ArtsPerforming Arts

Front Row

BFM Media

Don’t be afraid of the arts. You too can enjoy it! Don't believe us? Tune in to Front Row to find out about the best shows and exhibitions that will recharge your brain and restore your spirit, as told by the producers, performers and artists themselves.

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29 episodes
Avg 24 min
English

Episodes 29

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Friday · 25 min
Socrates in D# Minor
What do the Big Bang, evolution, alien life, death and the possibility of nothingness have to do with the human experience? Presented by EJKLS Seni, Socrates in D# Minor explores these questions through four experimental theatre pieces, using science as a way into some very human questions about existence, identity and meaning. We speak to writer-director Asyraf Syahir Mohd Najib and actor Nandagopall Mohan about bringing this unusual work to the stage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Friday · 23 min
Kaleidoscope VIII: Infinite Beats
For its eighth edition, HANDS International Drumming Festival returns with Kaleidoscope VIII: Infinite Beats, bringing percussion artists from five countries together for a celebration of rhythm, culture and collaboration. We speak to Bernard Goh, founder and artistic director of HANDS Percussion Malaysia, about this year's festival, the international artists and collaborations on stage, and why percussion remains such a powerful way of bringing people together. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 11 · 36 min
Vivaldi to Borneo: The MPO’s 2026 Season Ahead
Classical music can take you just about anywhere, from the sounds of frogs and crickets in the Baroque era, to the mystery of Vivaldi, the drama of Shakespearean ballet, and even the music of Borneo. The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra has a packed programme for the months ahead, with concerts for seasoned classical music lovers, families and anyone curious to hear what an orchestra can do. Joining us to share more is Gerard Salonga, Resident Conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 11 · 30 min
Vivaldi to Borneo: The MPO’s 2026 Season Ahead
Classical music can take you just about anywhere, from the sounds of frogs and crickets in the Baroque era, to the mystery of Vivaldi, the drama of Shakespearean ballet, and even the music of Borneo. The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra has a packed programme for the months ahead, with concerts for seasoned classical music lovers, families and anyone curious to hear what an orchestra can do. Joining us to share more is Gerard Salonga, Resident Conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 11 · 20 min
3 Days In Chow Kit Road
What was Chow Kit Road like in the late 1970s? 3 Days in Chow Kit Road takes us into the bustling markets, colourful streets and neon-lit nightlife of one of Kuala Lumpur’s most iconic neighbourhoods. This new Malaysian dance theatre production weaves together a story of love, family, prejudice and belonging, brought to life through 31 dancers, live music and an original score. Presented by Kenny Shim Dance Collective and Asia Ballet Academy, we find out more about this production from dancers Amirah Redza and Charlotte Phun. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 4 · 26 min
The Whale
What would you do if you had one last chance to make things right? That’s the question at the heart of The Whale, Samuel D. Hunter’s play about isolation, forgiveness and the complicated ways we try to reconnect with the people we’ve hurt. The play that inspired the Oscar-winning Brendan Fraser film is finally coming to the Malaysian stage, and we find out all about it from director Christopher Ling, and actor Tania Ashwini. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September 4 · 23 min
Brahms, Schumanns & Wolf
Four composers, a tangled web of friendship, admiration and influence, and some truly beautiful music. Brahms, Schumanns & Wolf, a new concert presented by The Poetics Collective under the VerSes Music Ensembles, which explores the music and relationships connecting Robert and Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms and Hugo Wolf, will bring these connections to life through piano, four-hand piano and song. Soprano Wong Shu Hsien and tenor Scott Woo, both from The Poetics Collective, join us to talk about the music and the stories behind it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 28 · 27 min
Saffron Crossings
For three generations, the same ship carried members of one Malaysian family between South Asia and Malaysia. That ship was the SS Rajula, and for artist Rajinder Singh, it’s not just a vessel from his family history, but also a way of thinking about migration, memory, identity and all the worlds that people carry with them when they cross an ocean. In his new exhibition, Saffron Crossings, Rajinder transforms that journey into paintings, sculptures and a seven-foot bamboo model of the ship itself, and we speak to him about the personal history behind the exhibition, and why the story of migration is never quite finished. Image Credit: Wei-Ling Gallery See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 28 · 22 min
Susan
Two dead husbands. A woman on trial. A question that refuses to go away: who exactly is Susan? A one-woman play that began as a 10-minute piece has now become a full-length production, taking us from the courtroom to the boardroom, and asking who gets to control a woman’s story once everyone else has decided who she is. Presented by FSKi Works, SUSAN makes its world premiere after winning Best Script and Best Actress at Short+Sweet Malaysia. We speak to director Tharwa Wajihah and actress Ranessa about the woman at the centre of this intriguing story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 21 · 26 min
The Secret Drawer
“When history happens, no-one is spared.” In The Secret Drawer, two women uncover the hidden histories of their fathers, men whose lives were shaped by theatre, social activism and the political upheavals of 1960s Malaysia. One father leaves behind a drawer his daughter is forbidden to open. The other leaves an archive of almost 60 documents tracing years of detention, rejection and separation. Through memories, archival material and re-enactments, these two women - performers and artists Ling Tang and Lim Tiong Wooi - begin to discover how their fathers' lives shaped their own. Presented by the Instant Cafe Theatre Company, we speak to director Jo Kukathas and writer-performer Lim Tiong Wooi about bringing these deeply personal stories to the stage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 21 · 20 min
Todak◉Gundik
You may know the famous story of the swordfish that attacked Singapura. But in Todak◉Gundik, writer Kee Thuan Chye brings that legend together with the story of a Sultan’s favoured concubine, weaving them into a tale of power, jealousy, desire and war. It’s a contemporary Malay-language production packed with puppetry, masks, animation, live gamelan music and even Ulek Mayang. Presented by Pentas Project Theatre Production, we find out more about this very theatrical retelling from Thuan Chye. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 14 · 23 min
