Curtain Raiser

The Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) opens on May 16 with a collaborative work between two cutting-edge theatre troupes, Germany's Schaubuhne Berlin and the UK's Complicite.

The latter's artistic director Simon McBurney - best-known in Singapore for his sublime adaptation of Junichiro Tanizaki's short story Shun-Kin - helms Beware Of Pity, based on Stefan Zweig's classic novel about the tragic romance between a young lieutenant and a paraplegic girl.

Beside this, there's also the majestic Greek tragedy Dionysus (pictured), directed by theatre legend Tadashi Suzuki. This contemporary adaptation of Euripides' play The Bacchae boasts striking costumes, music and acting - though it's best to watch it with some prior knowledge of the play. Other shows in the opening week include 100 Keyboards and The Mysterious Lai Teck.