Beloved Penang singer and educator Tony Sim recently celebrated his 80th birthday with an afternoon of Opera Arias & Art Songs at 32 Mansion in George Town—a tribute as much to a life in music as to the community he has shaped. The Penang Arts Council proudly supported this celebration of a favourite son who has shaped the careers of countless Penang musicians, many of whom were present, both in the audience and on stage.
Featured in the celebration was the newly formed Sonique Choir, founded by Tony’s student, Erlinna Tan. Choir member and student Dato’ Daisy Ooi recounted the choir’s humble beginning—as a hobby among friends—and its steady growth under the musical guidance and encouragement of Ms Tan and “Teacher Tony.” After a formative year, this 20-voice choir made its first public appearance at this celebration. Dato’ Daisy requested the audience’s “patience and understanding,” but she needn’t have. Enthusiastic, well-rehearsed, and dressed entirely in red, the choir sang with evident pride, opening the programme with the beloved Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower, conducted by Tony himself. They later joined the soloists in the finale, You Raise Me Up—less a finale than a declaration of how deeply Tony is loved.
Highlighting the afternoon’s tribute, two of Tony’s former students, now established professionals, also joined the programme. Coloratura soprano Evelyn Toh and tenor Liow Jun Yi delighted the audience with a selection of operatic favourites that must have made their former teacher proud.
Jun Yi resisted the temptation to overplay, revealing his expressive range in two beseeching love songs, including the aria Una furtiva lagrima from Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. He shaped the line with warmth and restraint, keeping the performance intimate and controlled.
Musical sparks flew when Evelyn appeared in a brilliant yellow gown to sing Luigi Arditi’s Il bacio (The Kiss). Full of bravura runs and trills, her lively rendition filled the room with energy and drew an immediate surge of excitement. She also offered a more subdued, lyrical Dvořák aria, revealing a soprano capable of both agility and expressive calm.
The pair closed with the duet Lippen schweigen (The Merry Widow Waltz) from Lehár’s The Merry Widow, a fitting showcase for two of Tony’s most accomplished former students.
The afternoon of gratitude was less a formal concert than a gathering of a musical family—one shaped over decades by a generous teacher and mentor. It concluded, fittingly, with the entire company assembled on stage to sing “Happy Birthday” as an imposing cake was brought in—a simple, joyful gesture that captured the spirit of the occasion. If the programme occasionally favoured sentiment over polish, it also offered something rarer: a glimpse into the lasting bonds between mentor and student, and the quiet but powerful legacy of Tony Sim’s life in music.
About the writer:
Katie Coolbaugh’s career path took a scenic detour—from programme evaluator to life at sea. For over 20 years, her sailboat had everything except space for a cello. Now anchored in Penang, she’s making up for lost time as principal cellist of the PPO.
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