The officiating guests attended the 29th Macao International Music Festival Press Conference
Organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the 29th Macao International Music Festival (MIMF) takes place from 4 October to 1 November, gathering top-level musicians and ensembles from Russia, Sweden, the United States of America, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Italy, Israel, Switzerland, Iceland, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao, including a total of 23 extraordinary performances as well as over 60 outreach activities in this grand musical annual event. This edition of the MIMF takes as theme the concept “Soundmazing”, and will certainly move audiences and reveal the charm of singing through the most pure vocal music. Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 3 marks the Festival’s opening; Faust brings it to a close The MIMF’s grand opening falls on the Macao Orchestra’s shoulders, which joins hands with the China NCPA Orchestra and Choir, the Macao Youth Choir and the Swedish mezzo-soprano Charlotte Hellekant to interpret the extraordinary Symphony No. 3 by Gustav Mahler. One of the most masterful and rich symphonic masterpieces requires an orchestra of over 100 musicians as well as a choir of close to 100 women and children’s voices, creating an unparalleled magnificent performance. The Festival comes to a close with a co-production between the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the MIMF of Charles Gounod’s opera in five acts Faust, an insurmountable work of human nature and life’s contradictions exploration, which will transport the audience to the golden ages of French opera through a tense plot and extraordinary music, sets and wardrobe. The Festival also joins hands with Moscow’s Novaya Opera Theatre in the production of the one act opera Mozart and Salieri - Opera in 1 Act by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, deconstructing one of the mysteries in the life of the musical prodigy. Moving melodies and touching vocal music The MIMF’s stages host several powerful vocal music performances. Icelandic musician Ólafur Arnalds, a rising star in contemporary music composition, comes to Macao for the first time while Swedish mezzo-soprano Charlotte Hellenkant takes the audience on a musical journey through Scandinavia’s stunning landscapes in the remarkable concert Northern Lights. The all-male American choir Chanticleer, also known as “Vocal Orchestra”, will hypnotise the audience with its captivating voices in the concerts Over the Moon and Washing of the Water. Great Ladies of Song brings together on stage the extraordinary jazz Patti Austin, Janis Siegel and Elisa Chan in a tribute to jazz legend Billie Holiday. The a cappella male choir Profeti della Quinta presents hypnotizing songs in Il Mantovano Hebreo and Lamenti and Love Songs – Italian Madrigals from around 1600, and Taiwanese O-Kai Singers meet with Hong Kong a cappella group Charatay to offer a music feast to local audiences. The Coro Lirico Siciliano returns to Macao to present the concert Songs of Praise. From Portugal hails accordion quartet Danças Ocultas and renowned fado singer Pedro Moutinho who will cooperate to offer an evening brimming with Portuguese charm. Folk music concert Loess Ballads introduces authentic traditional singing, counting on brilliant performances by talented singers A Bao and Wang Erni. BBC Philharmonic in Macao; The Macao Chinese Orchestra marks the 70th Anniversary of the Resistance War World renowned BBC Philharmonic, from the United Kingdom, presents two concerts, namely Shubert’s Symphony No. 9 “The Great” and Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar. Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the brilliant Mahler Chamber Orchestra while internationally renowned violinist Gidon Kremer conducts Kremerata Baltica in two concerts of amazing harmony between orchestra and musician, Masks and Faces and New Seasons. In order to mark the 110th anniversary of the birth of Xian Xinghai, the 120th anniversary of the birth of Liu Tianhua, as well as the 70th Anniversary of the Anti-Japanese Resistance War, the Macao Chinese Orchestra presents Xian Xinghai and Liu Tianhua Commemorative Concert - 70th Anniversary of the Victory in the Anti-Japanese Resistance War. Claimed Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra puts a breath of fresh air into traditional music in the concert Jing‧Qi‧Shen and the four Stradivarius priceless violins, with over 300 years of history, of the Stradivari Quartett come together in a perfect match. This edition of the Festival includes the special concerts Bravo Macao, aimed at offering a stage to local promising musicians and encourage local music students, including performances by young musicians Sophia Feinga Su, Hugo Loi, Ray Long and Katy Ho. Just like in previous years, in order to benefit from the presence of world-level musicians in Macao, the MIMF organizes workshops and master classes, among other outreach activities, offering local music enthusiasts valuable learning opportunities and developing the local music culture. Tickets on sale from 23 August Tickets will be on sale from 10am on 23 August 2015 (Sunday) at the Macau Ticketing Network and telephone and online bookings are available from 12pm on the same day. On the first day of ticket sales, ticket purchases are limited to a maximum of 10 tickets per performance per person Early bird discounts of 40% when buying tickets between 23 August and 30 August, and discounts of 30% when buying tickets on or after 31 August. On purchases of two tickets for the opening performance Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 3 or closing performance Faust - Opera in 5 Acts by Charles Gounod, purchasers may receive a buy one get one free ferry ticket coupon, available on a first come first served basis. The dining offer “Taste & Music” is also available, offering a 30% F&B coupon which can be redeemed when dining at selected restaurants at the The Venetian® Macao for every ticket purchase over MOP1,000 (net price calculated after discounts). Holders of BOC Multi-Currency Credit Card or BOC Card may also enjoy a 30% discounts on tickets for Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 3, Faust - Opera in 5 Acts by Charles Gounod or Xian Xinghai and Liu Tianhua Commemorative Concert - 70th Anniversary of the Victory in the Anti-Japanese Resistance War. A 20% discount will further be offered in the purchase of any MIMF tickets for holders of the BOC Multi-Currency Credit Card and BOC Card, as well as to holders of BCM Bank, Tai Fung Bank, BNU or OCBC Wing Hang Bank’s Master, Visa or UnionPay Cards. This edition of the MIMF has the support of the Macau Government Tourist Office, TDM – Teledifusão de Macao, Air Macau, The Venetian® Macao, and has Cotai Water Jet as official ferry company. For more details on the programme and offers, please access the website www.icm.gov.mo/fimm. For more information, please call the number 8399 6699, during office hours. Ticketing hotlines: 2855 5555 (Macao), 2380 5083 (Hong Kong), 139 269 11111 (Mainland China). Ticketing website: www.macauticket.com. The MIMF’s press conference took place on 13 August, at 3pm at the Tourism Activities Centre. Present at the press conference were the President of Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao S.A.R. Government, Ung Vai Meng; the Acting Director of the Macau Government Tourist Office of the Macao S.A.R. Government, Tse Heng Sai; the Vice-President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Leung Hio Ming; the Member of the Executive Committee of TDM. Ltd., John Lai; Manager of Marketing Division of Air Macau, Chan Chun Keung; the Vice President of Corporate Communications & Community Affairs of Venetian Macau Ltd., Winnie Wong; Deputy General Manager, Bank of China Macau Branch, Ip Sio Kai and the Head of the Cultural Events Department of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ieong Chi Kin.
