Explore stories, Stages and Shared Traditions at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

From Apr to Jun 2026, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay presents a line-up that reflects the breadth of contemporary performance today, from the living traditions of the Nusantara and globally acclaimed dance makers to landmark theatre premieres and music that bridges cultures and faiths. These programmes highlight the enduring ability of the arts to connect communities, histories and ideas across borders.  

Pesta Raya

The Nusantara takes centre stage at Pesta Raya (16 – 19 Apr 2026)  

The 25th edition of Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts marks a milestone for one of the region’s leading platforms celebrating the arts and culture of the Nusantara. Over the past 25 years, the festival has championed artistic exchange, community engagement and the renewal of shared cultural traditions. In La Luna, an Esplanade Commission by Teater Ekamatra, theatre takes centre stage. Indonesian company Papermoon Puppet Theatre returns with PUNO: Sewing Memories, while Malaysia’s ASWARA presents Randai Macbeth, a multi award-winning reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s dark tragedy through the Malaysian theatre from, randai. Music highlights span familiar favourites and new discoveries, from Malaysian legend Dato’ Zainalabidin and Indonesian alternative indie band The Trees & The Wild, to the Singapore debut of Indonesian singer-songwriter Adrian Khalif. Esplanade’s public spaces also come alive with performances by ASWARA, Nana Karia, Persatuan Pemuzik Tradisional Melayu Singapura, P7:1SMA, and more throughout the festival.  

Dans Focus

A season of dance powerhouses at Esplanade (23 – 25 Apr 2026, 24 – 28 Jun 2026 and 15 – 18 Oct 2026) 

da:ns focus returns with a year-round season of three themed weekends exploring contemporary dance, ballet and the distinct creative voices of Asian artists. Anchoring the three da:ns focus weekends this season are three internationally acclaimed dance makers—Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and her company Rosas (Belgium) in On Loop, our contemporary dance weekend in April; The Royal Ballet (UK) in Ballet by the Bay in June; and Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan headlining Connect Asia Now (CAN) in October. Together, these artists represent distinct yet influential trajectories within the global dance landscape. Their presence offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience the breadth, dynamism and evolution of dance, affirming Esplanade’s commitment to bringing high-quality dance programmes for Singapore audiences through da:ns focus. 

The BFG

The BFG Takes a Giant Step Beyond the UK (29 Apr – 9 May 2026) 

The brand-new stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) arrives in Singapore as the first stop outside the United Kingdom. Presented at the Esplanade Theatre, this spectacular family-friendly production is co-produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Chichester Festival Theatre, Roald Dahl Story Company, Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT) and Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. Following its premiere at RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon in November 2025 and a run at Chichester Festival Theatre in March 2026, the Singapore run marks the production’s only international stop.  

Tapestry

Music to unite at A Tapestry of Sacred Music(30 Apr – 3 May 206) 

The 17th edition of A Tapestry of Sacred Music brings together devotional traditions from Singapore and around the world, celebrating shared spiritual heritage through music and ritual performance. 

Across venues and public spaces, audiences encounter sacred art forms spanning cultures and geographies—from the ecstatic qawwali of Pakistani masters Rizwan and Muazzam Ali Khan, heirs to a 700-year-old musical lineage, to the vibrant masquerade dances of the Gambian Kumpo. Other highlights include ritual Noh from Japan’s Kurokawa tradition, Corsican polyphonic hymns, Papuan choral works, and Thailand’s Isaan ceremonial music—offering a rare glimpse into how sacred music continues to express shared human emotions, beliefs and aspirations. 

Flipside

Roll the dice at Flipside (29 May – 7 Jun 2026) 

Flipside returns to Esplanade, celebrating risk, play and the unexpected across indoor and outdoor spaces. Highlights include Gravity & Other Myths’ A Simple Space, a raw display of acrobatics, and Der Lauf (The Way Things Go) by Les Volscians Associés, where audiences help a juggler navigate a series of absurd experiments. Singapore actor Dwayne Lau premieres Snakes and Ladders!, his first full-length commissioned festival work, sharing heartfelt personal stories. At the DBS Foundation Outdoor Theatre at Esplanade, Bornfire Circus returns with the seventh edition of the Aerial Open Stage, alongside pop-up surprises by Circo Rum BaBa. Along the way, audiences will encounter Claudette, Lai Yee and Gabez—artists who show that risk can be joyful, meditative and wildly funny. 

Discover the full line-up and more at www.esplanade.com.