A Tribute to Alfonso Soliano
Music has always been at the heart of the Soliano family. Across generations, they've helped shape Malaysia's musical landscape, but at the centre of that story is Alfonso Soliano, a composer, conductor, arranger and educator whose influence earned him the title of the Father of Modern Malay Music. This September, the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra is honouring his legacy through A Tribute to Alfonso Soliano, a special tribute concert that brings together the orchestra and The Solianos, the family ensemble he founded, for an evening celebrating his music that continues to inspire. Joining us are the concert's conductor, Ahmad Muriz Che Rose, and Alfonso's daughter, vocalist Isabella Soliano, who'll be taking to the stage with The Solianos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 13 · 20 min
Lungs
A couple sits down to talk about having a child. But what starts as a conversation about parenthood quickly opens up much bigger questions: climate anxiety, personal responsibility, love, fear, and what it means to build a life together when the future feels uncertain. That’s the premise of Lungs, Duncan Macmillan’s acclaimed two-person play. There’s no elaborate set, no props, and no time markers. Just two people, their words, and everything that sits beneath them. The play is now being staged by new theatre company Drifting Kaos Productions, and we speak to its founder and director, Dinesh Kumar Maganathan, and actor Grace Ng, to talk about the play, the relationship at its centre, and what it takes to bring such an intimate story to the stage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 7 · 26 min
Beyond Words
Some of the most memorable musical moments happen when different traditions come together to create something entirely new. That's the idea behind Beyond Words, a one-night-only concert that brings Grammy-winning musician L. Shankar together with an ensemble of leading Malaysian artists for an evening that blends Indian classical music, jazz, rock, pop and traditional local sounds. Joining us to share more are Violin Virtuoso, Composer & Inventor of the Double Violin, L. Shankar and one of Malaysia's leading sitar players, Samuel J. Dass. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 6 · 22 min
Caliban
For centuries, audiences have seen Shakespeare's The Tempest as a tale of magic, revenge and forgiveness. But what if the story looks very different when it's told from the perspective of the island's original inhabitant? That's exactly what Masakini Theatre Company is exploring in Caliban, a bold new adaptation that reimagines Shakespeare's classic through a Nusantara lens, weaving together local performance traditions, live traditional music and Malaysia's multicultural heritage. Joining us to tell us more are producer and lead actor Sabera Shaik, who plays Caliban, and the production's director, Susan Sarah John. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 31 · 22 min
Bebenang: An Almost Malaysian Story
What does it really mean to be Malaysian? Is it the stories we're told, the languages we speak, the histories we inherit, or the memories we carry? Bebenang: An Almost Malaysian Story is an original theatre production that explores those questions through the real-life experiences of everyday Malaysians. Developed using verbatim theatre, it brings together personal stories that reveal the many different ways we understand identity, belonging and home. We find out more from producer and director Farah Rani, together with deviser and actor, Perassath. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 30 · 20 min
Once Upon a Malaysian Dream
As Merdeka approaches each year, we're often encouraged to reflect on how far Malaysia has come. But it's also a chance to ask some difficult questions: have we lived up to the ideals that independence promised, and what does the "Malaysian Dream" actually mean today? Those are the questions at the heart of Once Upon a Malaysian Dream, a new play that's equal parts history, satire, music and heartfelt drama, exploring the country's past while imagining where it could still go. We find out more from its writer, producer and director, Kee Thuan Chye. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 24 · 26 min
Unbound
For centuries, baroque music has endured because of its beauty, emotional depth and technical brilliance. But can it also become the foundation for an immersive, multidisciplinary performance that resonates with audiences today? That's the challenge Wicked Music People has set itself with Unbound, a new production that brings together period instrument performance, contemporary dance, digital scenography and live theatre in a bold exploration of human freedom. Joining us are co-producers U-En Ng and Lin Lee, both co-founders of Wicked Music People, to tell us more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 23 · 28 min
Pravaham - The Pulse Of Creation
Our rivers have always sustained us, but today many are under increasing pressure from pollution, development and climate change. Rather than presenting those challenges through facts and figures alone, Pravaham – The Pulse of Creation invites audiences to experience them through dance, music and storytelling. It's an original production that celebrates water's role as the pulse of creation while encouraging us to rethink our relationship with the natural world. Joining us are Shangita Namasivayam, Artistic Director of Kalpana Dance Theatre, and Kennedy Michael, the Founder of Community Action Nexus and the Alliance of River Three (ART!) to tell us more about this dance performance, and their collaboration. *For invitations to the show, please call: 017-6725672 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 17 · 29 min
Robert Rauschenberg and Asia
Some artists travel to exhibit their work. Others travel because they're endlessly curious about the people, places and cultures around them. Robert Rauschenberg was very much the latter. Widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, he believed that creativity flourished through collaboration, conversation and seeing the world firsthand. Those ideas are at the heart of Robert Rauschenberg and Asia, an exhibition organised by M+ in collaboration with ILHAM Gallery, and currently on display at Ilham. Joining us to explore the exhibition are Rahel Joseph, Director of ILHAM Gallery, and Russell Storer, Senior Curator and Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs at M+, and curator of this exhibition. Image Credit: Robert Rauschenberg Studies for Chinese Summerhall #I 1984 From an edition of 25, published by Graphicstudio, University of South Florida, Tampa, and Gemini G.E.L, Los Angeles ©️Robert Rauschenberg Foundation Photo: Ron Amstutz Image courtesy of Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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