAF, with its theme Shout It Out: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow will also include story-telling sessions on What It Means To be Malaysian by Life Sdn Bhd led by renowned local theatre figure Datuk Faridah Merican.

The Life Sdn Bhd, which had its first story-telling instalment in 2004. has seen people from all walks of life taking centre stage in sharing their real life stories — from topics on breast cancer, people living with HIV to refugees, human trafficking and abuses.

Renowned theatre dame Datuk Faridah Merican will be leading The Life Sdn Bhd session at the YSDAF 2023. — Picture by Raymond Manuel.

“Every year when Life Sdn Bhd hits the stage, audiences are gob-smacked at the bravery each story-teller had. It is not easy to share these sometimes with a tear, a chuckle, laughter but most times a pain that you take home with you.

“The upcoming Life Sdn Bhd in August will have a Malaysian theme as per the festival itself, titled ‘What it means to be Malaysian’.”

Faridah said there would be two sessions offered that will feature stories from Malaysians about being Malaysian with diverse backgrounds, culture, upbringing, challenges and hopes.

There will also be a two-day outdoor concert which will be headlined by local bands Masdo and MonoloQue as well as a YSDAF 2023 Gala Night special Unforgettable: Lagenda Malaysia featuring songs by legends like Sudirman, P. Ramlee and more.

Festival co-director Ian Chow said the work for the festival began in 2019 but had to be put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

“One of the festival highlights, True Love Waits: Tribute to Radiohead, has been in rehearsal since January 2020.

“So many things have changed — people have come and gone, ideas had to be rejigged. And yet, here we are, ready to finally premiere this August.

“We really want to do our bit to bring arts back and not just in a small way but in a big, big way.”

YSDAF co-director Ian Chow is excited to bring back arts to the public. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

This will be the fourth edition of the YSDAF and they are expecting more than 10,000 crowds for the two-day event.

For more information on YSDAF, please click here.