This Weekend – Well, Mid Next Week Actually….

Exhibition - Cats Of The World III

I can’t say I’m a cat person, but this is an exhibition that I’ll catch with my kiddy, simply ‘cos its so cute and quaint. The Cats of The World’ Photo Exhibition is back for the third year running from 9-29 July at the Arts House. This visual celebration of cats caught on camera at home in Singapore and abroad. See them in their element – graceful, lazy, sneaky, aloof, loving, downright fluffy. Contributed by aspiring and professional photographers, this year's collection will showcase ‘Homely Cats’, ‘Worldly Cats’ and ‘Psychedelic Cats’.

Through sale of photos and merchandise, Cats of The World’ tries to raise funds for its adopted charity ‘Cat Welfare Society’ which aims to control the population of stray cats in Singapore via sterilisation. Admission is free.
The Arts House
1 Old Parliament Lane

Hogwart Cuisine

All of you who had stayed at a hall of residence in a UK uni or school would definitely have no romantic notions of Cornish Pasty. I don’t. But then again, I gather it’s because the cooks just didn’t do it right – as proven by Jamie Oliver’s UK school lunch revelations.

But the cookery school Palate Sensations will surely put it right, with their cooking class focusing on traditional British cooking a la Hogwart’s menu. Bring alive Harry Potter dining hall meals after you learn dishes like pumpkin juice, mini cornish pasties,Shepherd's pie served with Yorkshire pudding and treacle tart at the session on 7 July (7pm – 10pm). Bound to be fun. $110 per person.

1 Westbourne Road, #03-05 Tel: 64799025
To book, log onto http://www.palatesensations.com/

- Ee Waun

Tchaikovsky Galore

Oh, what a marvellous month for Tchaikovsky fans. The Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s attractive line-up for July features some of the 19th century Russian composer’s major works, including his piano concertos, in a series of three concerts to be held at the Esplanade.

On 3 July, pianist Stephen Hough begins a two-week exploration of Tchaikovsky's more neglected piano concertos. Hear the Second Concerto, a major albeit neglected work that has been championed by many notable pianists. Yoel Levi, Principal Conductor of the Orchestre National d'Île de France, leads the SSO in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, a popular and opulent symphonic masterpiece inspired by the Tales of 1001 Nights.

Hough continues the Tchaikovsky fortnight on 10 July with the colourful Concert Fantasy, which won public acclaim during the composer's lifetime, and the incomplete Third Concerto. To round off the evening, the SSO performs Stravinsky’s The Firebird: Suite, with Krzysztof Urbanski wielding the baton.

The gala concert on 24 July features Li Yundi, China's star pianist and First Prize winner of the 2000 Chopin International Piano Competition, who performs for the first time with the SSO in Tchaikovsky's popular Piano Concerto No. 1.

All concerts start at 7.30PM at the Esplanade Concert Hall. Tickets for the subscription concerts on 3 July and 10 July range from $11 to S$60, and those for the gala concert on 24 July cost from S$30 to S$120.

Tix at SISTIC (tel: 6348 5555/www.sistic.com.sg)

For more details, visit http://www.sso.org.sg/

- Lisa