Dramatic Cantata A Bridge Across the Sea by Jonathan Dove will be premiered in Singapore on April 23 2025.
Commissioned by the Tanglin Trust School in Singapore to celebrate their centenary, this new 30’ work for soloists, children’s chorus, adult chorus and orchestra has a libretto by Alasdair Middleton, telling a story from the Ramayana. Dating from the 5th century BC or earlier, the Ramayana is (alongside the Mahabharata) ancient India's greatest epic. It has been endlessly retold, with Indonesian, Burmese, Tibeto-Chinese and Malay versions among others.
After Sita marries Rām (avatar of Vishnu and future king), she is abducted by the demon Rāvan and carried off to Lankā. Hanuman (monkey commander of the monkey army) learns where Sita is imprisoned and makes a giant leap across the ocean to find her. But only Ram can rescue her. How can Ram and his forces cross the sea?
The story was chosen for its resonance in Singapore, and its interest for a wider audience.
The premiere will be conducted by Boon Hua Lien and feature professional soloists, the combined choirs of Tanglin Trust School alongside the Raffles Singers and instrumentalists from Resound Collective, alongside school students in the orchestra.
