Categories
Tourism Malaysia

10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MALAYSIA’S LATEST ATTRACTION, ENCORE MELAKA

Hear ye! Hear ye! There’s a new attraction in town and we’ve got the 101 on it for you right here!

From the Impression series of world-acclaimed performances in China comes Encore Melaka, specially curated and directed by Wang Chaoge (the creative force behind the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Opening Ceremony) to express her feelings for Melaka, its past, present and future.

Having just opened its doors on 7 July 2018, Encore Melaka puts up a magnificent and spectacular show. Expect emotive storytelling, high-energy choreography, vivid stage settings with creative lighting and unbelievable stage effects along with a score of moving music that will not only inspire audiences but capture their imagination, too.

We had a chance to be among the first to view the performance on its grand launch, which coincided with the very date that Melaka was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage City in 2008, and came away fully impressed (no pun intended)!

Here’s a sneak peek of what to expect of this awe-inspiring show that spans 700 years of story-telling through beautiful costumes, light, music, dance, folklore and history, all using top-notch technology that will blow your mind away!

  1. A new landmark in Melaka: The theatre itself is a work of art! Overlooking the scenic Straits of Melaka, it sets a new landmark in Melaka with its contemporary design. The façade is tiled with fish scale-like LED panels which reflect light from the ever-changing and vibrant sky of Melaka. It is the largest permanent theatre in Malaysia designed by chief architect Wang Ge from the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, and is purpose-built for Encore Melaka and nothing else! Tip: Come early before the show to catch the beautiful sunset scene of the theatre hall against the Straits of Melaka.
  2. State-of-the-art theatre hall: This theatre hall is unlike any other. The audience seats are situated in what seems to be an island surrounded by massive screens. In fact, to get to your seats, you will have to cross rhino over the stage! Seating capacity is 2,000 and it has state-of-the-art theatre technology including a sophisticated hydraulics system to support the 240 meter-long stage, multi-layered stages, advanced audio and 3D video mapping projection equipment. All this technology is synchronised to create a vivid and immersive theatre experience for all.
  3. The 360 degree rotating audience platform: The “wow” factor of this theatre is definitely the 360 degree rotating audience platform surrounded by four stages, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. The entire island of seats rotate automatically during the performance but you might not even realise the movements as the turns are so subtle. But, it will move you from stage to stage, bringing you a new perspective of the performance each time.
  4. Abstract storytelling: Don’t expect a linear re-telling of Melaka’s history in this show. Instead, Wang Chaoge wanted to compile cultural stories of Melaka and vignettes of life that reflected a society which embraced diversity and inclusiveness. There are snippets depicting Baba Nyonya wedding traditions, but in other scenes are abstract representations of Melaka and its people through symbolic adobe dance movements. Never mind if some of the scenes are too deep, the production itself, through artistic choreography, creative stage use, costumes and music, and 3D mapping technology, will keep you mesmerized.
  5. A performer’s dream: During the 70-minute live performance, about 200 local performers from all over Malaysia, aged between 18 and 63 years will take to the stage. The show’s producers proudly shared with us that putting together the show had brought about the realization of dreams for many of their performers. Indeed, the production supports the full-time careers of these performers and goes to show that the arts is well and truly alive in Malaysia.
  6. Memorable scenes: Keep your eyes open for some of the most memorable scenes of the performance: mesmerizing abstract lines dancing across the scene/stage depicting waves that later transform into a fleet of ships during the Cheng Ho scene; rows of shirtless drummers masterfully hitting drums in sync against projected imagery of waves; the water effects accompanied by emotive choreography in one of the show’s most thought-provoking dance sequence; the scene when a line of ladies dressed in colourful kebayas take on the stage with their stirring and nuanced performance. The show is presented in English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, and other local dialects, reflecting the multi-racial and multi-cultural society in Melaka, but even so, remember that theatre, dance and music breaks all barriers.
  7. The work of an accomplished director: The whole storyline of Encore Melaka is the brainchild of Wang Chaoge, after studying Melaka’s history, culture, traditions and people for two years. It showcases her own perceptions and interpretations of the Melaka culture, after immersing herself in its history, experiencing the modern Melaka and envisioning its future. In fact, she has been famously quoted as saying, “I did not choose Melaka; Melaka has chosen me…” when explaining why Melaka was handpicked out of 150 competing countries lobbying for their own Impression show.
  8. The tenth Impression series and first out of China: The Impression series was started in 1998 by Wang Chaoge, along with fellow directors Zhang Yimou and Fan Yue. In China, six Impression shows and three Encore shows have been created under the series. Some of the famous Impression series include Impression Sanjie Liu and Impression Lijiang which are outdoor performances utilizing natural backdrops of mountains, lakes and rivers. When Melaka was handpicked by Wang Chaoge as the coveted home of Encore Melaka, it made Malaysia the first country outside of China to continue the legacy of this well-established performance series.
  9. Impression City in Melaka – The Encore Melaka theatre is part of a larger waterfront integrated mixed development called Impression City Melaka which encompasses hotels, serviced apartments, commercial complexes, office towers, educational and wellness facilities, a shopping mall, retail shops, a yatch club and a marina. The landmark 56 ha project with a gross development value of RM7 billion, is being developed by Yong Tai Berhad and expected to be ready in eight to ten years’ time. Encore Melaka theatre will remain as the centerpiece of this new destination.
  10. Close proximity to other tourist attractions – The theatre is located in Melaka’s most prominent site, along the city’s waterfront, just 3.5 km from Jonker Street, a renowned China town in the city. It is quite close to the city’s shopping, historic and cultural areas. In fact, from the Melaka city centre, it will barely take you 15 minutes to reach the theatre site. Bear in mind, though, as the theatre is located within a new commercial district, there aren’t many retail outlets just yet, so it is best to dine in the city before going for the show.

