Vertikal (Photo credit: Laurent Philippe)
The 30th Macao Arts Festival (MAF), organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, will be held from 3 May to 2 June. Tickets will be available through the Macau Ticketing Network from 10am on 31 March (Sunday). For the convenience of the public, queuing vouchers will be distributed from 9am, while telephone and online bookings are available from 12pm on the same day. On the first day of ticket sales, purchasers will receive one complimentary cookie at the Macau Ticketing Network outlets by presenting their queuing vouchers (available while stocks last) and enter a chance to win amazing prizes.
This edition of the MAF, themed “A tribute to the classics”, presents a number of performances focusing on local and international perspectives. The Festival kicks off with the dance performance Vertikal by CCN Créteil & Val-de-Marne / Cie Käfig from France, in which dancers present light and elegant vertical dance movements beyond the limits of gravity. In the performance, the relationship with the ground, which is essential for hip-hop dancers, is fundamentally modified. In the grand closing performance The Soul of Macao, jointly presented by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Foshan Cantonese Opera Troupe, opera artists from Foshan and Macao present a classic story written by a Macao author, reflecting the in-depth cultural collaboration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In the dance show Rain by the dance company Rosas from Belgium, dancers occupy the stage, delineated by a curtain of fine strings, displaying an impressive succession of virtuoso dance phrases with pure dance and minimalistic music. To commemorate the 120th anniversary of the birth of Lao She, the play Mr. Ma and Son by BJAMC China, adapted from Lao She’s classic novel, reveals the historical and cultural differences between the two ancient empires of China and Britain. Teatro do Eléctrico from Portugal presents a unique and absurd comedy Karl Valentin Kabarett with black humour; £¥€$ (LIES), produced by Ontroerend Goed from Belgium, the Hong Kong Arts Festival and the Macao Arts Festival, offers a thrilling experience for the audience to have a glimpse into the global monetary system and understand its impacts.
The Macao Arts Festival has been committed to promote the artistic development of Macao, a number of delicate works not to be missed are presented at this Festival, including Curry Bone's Travel 2019, Ready to Wear, Wonder.Land, Mau Tan, Kat Cheong, Kaléidoscope, Cantonese opera Mu Guiying Breaks through the Tianmen Gate and the Patuá theatre play Saving Troubled Daddy, among others. In addition, the Festival also features a number of interesting promotional activities at various districts in Macao. The first session “Arts Festival Cruising in the City” will be held on 31 March, at 3:30pm, at the leisure area at the Edf. Lok Yeung Fa Yuen, bringing a series of acrobatics and stilts performances close by the community. All families are welcome to participate.
Various types of discounts are offered in this edition of the MAF. Early bird discounts of 30%, subject to certain criteria, are available from 31 March to 7 April and a 20% discount will be offered from 8 April onwards. Members of the public who purchase their tickets with BOC Credit Card or BOC card will receive a 30% discount on tickets for the opening and closing performances, Vertikal and The Soul of Macao, as well as a 20% discount on all other shows. A 20% discount on tickets for all shows is also available for purchases with MasterCard, Visa Card or UnionPay Card from BCM Bank, OCBC Wing Hang Bank, Tai Fung Bank or Luso International Banking Ltd. A 50% discount will also be offered to holders of Macao Senior Citizen Card or Disability Assessment Registration Card, limited to one ticket per person. For each purchase over MOP500 (net price after discount), purchasers may receive one discount vouchers to enjoy exclusive offers at selected shops at MGM (available while stocks last). Air Macau customers can enjoy a 20% discount on ticket purchases at all ticketing outlets by presenting their respective boarding pass (flight code NX) within 7 days upon their arrival in Macao.
For more information about the programmes, ticket purchase and other discounts, please check the 30th Macao Arts Festival Booklet (the booklet PDF version can be downloaded at www.icm.gov.mo/fam; follow the MAF’s page on Facebook or subscribe to IC’s WeChat account. Ticketing hotline: 2855 5555. Online ticket reservation is available at www.macauticket.com.
