The Macao Orchestra (OM), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), has recently concluded a tour to Lhasa, in Tibet, where it was enthusiastically applauded. Invited by the Chinese Culture Promotion Society, and led by its administrator, Mr. Wong Ka, OM visited the city of Lhasa, a sacred Buddhist place, where it held an exchange concert under the baton of its Music Director and Principal Conductor, Lü Jia, in cooperation with the Tibet Autonomous Region Symphony Orchestra. The musicians adapted to the high altitude with great professionalism in order to provide a high class performance, and saw their efforts rewarded with praise from local leaders and the public.
The delegation left Macao on 2 June, and, upon arrival to Lhasa, several musicians felt the effects of altitude sickness and were given an initial resting period to recover. Conductor Lü Jia, although affected by altitude sickness and needing to frequently inhale oxygen, insisted on being present at rehearsals and the performance, maintaining a professional posture during the whole trip. On 5 June, OM held a successful exchange concert at the Tibet Autonomous Region Concert Hall, together with the Tibet Autonomous Region Symphony Orchestra.
Due to the altitude and the rarefied air, a few adjustments were made to the concert’s programme. In the first half, OM interpreted Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” Serenade No. 13 for Strings in G Major, and A Moonlit Night on Spring River together with Shu Yin, Pipa Professor at the Shanghai Conservatory. In the second half, the Tibet Autonomous Region Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of its Principal Conductor, Bian Ba, performed the Symphony No. 39 in E-flat, by Mozart, and Offenbach’s Can-Can. To finish, under Lü Jia’s baton, the two ensembles jointly interpreted Borodin’s In the Steppes of Central Asia as well as Strauss’ Thunder and Lightning Polka. The concert venue, with a capacity for 400 people, was nearly full, and the musicians received an enthusiastic ovation from the audience at the end of each piece. During this trip, the Macao Orchestra also had the chance to visit the Jokhang Temple, the Potala Palace as well as Lake Namtso, among other attractions, in order to better appreciate Tibet’s religion, art and culture.
This was the 12th time OM toured in Mainland China, where the orchestra has already visited over thirty provinces and municipalities, and was cordially received by local leaders and praised by audiences, making it the first orchestra to perform in all of Mainland China, a feat with special meaning. During this trip, OM once again played the role of Macao SAR Government’s Cultural Ambassador, disseminating in Lhasa Macao’s extraordinary cultural works, revealing its style and strength, thereby promoting the territory’s art and culture.
