Organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from its Portuguese acronym), the 32nd Macao Arts Festival (MAF), themed “Invigorate”, was inaugurated on 29 April at the Macao Cultural Centre, presenting a number of outstanding productions, invigorating power of times through an array of art forms and expanding artistic experiences in different fields. Limited tickets for the programmes Doodle POP and Film Concert Der Rosenkavalier are still available and all are welcome to enjoy the programmes.
The opening ceremony was held at 7:40pm on the same day in the lobby of the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium, and was officiated by the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Ao Ieong U; the Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Yan Zhichan; the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Liu Xianfa; the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, Leong Wai Man; the Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office of the Macao SAR Government, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes; the Chairman of the Executive Committee of TDM - Teledifusão de Macau, S.A., Lo Song Man; the Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors and General Manager of Air Macau Company Limited, Chen Hong; the President, Chief Strategic and Financial Officer of MGM, Kenneth Feng; and the Deputy General Manager of Bank of China Macau Branch, Chan Hio Peng. The ceremony was also attended by the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Ho Ioc San; the Deputy Director of the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Yin Rutao; the Advisor of the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Lo Hou Chi; the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, Cheong Lai San.
With a focus on programmes from Macao and Mainland China, this edition of the MAF kicked off with the grand opening programme Free Man from the South, a contemporary dance theatre production created by renowned choreographer Willy Tsao. Ingeniously drawing inspiration from 26 well-known poems of Tang dynasty poet Li Bai, this production features 14 dancers who lead the audience to explore the poetic realm and immerse themselves into the poet's beautiful world of mountain, water, flower and moon through poetry, dance and music. With a script rewritten by local Cantonese opera veteran Chu Chan Wa based on the Chinese literary classic Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, The Phantom of Liaozhai will be staged on 1 May, where outstanding and rising local artists will jointly showcase the cultural essence of Cantonese opera.
Multiple performances of the technical theatre production Carlos I will be staged from 3 to 11 May. Drawing inspiration from the old D. Carlos I Dock and based on years of field research, local chronicles, oral history and other elements, the production offers the audience a performance with no actors but only lighting, sound and space installations.
The Patuá theatre production Love Cruise will be held from 7 to 8 May, exploring the affairs in the city through a luxury cruise during its first voyage in the post-pandemic era, and promoting the valuable and unique national intangible cultural heritage through performing arts. The interactive family play Doodle POP, to be held from 7 to 8 May, will take audiences of all ages on a journey under the sea in search of a little turtle through creative interactions, inspiring limitless creativity in the world of the picture book. On 7 May, the Macao Orchestra will present a live orchestral performance of the classic film Der Rosenkavalier, premiered in the 1920s, adapted from the eponymous opera by Richard Strauss, depicting a romantic story full of wit and humour through music.
IC will continue to strictly follow the relevant anti-epidemic guidelines of the Health Bureau and implement appropriate measures for cultural activities.
For more information about the programmes, ticket purchase and discounts, please visit the official website (www.icm.gov.mo/fam), follow the respective page on Facebook (search “Macao Arts Festival”), or subscribe to IC’s official WeChat account (IC_Art_Macao). Macau Ticketing Network ticketing hotline: 2855 5555; ticketing website: www.macauticket.com.