Song of Tomorrow

Music is needed more than ever when the shadow of the once-in-a-century pandemic has yet to disperse. Themed “Song of Tomorrow”, the Macao International Music Festival this year is gathering the melodies of joy, love and hope to create a kaleidoscopic spiritual world for everyone. In this era when the pandemic is still volatile, may we move forward with music and embrace a bright future together.

Life is filled with endless possibilities, and true love brings hope and salvation. The grand opening programme, Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg, offers an innovative reinterpretation of the classic through a script adapted by renowned music critic Yuan-Pu Chiao from Taiwan, 22 characters all played by accomplished actor David Wang, and music jointly performed by conductor Zhang Jiemin, soprano Li Xintong, the Macao Orchestra and the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra Chorus, fully recreating the world of fantasy written by playwright Henrik Ibsen and composer Edvard Grieg.

This year’s Festival will present a range of star-studded programmes. Under the baton of Long Yu, the renowned conductor hailed as “the most powerful figure in China’s Western classical music scene”, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, the most long-standing symphony orchestra in Asia, will render boundless mesmerising music through a repertoire featuring the combination of Chinese and Western styles. In Variations of Jade – The Journey of Tang Poetry, internationally acclaimed bass-baritone Shenyang will perform a number of Tang poetry-inspired songs written by Chinese and Western composers, highlighting the fascinating integration between poetry and music and unveiling the charm of the Chinese cultural treasure. Conductor Zhang Guoyong, well known for his profound knowledge of both Chinese and Western music, will team up with The Macao Chinese Orchestra to present an array of Chinese orchestral pieces written in different styles, showcasing the aesthetics and appeal of traditional Chinese music.

In commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Alexander Scriabin’s birth, Chen Yunjie, the first pianist in China to give a public performance of his ten sonatas, will return to the stage to once again render this unique set of compositions. Celebrated jazz trumpeter and composer Li Xiaochuan will deliver the concert Li XiaochuanSound, demonstrating his impeccable technique and boundless creativity amid the jazz tunes.

Music transcends time and space, allowing heritage to inspire timeless classics. In Contemporary Meets Tradition, outstanding young musicians from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will combine traditional Cantonese music with new instrumental and vocal arrangements to give the audience an innovative introduction to the music legacy of the Lingnan region. In addition, Bravo Macao! provides local rising stars with a platform to showcase their musical talents, and violinist Nina Wong will take the stage this year, injecting her new vitality into the Festival.

Music should be created, spread and shared in more than conventional ways. This year, the Festival will present two recorded programmes: Voz e Violão and English Renaissance Polyphony – a survey, delivering Portuguese fado and English sacred music on the big screen for the audience to indulge in the captivating melodies from different countries while also adding an authentic music experience to the beautiful landscapes of Macao.

The 10 programmes and various outreach programmes will weave into a “Song of Tomorrow” for the Festival this year. We look forward to bringing music into every corner of the city and, in the company of blissful melodies, move forward and embrace the future together.

 

Leong Wai Man
President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government