As part of the Tête-à-Tête Festival, Opera Asia collaborated with The Clio Project to present a contemporary operatic programme featuring Window Shopping, Kopi for One, and Laksa Cantata. With music by Chen Zhangyi and text/libretto by Jack Lin, the works explore intimate, everyday narratives through a modern operatic lens. The performances featured Moira Loh, Brendan-Keefe Au, Ee Ping, Shimona Rose, and were conducted by Alvin Arumugam, with stage direction by Shira Szabady. Performed by the Clio Project Chamber Orchestra, the programme showcased Opera Asia’s commitment to new works, cross-cultural storytelling, and innovative collaborations within the contemporary opera landscape.
In Laksa Cantata, Stephen, a laksa enthusiast, sparks a comedic clash with his feisty fiancée, Leah, by sneaking spicy curry noodles onto their formal wedding menu, testing their bond amid wedding preparations. Window Shopping unfolds in a shoe boutique, where an elegant woman reflects on her past, contrasted by a reckless, shopaholic girl, perhaps her younger self, exploring memory and identity in a dreamy, lyrical narrative. Kopi For One brings a nostalgic kopitiam to life, where a quirky waitress mediates a tense reunion between a daughter, who likens her displacement to coffee “born for a land far away,” and her stoic father, struggling to express love. The poignant twist—serving “kopi for one”—reveals lingering solitude.
Performed by a stellar cast with a small ensemble (clarinet, violin, flute, cello, piano), the trilogy blends lyrical melodies with contemporary textures, creating an intimate, evocative soundscape. Lin’s poetic libretti, rich with humor and heart, bring Singapore’s spirit to London.
Collaboration withClio ProjectLocationTete a tete Festival, LondonDateSeptember 30 2025Linkwww.tete-a-tete.org.uk
