The 34th Macao Arts Festival (MAF) is set to take place from 3 May to 7 June, featuring 19 selected programmes under this year’s theme of “Wondrous Encounters”, which cover theatre, Chinese opera, dance, circus, music and visual arts, according to a press conference held at MGM Cotai today.
Organised by the city’s Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), the festival is supported by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), TDM, Air Macau and MGM.
This year’s festival will kick off with “Jungle Book reimagined”, a dance theatre production by British dancer and choreographer Akram Khan’s dance company, which is an adaptation of the classic “The Jungle Book”. This programme will be staged at the Macao Cultural Centre’s (CCM) Grand Auditorium on 3 May.
Other international programmes include “Duck Pond” by Brisbaned-based Circa, “The Three Brothers” by Portuguese artistic project My Own Name, “Sleeping Beauty” by France’s Lyon Opera Ballet and “Macbettu” by Italy’s Sardinia Theatre, while “Anamnesis no.:XXXX” by Dirks Theatre Arts Association and “Impression of Iec Long” by The Funny Old Tree Theatre Ensemble, among others, are on the list of local productions selected this year.
In addition, Macau’s very-own Patua drama group Dóci Papiaçám di Macau is one of the regular participants highlighting this year’s festival. Their production, “A Star is Arriving”, will be staged at the CCM’s Grand Auditorium on 11 and 12 May.
A Star is Arriving tells the story of substitute drama teacher Delia and former gambling promoter Giselda, who is on the verge of poverty. The two see their lives intersect when one of them accepts the seemingly childish challenge of getting a shy, shuttering girl on stage.
As usual, it will be performed in Patua (Portuguese-based creole language originated in Macau among the city’s community of mixed Portuguese and Asian heritage) with subtitles in Chinese, Portuguese and English.
In music, this year’s festival will include Hong Kong English pop and Cantopop singing legend Frances Yip, who will perform with Macao Chinese Orchestra at The Londoner Theatre on 25 May.
For visual arts, an exhibition entitled “Focus: Integration of Art between China and the West in the 18th-19th Centuries” will be held at the Macao Museum of Art (MAM) in Nape from 11 May to 15 September, showcasing a total of 300 pieces of export paintings and works in the style of George Chinnery, primarily from MAM and the Guangdong Museum, along with a selection of works from the Hong Kong Museum of Art of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
A “Performing Arts Gala” will be held at Iao Hon Market Park from 17-19 May, with the performing groups comprising Casa de Portugal em Macau, Jangar Children’s Art Troupe (from Inner Mongolia), Lou Hau High School, Macau Kung Luen Vocational & Technical Middle School, Macau Pooi To Middle School, Macau Space for Dance Idea, Paiwanpella (Taiwan), Tjipta Boedaja Arts Centre (Indonesia) and TS Crea (Hong Kong).
The Performing Arts Gala will run for 2.5 hours from 6:30 pm each night. Admission to this programme is free.
Tickets for the 34th Macao Arts Festival’s other programmes will be on sale from 10 am on 23 March through Macau Ticketing Network outlets, hotlines and website. For more information visit the festival’s official website or the Macau Ticketing Network’s website.
Today’s press conference was attended by IC President Leong Wai Man, MGTO Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong, TDM Programmes and Production Division Director Lok Kong, MGM Senior Vice President of Arts & Culture Cristina Kuok, as well as IC Vice Presidents Cheong Lai San and Cheang Kai Meng, among others. (Gilbert Humphrey)
Photos: Good News Macau/Gilbert Humphrey
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