Before it became one of Singapore’s most enduring cultural landmarks, The Arts House was meant to be a private residence. Nearly two centuries on, noone has ever truly called it home. But for two nights this Halloween, the historic building will flicker with candlelight and eerie music, transforming it into something closer to a haunted house.
30 October 2026 19:00
The Arts House
Halloween in Singapore
On October 30 and 31, Candlelight: Halloween Classics will take over the historic building with thousands of flickering candles and a live performance by the Vocalise String Quartet. The programme moves from horror soundtracks and supernatural television themes to classical works that were creating an uneasy atmosphere long before scary movies existed. It’s a fitting new chapter for a house that never quite became a house.
The Arts House
Built in 1826–27 for Scottish merchant John Argyle Maxwell, the residence stood on land that Stamford Raffles had earmarked for public and administrative use. Maxwell never moved in; instead, he leased the property to the colonial government, and by 1828 it had become Singapore’s first official courthouse.
From there, its public role only expanded. The building later housed the Supreme Court, served as the Legislative Assembly House, and ultimately became Parliament House. Today it operates as The Arts House, yet traces of its political past remain—most notably the original parliamentary seats in the former Chamber. This Halloween, however, parliamentary debates give way to something far darker.
Candlelight Halloween
The setlist leans heavily into screen and pop-culture chills. Think of Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells” (forever linked to The Exorcist), John Carpenter’s Halloween theme, Bernard Herrmann’s prelude from Psycho, and a Stranger Things mash-up. Expect also the themes from Beetlejuice, The Addams Family and The Nightmare Before Christmas, alongside crowd-pleasers like “Thriller”, “Ghostbusters” and “Time Warp”.
Meanwhile, the classical selections are hardly less ominous. Saint‑Saëns’ “Danse Macabre”, Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain”, and Schubert’s “Der Erlkönig” each bring their own supernatural narratives and mounting musical tension to the evening.
A nearly 200‑year-old stage for spooky sounds
The National Heritage Board describes the former Parliament House as likely Singapore’s oldest surviving building. Across two centuries, it has been intended as a mansion, used as a courthouse, filled with politicians and transformed into an arts venue—now hosting a concert where horror, history and music meet.
Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
30 October 2026 19:00
The Arts House
