The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym) under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, concluded a successful tour in Portugal, receiving high acclaim from Portuguese audiences. Co-organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Macao Government Tourism Office, the tour included performances in four Portuguese cities, namely Évora, Coimbra, Portalegre and Lisbon. During the visit, OM performed at the world-famous Marvão International Music Festival in Portalegre and Festival TODOS in Lisbon. On occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Portugal, and the 20th anniversary of the Macao’s Handover to China, the Macao Orchestra, being a cultural representative of Macao, took the opportunity of this visit to present high-quality classical works and to highlight the city’s unique cultural appeal, thus contributing to establish a bridge for cultural exchange between China and Portugal.
The twelve-day tour (from 12 to 24 September), marked the Macao Orchestra’s return to Portugal after its successful visit in 2012. Conducted by Music Director and Principal Conductor Lu Jia, OM joined forces with German-born Korean violinist Clara-Jumi Kang to present three renowned classical works in different Portuguese cities, namely Dvořák’s Carnival Overture, Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.5 in E minor.
The Orchestra started the tour with an impressive performance in Évora, at the magnificent Baroque-style Teatro Garcia de Resende (built in 1881) in Évora, playing for nearly 500 audience members in a lively ambiance. The fluid and refined interpretation of Clara-Jumi Kang and the graceful accuracy of OM prompted thunderous applause. Eduardo Luciano, Culture Deputy of Évora Civil Government, attended the show with his wife and publicly acknowledged OM’s exceptional performance.
The second performance took place at the Pavilhão Centro de Portugal, Coimbra, where OM shared the stage with Orquestra Clássica de Coimbra for the first time and performed to a full house of fans, and the enthusiasm of many standing throughout the concert deeply moved the musicians. Guests included Dr. Delfim Ferreira Leão and Dr. José Pedro Figueiredo, both Vice Rectors of the Coimbra University; Dr. Francisco Camacho and Dra. Luísa Lopes, Director and Deputy Director of Teatro Académico Gil Vicente, respectively; and Christoph Poppen, Artistic Director of the Marvão International Music Festival and Principal Guest Conductor of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.
The third performance took place at the Centro de Artes e Espectáculo, Portalegre, as a highlight of the prestigious Marvão International Music Festival, was attended by nearly 400 people. Guests included Adelaide Teixeira and João Nuno Cardoso, Mayor and Vice-Mayor of Portalegre; as well as Christoph Poppen and Daniel Boto, Artistic Director and Managing Director of the Marvão International Music Festival. The Mayor thanked OM for the excellent performance as well as the Portuguese and Spanish audience for attending one of the world’s top orchestras.
As a major highlight of Festival TODOS, the Macao Orchestra’s tour finale at the Panteão Nacional, Lisbon, attracted more than 600 people, including Ambassador Cai Run, Defence Affairs Officer Wan Dong and Cultural Counsellor Li Ji from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Portugal; Sílvia Câmara, advisor of the Office of the Councillor for Culture and International Relations of the Lisbon City Hall; and Miguel Abreu, Director General of Festival TODOS. The concert proved a huge success, drawing OM’s Portugal tour to a perfect conclusion.
Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Macao Orchestra, Lu Jia, said that their performances at major music festivals and cities prove that OM has become a world-class orchestra over the past two decades after Macao’s Handover to China. In the tour in Portugal, OM told the story of Macao’s growth through the combination of Chinese and Western musical elements in music, presenting and promoting the achievements of the harmonious fusion between Chinese and Western cultures since Macao’s Handover to China. In the upcoming 2019-20 season, the Macao Orchestra has planned to visit Beijing and Zhuhai, continuing to build musical bridges between Macao and the world and contributing to the city’s amazing vitality.
