Lukas Geniušas © Jean-Baptiste Millot
The 31st Macao International Music Festival (MIMF), organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, will be held from 29 September to 30 October, taking “Rising Stars” as theme this year. Top musicians and ensembles from Italy, South Africa, Germany, Russia, United States, Austria, Portugal, Korea, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao offer 17 programmes in a total of 20 excellent performances. Aside from the renowned classics by great masters, the MIMF also takes the audience to move forward, feeling the vitality of new music performance.
Grand opening: Opera in four acts Andrea Chénier; The Vienna Philharmonic brings back classics
In order to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of composer Umberto Giordano, the Festival kicks off with the production of Teatro Regio di Torino to present Girodano’s four-acts opera Andrea Chénier, which narrates the love story between patriotic poet Chénier and the noblewoman Maddalena during the tumultuous times of the French Revolution. This opera introduces the “realism”, an important artistic style of Italian operas of the time, presenting the real beauty of life to the audience. Extraordinary contemporary conductor Andris Nelsons leads internationally renowned the Vienna Philharmonic in the interpretation of Beethoven, Strauss and Wagner’s classics in the closing concerts, showcasing the Austro-German essence and delicate Vienna music.
Festival brings rising stars; array of performances by renowned ensembles
This edition of the MIMF has invited a number of international rising stars, including Novus String Quartet, one of the leading chamber ensembles in South Korea won numerous international awards, presents maestros’ works by Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Ravel, among other composers. Young pianist Lukas Geniušas, won at the Second Prize at the International Frédéric Chopin Piano Competition and the Second Prize at the XV International Tchaikovsky Competition, presents masterpieces by Chopin, Ravel and Prokofiev, revealing his ability to master various styles. Germany-based Japanese young vibraphonist and composer Masayoshi Fujita, also known as el fog, uses innovative performance styles to evoke the audience’s rich imagination to the nature and life. Promising jazz singer Jazzmeia Horn, winner of gold medal at the Thelonious Monk International Vocal Jazz Competition, will spend a enchanting evening with the public at Mount Fortress.
Famous classics one after the other; extraordinary local productions not to be missed
Musicians from different areas will be assembled in Macao, allowing music to flow freely. Under the baton of acclaimed conductor Paavo Järvi, internationally renowned Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen brings a soul-stirring evening dedicated to Beethoven; the outdoor opera in three acts Orfeo ed Euridice by composer Christoph Willibald Gluck in the 18th century, an adaption of a Greek tragedy, has always been the favourite one by the audience. Portuguese Guimarães String Quartet takes the audience on a musical journey through the periods of classicism, romanticism and up to the 20th century. South-African Soweto Gospel Choir, skilled in showcasing the diversity and depth of soulful songs, sings, dances and drums in their culturally unique way, showcasing the beauty of pure voices. Italian Coro Lirico Siciliano returns to Macao and takes the stage at the St. Dominic’s Church to present the diverse charm of religious music through beautiful melodies.
The local production A Dream of Fragrancy premiered at the Festival last year was highly acclaimed. This year, outstanding local artists join hands once again with world-renowned singers to bring a new one-act opera A Fragrant Dream to the stage at the MIMF. In turn, Bravo Macao! concert series count on performances by violinist Lo Cheng Io, pianist Suiong Wong, harpist Leong Cheok Wun and cellist Ho Chun, offering local music talents a performance platform. The Erhu Family gathers three generations of erhu interpreters of the same family, namely Chen Yaoxing, Chen Jun and Chen Yimiao, fusing western musical instruments and elements, and bringing a new charm of traditional erhu music. Hong Kong singer William So, whose voice always touches the bottom of the heart, cooperates with the Macao Chinese Orchestra and present popular classics, offering the public a moving concert.
Tickets on sale from 6 August
Tickets will be on sale from 10am on 6 August (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 discount of 30% will be offered when buying tickets between 6 and 13 August, and a 20% discount will be offered when buying tickets on or after 14 August, subject to certain criteria. Holders of BOC Credit Card or BOC Card may also enjoy a 30% discount on tickets for Andrea Chénier or William So & The Macao Chinese Orchestra. A 20% discount will be offered in the purchase of tickets for all other shows for holders of the designated credit card. A 50% discount will be offered for holders of Macao Senior Citizen Card or Disability Assessment Registration Card (each cardholder is allowed to purchase one discounted ticket per performance only). For every ticket purchase over MOP1,000 (net price calculated after discounts), purchasers will receive a “buy 1 get 1 free” voucher for Cotai Water Jet ferry tickets. For every ticket purchase over MOP500, purchasers will receive one 30% F&B coupon which can be redeemed when dining at selected restaurants in Sands Resorts Macao.
This edition of the MIMF is supported by the Macao Government Tourism Office, TDM – Teledifusão de Macao, Air Macau, the Sands Resorts® Macao, and has Cotai Water Jet as the official ferry company. For more details about the programme and offers, please visit the Festival’s website at www.icm.gov.mo/fimm. For enquiries, please call 8399 6699 during office hours. 24-hour ticketing hotlines: 2855 5555 (Macao), 2380 5083 (Hong Kong) and 139 269 11111 (Mainland China). Ticketing website: www.macauticket.com.
The programme presentation of the 31st MIMF was held on 25 July, at 3:30pm, at the conference room of the Macao Cultural Centre. The presentation was attended by the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Leung Hio Ming; the Acting Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Tse Heng Sai; the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kent Ieong Chi Kin; the Vice President of Corporate Communications & Community Affairs of the Venetian Macau Ltd., Winnie Wong; the Deputy General Manager of Air Macau Co. Ltd, Wu Xiao Ming; the Controller of Communications Division of Teledifusão de Macau S.A., Ho Chan Meng; the Senior Sales and Marketing Manager of Cotai Water Jet, Cheng Ka Chun, Kenneth; and the member of the Art Advisory Group of the Macao International Music Festival, Tseng Sun-man.
