Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), the 36th Macao International Music Festival (MIMF) will be held from 4 October to 4 November. Themed “And the Stars Shine”, this edition of the MIMF will feature 12 spectacular programmes and 16 outreach activities, gathering maestros and rising stars from the music scene to present a star-studded musical feast with timeless melodies.
The Festival kicks off with Tosca – Opera in Three Acts by Giacomo Puccini and closes with the Concert Mariza and the Macao Chinese Orchestra
The Tosca – Opera in Three Acts by Giacomo Puccini, hailed as one of the most famous operas, remains one of the most frequently performed operas in the world. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the death of Giacomo Puccini, the Mariinsky Theatre from Russia and acclaimed classical music conductor Valery Gergiev came to Macao. The Macao Orchestra and the Mariinsky Orchestra will present this classic love story, with a magnificent stage set and skilled performance lineup, kicking off this edition of the Festival.
Internationally renowned conductor Valery Gergiev will also conduct the Mariinsky Orchestra in two concerts, presenting truly authentic Russian orchestral music through a repertoire of classics by Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff and others. The closing performance will be presented by the world-renowned Portuguese Fado diva Mariza and the Macao Chinese Orchestra under the baton of Tsung Yeh, incorporating Western poetry with Chinese chords and offering music aficionados a taste of its various flavours.
International musicians take to the stage to present dazzling performances
Violinist Leonidas Kavakos will join hands with the ApollΩn Ensemble to perform a repertoire of Bach’s violin concertos written in sophisticated forms with exceptional skills. Legendary pianist Ivo Pogorelich will present enchanting music from the Romantic period, giving a refined yet profound interpretation of the intriguing pieces. The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, a leading chamber music ensemble in the United States, will showcase their virtuosity through an interpretation of iconic pieces by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Mahler and Schubert, among others. The much-anticipated French pianist Hélène Grimaud and the Camerata Salzburg will present a captivating concert featuring Viennese School classics.
Cross-disciplinary performances seek to expand music horizon of the public
DoosTrio will be presented by internationally acclaimed kamancheh maestro Kayhan Kalhor, virtuoso pipa player Wu Man and tabla maestro Sandeep Das, offering a musical feast with different ethnic instruments at the World Heritage site, Dom Pedro V Theatre. The Nutcracker and I, a multimedia show produced by pianist Alexandra Dariescu, recreates Tchaikovsky’s fantastic fairy story through a combination of piano music, ballet and animated images.
Passionate performances to be presented by jazz superstars, lighting up the starry night
The great jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, winner of Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and the most significant and influential jazz icon, will present a passionate and amazing concert that certainly be a jazz sensation in Macao. His masterpieces, including Cantaloupe Island and Chameleon, have captivated the music world and his multilayered and dynamic rendering will definitely gain enthusiastic applause from music aficionados. In addition, Wynton Marsalis, the prominent figure in the modern jazz scene, and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will make their debut in Macao, lighting up the starry night with an energetic concert full of vibrant notes and profound sentiments.
Rising stars unleash youthful musical vitality in Bravo Macao!
The Macao International Music Festival has always provided a performance platform for local young musicians. This year, four young musicians from Macao, including pianist Tong Hou Long, celloist Ho Nok Hin Issac, bassoonist Cheng Son Him, and guzheng player Kong Wai Ka Ashley, will take the stage in Bravo Macao! with musicians from the Macao Orchestra and the Macao Chinese Orchestra to showcase the musical talent of the new generation.
Tickets for the 36th Macao International Music Festival are on sale through the Macau Ticketing Network from 18 August. Various discounts are available for this year’s MIMF. An early bird discount of 30%, subject to certain criteria, is available from 18 to 25 August, and a 20% discount will be offered from 26 August onwards. Members of CCM Friends, OM Friends, Friends of the Macao Chinese Orchestra and Friends of the Macao Museum of Art will receive a 20% discount on ticket purchases between 18 August and 25 August. 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 show Tosca - Opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini and the closing performance Mariza and the Macao Chinese Orchestra, as well as a 20% discount on tickets for other shows. A 20% discount will be offered to holders of MasterCard, Visa or UnionPay card from ICBC (Macau), BNU, Luso International Banking Ltd., BCM Bank, Tai Fung Bank or OCBC Bank Macau. Air Macau customers can enjoy a 20% discount on ticket purchases at the Macau Ticketing Network outlets by presenting their respective boarding pass (flight code NX) within 7 days upon their arrival in Macao. Holders of Macao Senior Citizen Card or Disability Assessment Registration Card can enjoy a 50% discount on ticket purchases. Customers who purchase tickets for the programmes over MOP500 (net price after discounts) are entitled to receive one “Taste & Music” discount voucher to enjoy 15% discount at selected restaurants at Sands Resorts Macao. Customers who purchase tickets for the programmes over MOP1,000 (net price after discounts) are entitled to receive a “buy-1-get-1-free” voucher for Cotai Water Jet ferry tickets. Vouchers are limited and subject to availability.
This edition of the MIMF counts with the support of the Macao Government Tourism Office, TDM – Teledifusão de Macao, Air Macau and Sands Resorts Macao. For more information about the programmes and offers, please visit the Festival’s webpage at www.icm.gov.mo/fimm or the respective page on Facebook (“Macao International Music Festival”). For enquiries, please contact IC through tel. no. 8399 6699 during office hours. 24-hour ticketing hotlines: 2855 5555 (Macao), 2380 5083 (Hong Kong) and 139 2691 1111 (Mainland China). Ticketing website: www.macauticket.com.
The presentation of the programmes of the 36th MIMF was held on 31 July at The Londoner Macao, and was broadcast live online by a number of media from the Greater Bay Area, with the presence of the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Leong Wai Man; the Acting Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Cheng Wai Tong; the Chairman of the Executive Committee of TDM - Teledifusão de Macau, S.A., Lo Song Man; the Executive Director of Special Projects of Venetian Macau Limited, Catherine Kong; the General Manager of Marketing of Air Macau Company Limited, Un Lap Man; the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Cheang Kai Meng; the Programme Director of the Macao International Music Festival, Lio Kuokman; the Head of the Department of Performing Arts Development of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kuok Mio U; and representatives of the participating art groups.