Contact Details/Information:

Address: No. 1 Jalan KSB, Impression 8, Impression City @ Kota Syahbandar, 75200, Melaka, Malaysia.
Ticketing: The ticket prices is from RM128 onwards. Visit https://encore-melaka.com/ticketing for ticket purchase.
Show Time: Monday –Saturday (5.30pm 8.30pm); Sunday (2.30pm 5.30pm).

Categories
Cuisine in Melaka

IMPRESSION MELAKA

Impression Melaka’ Launched Next Year As Iconic Tourism Product

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 (Bernama) — The ‘Impression Melaka’ project, to be launched in October next year, is set to become one of the iconic tourist attractions for Visit Malaysia 2014.

Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said ‘Impression Melaka’ was the latest entry point project within the Tourism National Key Economic Area (NKEA).

“In line with NKEA, this RM213.2 million project is estimated to attract 1.2 million tourists per annum, generating RM179 million GNI (Gross National Income) into the economy,” he told a press conference here Tuesday.

Mohamed Nazri said the project would also create approximately 500 direct, and thousands of indirect job opportunities to locals, apart from attracting foreign investments, and boost local livelihood.

He noted that the project was the first and only Mega Outdoor ‘Impression’ Series outside China, and exclusive in Malaysia, as the first location in the Southeast Asia region.

“This project will add a key highlight to Malaysia and contribute to making Malaysia a preferred destination,” said the minister.

‘Impression Melaka’, he said, would showcase a perfect combination of natural environment as the background, whilst utilising the latest light and sound technology, modern art concepts and huge number of cultural performers.

He said ‘Impression Melaka’ would host two or three shows every night, with each show lasting between 70 and 90 minutes, with rotating audience seating which could accommodate up to 2,000 visitors per performance.

“This unique tourism product will feature a mega outdoor performance directed by world-acclaimed Zhang Yimou, Wang Chaoge and Fanyue, the directors of the 2008 Beijing Olympic opening and closing ceremony,” said Mohamed Nazri.

— BERNAMA

Categories
Cuisine in Melaka

MALACCA SET TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION

Published: Tuesday September 3, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM

Updated: Tuesday September 3, 2013 MYT 11:53:03 AM

Malacca set to make an Impression

BY JUNE H.L. WONG

A scene from the Impression Liu Sanjie outdoor musical in Guilin, which features dazzling light effects and an awesome setting of mountains and a river.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malacca will become the first city outside China to stage the 10th production under acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou’s “Impression” series of outdoor musical shows.

Impression Melaka, is a project between PTS Impression Sdn Bhd and China Impression Wonders Art Development Co Ltd, which will be endorsed by Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz today as a National Key Economic Area project under Pemandu.

This follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by PTS Impression CEO Boo Kuan Loon and China Impression Wonders Art Development Co’s co-founder and CEO Wang Chaoge in February in Malacca, witnessed by then Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, and the project’s official launch in Beijing in May.

The immensely successful Impression musicals were founded by Zhang and his creative partners Wang Chaoge and Fan Yue who were also directors of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The stage for Impression Melaka will be built to look like a Chinese junk in Admiral Zheng He’s fleet with the audience seated in the middle.

All the Impression shows are live outdoor performances involving huge casts, humongous stages and amazing special effects.

The first was launched in 1998 in Guilin called Impression Lui Sanjie on a 2km-long setting along the Li River. Since then, there are Impressions in nine locations all over China, including Lijiang and West Lake, using spectacular natural backdrops.

Impression Melaka, however, will be performed on a gigantic stage built to look like Admiral Zheng He’s junk with a revolving seating area for 2,014 in the middle.

It was Wang who decided on Malacca as her company’s first foreign foray after being pursued by a persistent Boo who brought she and her team to visit his hometown.

Boo, 42, who describes himself as a true-blue anak Melaka, is a property developer who wants to create a destination theatre experience to benefit locals and give tourists a reason to stay overnight in Malacca.

Mr. Boo Kuan Loon, CEO of PTS Impressions Sdn Bhd
Boo wants to create a destination theatre experience to benefit locals and give tourists a reason to stay overnight in Malacca.

“Most tourists come to Malacca for day tours but don’t stay overnight because there isn’t much to see or do at night. Impression Melaka can change that as there will two performances every night,” he said.

