Singapore Ballet presented a diverse triple bill titled "Masterpieces" at the Singtel Waterfront Theatre at Esplanade on August 1, showcasing the company's artistic development through an international repertoire of three distinct works.

The program opened with *Schubert Symphony*, originally choreographed in the 1980s by the late Singaporean choreographer Goh Choo San for the Washington Ballet. Set to Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 2 in B flat, the ballet spans three movements beginning with a slow and broad Largo leading into an Allegro vivace. While the dancers demonstrated technical proficiency, some struggled to fully embody the energy and vivacity of the music in the opening section. The performance gained momentum in the subsequent movements, with female dancers, notably Kana Minegishi and Tamana Watanabe, delivering elegantly executed solos that captured the music’s lyrical qualities. The male dancers then took prominence in the third movement, impressing with coordinated leaps and a lightness in their jumps, a quality known in ballet as "ballon."

The work demands not only stamina but also precision, characteristic of Goh’s neoclassical style, which calls for exacting lines and uniformity across the company. At approximately 30 minutes in length, *Schubert Symphony* concluded with a spirited and vigorous finale, reflecting the company’s growing technical control and expressiveness.

Next on the program was *Purcell Pieces*, a choreographic work by Dutch artist Nils Christe that stood in stark contrast to the first piece. Here, dancers abandoned traditional pointe shoes for socks and explored unconventional movement patterns including fetal positions, floor rolls, bent limbs, and hip shaking. Set to various short compositions by English Baroque composer Henry Purcell, the piece merged historical music with contemporary and playful choreography. Christe infused humor into the combination of dim lighting, black-and-gold costumes, and Baroque soundscapes, even aligning movements to Purcell’s sung texts for added comic effect. This innovative inclusion added a refreshing and entertaining dimension to the evening’s repertoire.

The program closed with *Quiver*, an energetic and fast-paced work by British choreographer Timothy Rushton. The title evokes both a container for arrows and the act of shaking, which the choreography emphasized through rapid, multi-directional movements and trembling arm gestures with stiffly extended fingers. Featuring a large ensemble of 30 dancers performing in pairs, the piece presented challenging pointe work and continuous changes in direction, creating a vivid and dynamic visual spectacle. The robust use of the stage space and the complexity of the choreography underscored Singapore Ballet’s continued expansion and artistic maturity in recent years.

Overall, the triple bill provided audiences with a broad experience of styles and moods, affirming Singapore Ballet’s versatility and growth as a leading dance company in the region.