Surgical Costs: Why Pay More?

May 11th, 2009

As health care costs rise, people become more creative about how to find ways to save money, even when it comes to surgical procedures. Leaving one’s home country for excellent medical care has become a viable alternative to spending exorbitant amounts on insurance policies and hospital stays. With Medical Tourism , it is now easy to find exactly the right surgeon and hospital for your needs outside your home country, where costs are less and care is of the highest quality. Mexican doctors, for example, generally receive their post graduate degrees in United States or Canadian hospitals where they are exposed to cutting edge procedures and equipment. Because of this, surgical care in Mexico is in high demand. Many people are choosing to get lap band surgery in Mexico as well as other types of procedures that guarantee quality at up to 50% less cost.

An added bonus is that with the savings you get on surgery, you can spend time in a beautiful place like Mexico, enjoying the beaches and elsewhere once you are out of the hospital. What better way to come to full recuperation than to take a vacation in a beautiful setting where you can relax and enjoy some extra time while still saving money?

Singapore Opera Performers

May 11th, 2009

Tham Fung Meng and Chan Mei Yin are two highly celebrated Singaporean Cantonese opera performers. Meng created the Yimin Opera Troupe and continually impresses audiences with her style and skills. Yin performs as the male character in an all female company. Cantonese opera is an extremely popular performance genre in Singapore and there are many companies devoted to its performance and study. This is a traditional art from that has existed for centuries. Many tourists appreciate the enormous dedication of opera performers and attending a production is one of the biggest attractions for guests. A fine evening for locals and tourists alike includes dinner at the best Singapore restaurants followed by a Cantonese opera performance.

Because the opera is such and integral part of Singaporean culture there are many productions and companies from which to choose. While most operas contain similar themes and the nature of the performance is extremely stylized, each performer, play and company brings something special to the scene. Some of the more prominent Cantonese opera companies include The Choy Brothers Opera Troupe, and the Chinese Theatre Circle, which is the most active of the Singapore theatre companies.

Tham Fung Meng studied with the Chinese Theatre Circle as well as some of the most highly acclaimed artists in China. She directed the Echo Cantonese Opera Group at the Eunos Community Centre in 1988. Also of that year she formed the Yi Meng Cantonese Opera Group. One of her most renowned performances was as the Princess Turandot in 1999 with Wu Suet Yee. She partnered with Yee again the following year with their performance of three opera excerpts. Chan Mei Yin performs regularly with the Kreta Ayer Community Centre Opera Troupe. She is also the company’s director. This extremely popular and well-established company is based on an all female cast. Yin is an incredibly talented singer who will usually play the male character in the productions.