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George Town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, and the George Town Festival was organised to commemorate that momentous occasion. Now in its third year, the month-long arts and cultural festival transforms the Penang state capital into a celebration of art, music, theatre, dance, opera and film this month. The festival’s grand opening sees a 150-strong cast showcasing the rituals and combat forms of the traditional Malay martial art form of Silat with the aid of classical music and contemporary visuals in ‘Silat – Our Heritage for the World’, which is helmed by Saw Teong Hin.

One of the highlights of the festival is Roysten Abel’s ‘Manganiyar Seduction’, which brings together 43 musicians and singers from the Manganiyar community in an 80-minute concert. Accompanying the critically acclaimed production’s astounding instrumentation are 36 red curtained cubicles in four horizontal rows that light up to produce a dazzling visual reminiscent of the Hawa Mahal and Amsterdam’s Red Light District. Another attraction to check out is ‘Mirrors of George Town’, an exciting street art project on building walls within the George Town heritage area by artist Ernest Zacharevic. For more info on what to expect, click here. Wong Boon Ken