The 27th Macao Arts Festival (MAF), organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, kicks off this Saturday, 30 April, with an opening ceremony to be held at 7:40pm at the lobby of the Macao Cultural Centre. All are welcome. This edition of the MAF presents 27 excellent shows and artistic exhibitions as well as an outreach programme, in a total of over 100 activities, offering a sumptuous arts feast.
This year, the MAF is themed “Time” and has “Reshape your Imagination. Experience the Spirit of the Times” as slogan, conveying the message that the performing arts have undergone thousands of years of condensation, development and transformation while the classics, enriched by the spirit of the age, manage to provide guidance to our growth. Among these, the opening show, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, one of Shakespeare’s romantic comedies rendered by the Shakespeare Theatre Company from the USA, takes to the stage on 30 April and 1 May, featuring stunning and delicate sceneries and wardrobe. In addition, Tracy Wong, Mao Wei and Justin Chow present the ballet Shelf Life on 30 April and 1 May, at the Old Court Building, featuring a combination of visual arts and installation, offering the audience a new visual experience by breaking the barriers of conventional stages; Mu Guiying Battling in Hongzhou, interpreted by the Macao Kaifong Cantonese Opera Juvenile’s Troupe, takes to the stage of Cinema Alegria on 1 May, passing on the essence and aestheticism of intangible cultural heritage; and in In Chants, suitable for children between 6 months and 3 years of age, using puppets to create magic moments by the actors.
In order to promote and encourage local creations, as well as to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of two world literary giants, namely William Shakespeare and Tang Xianzu, this year the MAF invited two local illustrators, Neiko Ng and Wakka Cheang to design four exclusive stationery items featuring portraits of Shakespeare and Tang Xianzu, having as background their most famous works and including quotes from their classics. Souvenirs are available from 30 April at the Macao Cultural Centre, Dom Pedro V Theatre and Old Court Building, with various discount packages.
Additionally, in order to raise the public’s participation possibilities in the Festival, the Cultural Affairs Bureau will launch the contest “Win air tickets by playing jigsaw puzzles”. Participants will have a chance to win a round-trip economy class ticket from Macau to any NX operated destination offered by Air Macau (3 winners), a one-night accommodation at MGM MACAU Grand Room with breakfast for two (5 winners) and a 60-minutes body massage at The Spa at MGM MACAU (3 winners). For more information on this contest, please visit the Festival’s page on Facebook or the ICmacao’s WeChat account.
The MAF has been highly sought after, with few tickets remaining for some shows. The public is advised to purchase their tickets as soon as possible. Tickets are available through the Macau Ticketing Network. The Festival’s programme can be found in the respective booklet, which can be downloaded from the MAF’s webpage at www.icm.gov.mo/fam. Ticketing hotline: 2855 5555; online ticketing: www.macauticket.com.