From ballets and Bollywood performances to concerts, comedies and musicals, Singapore regularly hosts fabulous shows. Here are some of the best theatres in Singapore for seeing a show, plus great performing arts venues and also concert halls (including some spaces you can rent). Click on the headings to see what’s on right now!
Wild Rice’s Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre
This 358-seat concert venue featuring Singapore’s only thrust stage, inspired by the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon. A marvel of engineering and architecture, the theatre is at once intimate and epic. Every element is thoughtfully designed to enhance the interactive experience of live theatre performance – that electric moment of connection between audience and performer.
This iconic destination theatre emphasises stories of and about Singapore, with an aim of building a legacy of artistic excellence for generations to come.
The National Stadium
Opened in 2014 as part of the newly revamped Sports Hub centre, the National Stadium has already become one of Singapore’s most exciting venues for large-scale sports and entertainment events. The arena boasts a massive, retractable domed roof, and also an innovative air-cooling system across all 55,000 seats to ensure spectator comfort.
The Indoor Stadium
Also part of the Sports Hub complex, this 12,000-seater has hosted a wide array of entertainment events, and a heap of big-name acts, from Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga to Bruno Mars and Eric Clapton. On outskirts of the city centre in Kallang, the venue is easily accessible by the Stadium MRT stop. Behind the venue is The Stadium Waterfront, with alfresco dining options and also retail shops and occasional street markets.
The Star Theatre
This 5,000-seat auditorium is part of The Star Performing Arts Centre in Buona Vista. There are plenty of pre-theatre dining options to choose from in the downstairs Star Vista shopping centre, and it’s also conveniently situated near the Buona Vista MRT. What’s not to love?
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay sits on prime waterfront land by Marina Bay, offering a complete lifestyle experience – dining, shopping and the performing arts. The building houses multiple venues including a concert hall, a theatre and also more intimate recital studios and performance spaces. The structure itself is a sight to see; the unique architectural design resembles a durian, the region’s beloved tropical fruit.
MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands
Located within The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands – which includes a vast assortment of restaurants, retail stores and a casino – the MasterCard Theatres are made up of the Grand Theatre and Sands Theatre. Both stage numerous concerts, musicals and other performances year-round. Broadway productions from recent years include The Phantom of the Opera, My Fair Lady, Grease and Wicked.
The Meadow
With a standing capacity of up to 30,000 people, The Meadow, located at Gardens by the Bay, is one of Singapore’s largest outdoor event spaces. Offering a panoramic view of the Garden’s iconic conservatory domes and super-trees, and the city’s downtown cityscape, it’s a fantastic setting to experience all sorts of performances.
Fort Canning Park and the Botanic Gardens
Evening performances at outdoor concert halls such as Fort Canning and the Botanic Gardens can be particularly pleasant and atmospheric. They’re also often free! Just take a picnic blanket and a bottle of wine. (OK, some insect repellent too.)
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