27 November 06
More New Year Wishes Lighted at Marina Bay Countdown 2006
Number of wishing spheres doubled from previous year with larger scale visual arts presentation set to liven up entire bay area
More people will have the opportunity to pen their wishes and see them lit up at this year’s Marina Bay Countdown. Through special wishing stations located at Esplanade and four shopping malls throughout the island, members of the public can make their wish by writing on white spheres, which will be lit as part of a visual arts presentation at Marina Bay on 31 December 2006.
Started last year, this contemplative celebration brings people from all walks of life together and connects them through a collective expression of their wishes for the New Year.
Jointly presented by Esplanade and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the development agency for Marina Bay, this arts-focused event hopes to create a New Year’s Eve tradition, which is unique to Singapore and offers an opportunity for the community to bond in a meaningful way.
Last year, about 160,000 people came together with their loved ones to bid farewell to 2005 and welcome the New Year at the inaugural Marina Bay Countdown. Filled with a sense of promise, they witnessed the lighting up of 2,500 spheres that carried their collective wishes for the future.
To give more people a chance to make their wishes this year, the number of spheres will be doubled to 5,000. The white spheres carrying the wishes of the community will be released into the Marina Bay waters from mid December 06 onwards. On 31 December 06, the spheres will be specially lit in an inspirational visual arts presentation that sets the entire bay gleaming with the wishes of the people.
Members of the public can make their wishes at wishing stations in Centrepoint, Northpoint, Compasspoint and Causeway Point shopping malls. A wishing station will also be placed at Esplanade’s Concourse area. The stations will be open from 4 to 17 Dec 06, on Mondays to Sundays between noon and 9pm.
More wishes in the form of video dedications will also be collected this year. These recorded dedications feature the heartfelt hopes and dreams of people throughout Singapore including those from community groups, schools, NGOs and the entertainment industry among others. The dedications will be aired throughout the evening during the celebration.
To showcase the creativity of our youth, students from five tertiary institutions have been invited to create their very own video dedications. Coming from Singapore Polytechnic, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic and National University of Singapore, the students will present two-minute video dedications directed and produced entirely by themselves.
At the stroke of midnight, another exciting visual treat will unfurl through a vibrant fireworks display along the bay, choreographed to original music composed by well-known Singapore musician, Iskandar Ismail. For the first time, fireworks will also be released from two prominent buildings along Marina Bay - One Raffles Quay and NTUC Centre at One Marina Boulevard - brightening the evening sky even further.
Said Benson Puah, CEO of Esplanade: “The Marina Bay Countdown is really an event for the community. It is a time when different people from diverse backgrounds can come together in a simple but meaningful celebration to wish not only for themselves but also collectively as a community. We hope this community spirit will become stronger through the years, making this New Year’s Eve countdown a truly special and contemplative tradition that everyone in Singapore can look forward to.”
On why Marina Bay forms the perfect backdrop for this tradition, URA’s CEO, Mrs Cheong Koon Hean said: “Marina Bay seamlessly links the existing city to the new downtown area. It has been planned with people in mind, allowing the community to access the waterfront area to enjoy the attractions and activities.
“It is thus fitting that Singapore’s New Year’s Eve tradition is held there as the area reflects the spirit of our people and links our current landscape to the exciting new developments unfolding, mirroring our community’s ties with tradition and its hopes and wishes for future possibilities.”
Besides enjoying the artistic presentations and fireworks display, visitors can also look forward to an evening of performances by local artists like Singapore Idol alumni Daphne Khoo and a cappella group Juz B under Esplanade’s Celebrate December programme.
The Marina Bay Countdown 2006 is sponsored by Singapore Totalisator Board, One Raffles Quay and Singapore Labour Foundation.
About Marina Bay
Marina Bay is the future heart of Singapore’s downtown. It will provide Singapore with the opportunity for further urban transformation and attract new investments, visitors and talent, besides becoming a new destination for the local community. Extending seamlessly from the existing Central Business District (CBD), Marina Bay is set to become the new focal point that will take us into a new era where competition amongst global cities is intense. This seamless growth from the existing CBD, an asset few cities can offer, will create an exciting array of limitless opportunities for locals and foreigners alike, to live, work and play in. Marina Bay will be a place for people from all walks of life to explore, exchange and entertain.
URA as the Development Agency for Marina Bay also covers the Greater Marina Bay area. As the lead agency, URA is taking a holistic approach to spearhead initiatives, coordinate the physical planning of the sites and programming of events and activities, implement infrastructure, and promote and market the area. It works with relevant agencies and private stakeholders to ensure that the above functions are well coordinated and streamlined.
About Esplanade – Theatres On The Bay
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay is one of the world’s busiest arts centre, officially opened on 12 October 2002. This architectural icon with its distinctive twin shells, is sited within Singapore’s civic district, just by Marina Bay at the mouth of the Singapore River.
Esplanade aims to be a performing arts centre for everyone, and its programmes cater to its diverse audiences. Its programme line-up spans all genres to encompass music, dance, theatre and visual arts, with a special focus on Asian culture.
Esplanade houses world-class performance spaces, supported by a comprehensive range of professional support facilities and services. Its two main venues are the 1,600-seat Concert Hall, with acoustics by Russell Johnson of ARTEC Consultants, and the 2,000-seat theatre, an adaptation of traditional European opera houses in horseshoe form.
In the past year, Esplanade has welcomed over seven million visitors and hosted over 1,900 performances.
Jointly issued by The Esplanade Co Ltd and Urban Redevelopment Authority
For media enquiries, please contact:
Mark Sinn
Assistant Director, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs
The Esplanade Co Ltd
Tel: 6828 8331
Email: smark@esplanade.com
Kuek Chor Ling
Executive Public Relations Officer
Urban Redevelopment Authority
Tel: 6321 8136
Email: kuek_chor_ling@ura.gov.sg |
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