Boo added that it was a feather in Malacca’s cap that Wang’s company chose the city for its first foreign production out of 150 proposals from cities around the world, thanks in part to its Unesco world heritage status.

Although Impression Melaka’s storyline and music are being written and the stage designed by China Impression Wonders Art Development Co, Boo stressed it would not be a Chinese story but one that reflected Malacca’s vibrant cosmopolitan history and heritage.

As Wang said in an interview with Lifestyle Magazine, “When we go outside the country, we’re not taking Chinese culture and exporting it to them, but rather we export our art and performance – Impression Melaka is about Malaysian culture.”

She was also quoted as saying at the Beijing launch that Impression Melaka would “showcase the city’s glorious past and modern day life.”

Nevertheless, the junk-shaped stage recalls Zheng He’s five visits to the port in seven voyages between 1405 and 1433 which led to a longstanding relationship between the Malacca sultanate and China.

The directors: (from left) Zhang, Wang and Fan who will create Impression Melaka.
Impression Melaka, a RM300mil project, is funded by local and foreign investors and will be the only one in the region for the next three years, said Boo.

He said the 75-minute long show, with a cast of 200, is projected to sell 1.3 million tickets a year, at about RM130 a seat.

Like other Impression shows, most of the performers will be ordinary folk living in the vicinity who will be trained by Zhang, Wang, Fan and their team.

While its location is still under wraps, Boo said the theatre will require 8.1ha, while another 32.4ha will be developed for other related developments, such as restaurants and a tourism village.

Impression Melaka is scheduled to open in October 2014, in conjunction with Malaysia-China Friendship Year to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations and in time for Visit Malaysia Year.

Categories
Cuisine in Melaka

IMPRESSION MELAKA TO BE READY BY END 2014

Impression Melaka Launched as Part of the Overseas Expansion Plan of the “Impression” Series

BEIJING, May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Impression Melaka was launched at the Beijing Hotel on the afternoon of May 15. Present at the press conference were the Ambassador of Malaysia to China Datuk Iskandar Sarudin, Ambassador of China to Malaysia Datuk Chai Xi, Chief Director of the “Impression” Series Ms. Wang Chaoge , and PTS Impression SDN BHD CEO Mr. Boo Kuang Loon. The event marked the official launch of Impression Melaka, the first foreign leg of the large-scale live-action show of the “Impression” Series, which is a new cultural and creative brand of China.

The signing ceremony was held in a typical Chinese way. PTS CEO Mr. Boo Kuang Loon and Chief Director Ms. Wang Chaoge stamped the scroll of Impression Melaka with a Chinese seal together, which marked the launch of the program.

The Ambassador of Malaysia to China Datuk Iskandar Sarudin observed that Melaka had a long history with China. Over 600 years ago, the Chinese navigator Zheng He visited Melaka several times during his voyages, and built a bridge between the two nations. He pointed out that Malaysia needed a unique, world-class cultural program like the Impression Series to help with the development of its local tourism, and increase the international reputation of the city. The federal, state, and municipal government will provide full support for Impression Melaka. The Ambassador of China to Malaysia Datuk Chai Xi said that the year 2014 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia and Impression Melaka is sure to be an important part of the celebration.

Chief Director Ms. Wang Chaoge said that Impression Melaka, as her 10th “Impression” event, will make new breakthroughs while continuing the tradition of the Impression Series to introduce to the world a real Melaka. Mr. Boo Kuang Loon explained that he grew up in the ancient city of Melaka, and had always dreamed of introducing the beautiful and magnificent city to the world. After years of investigation and research, he decided that the Impression Series was the one that could help him realize his dream. That was why he invited the team of the Impression Series to Melaka. He stressed that Impression Melaka would become a beautiful pearl of Melaka, and a new mark of the city’s culture and tourism.

Malaysian investment development authority director Datuk Ng Peng Hay described the situation of Melaka, Malaysia as having the best economic record in Asia, becoming the third largest economy in Southeast Asia and playing an important role in Malaysia’s economic development. Besides, Melaka is also a historic city with a rich cultural heritage. The Impression Melaka will show Melaka’s rich unique history and cultural heritage through artistic creation, and become the new cultural tourism project of Melaka, which will play an important role for Melaka’s sustainable economic development and inheritance of history and culture.

The Impression Series launched its first live-action show, Impression Liu Sanjie, in 1998, which turned out to be one of the greatest initiatives of the performance market of the world as well as China, with artistic and technical breakthroughs, real landscape as the scene, modern artistic designs, and splendid visual effects. The Impression Series has now grown into the No. 1 live-action show brand of China after the following eight events, including Impression Lijiang and Impression West Lake.

The “Impression” team chose Melaka as the first stop of its overseas expansion because it’s one of the few historic cities in Southeast Asia, and one of earliest ports of the world that bridges the western and the eastern part of the world. It embraces immigrants from both the West and the East, and generates a unique culture demonstrating characteristics of different countries, including languages, religions, and customs. Still preserving the ancient look, the city was included in the UNESCO “World Heritage List.”

Impression Melaka, as the 10th event of the Impression Series, will open in Melaka at the end of 2014.