The 30th Macao Arts Festival (MAF), organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), came to its conclusion on 2 June successfully, presenting 22 excellent performances and art exhibitions as well as outreach activities, in a total of nearly 100 events, earning an enthusiastic response from local and overseas audience. The overall ticketing rate reached nearly 86%.
This edition of the MAF was themed “a tribute to the classics”, marking an important transitional point in its 30th anniversary, paying tribute to all classics and showing its determination to create new classics. By presenting classic productions, it continued to inject cultural vitality into Macao. The opening performance Vertikal and the closing performance The Soul of Macao were widely acclaimed by the public; Rain, Wonder.Land, Mau Tan, Kat Cheong, Motion engaged the audience emotionally with grand breadth of spirit; Mr. Ma and Son, The Odyssey – A wandering journey based on Homer and Karl Valentin Kabarett injected a contemporary innovative spirit into the classics; local art groups creations, including Curry Bone's Travel 2019, Ready to Wear, Saving Troubled Daddy and Kaléidoscope, reflected the social landscape and unique culture of Macao, which inspired sympathy in the viewers. The concerts An Alpine Symphony and Chinese Musical Painting presented engaging melodies. The MAF also offered family performances, including Flotante, The Inch-high Samurai, Cantonese Opera Mu Guiying Breaks through the Tianmen Gate and Goodbye, Little Prince. £¥€$ (LIES) were highly acclaimed, offering the audiences a new engaging theatre experience; the artistic and cultural performances in the Performing Arts Gala at the Iao Hon Garden, for three consecutive nights, injected vitality in the community through the arts.
This edition of the MAF reflected the in-depth cultural collaboration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Media and art critics from the Greater Bay Area were invited to enjoy the performances and conduct a series of reports and promotional activities, increasing the reputation of the Macao Arts Festival in the Greater Bay Area. The MAF has an active participation in the cultural development of the Greater Bay Area with the advantage of Macao’s cultural resources. During the MAF, media and art critics from the Greater Bay Area and abroad came to Macao to make extensive reports and an in-depth analysis of the Festival. Foreign consuls accredited in Hong Kong and Macao were also invited to enjoy superb artistic performances and experience the culture and art of Macao. Promotion and ticket sales services were available at designated venues at higher education institutions and hotels and integrated resorts, in order to reach an even broader public. This edition of MAF continued to hold the activity “I am an Exemplary Young Audience Member” in order to promote theatre knowledge and rules, well received by families. A wide range of outreach programmes, including workshops, master classes, lectures, one-day tours, school sessions and pre-show talks, were well received by the public, enriching the cultural life of the residents. More than 3500 people attended activities of the Outreach Programme. The Organizer also promoted the Festival through various electronic and new media platforms. Participants responded enthusiastically to the “Classic Time Machine” prize quiz, which covered elements of the past and current editions of the MAF, and nearly 4,700 people participated in the quiz. The results of the quiz will be announced in June.
This edition of the MAF was strongly supported by the Macao Government Tourism Office, TDM – Teledifusão de Macau, Air Macau and MGM, as well as counted with the cooperation of five banks and credit cards partners and four media partners, which promoted information about the Festival through a variety of activities. The Macao Arts Festival has been held for 30 years and will continue to offer excellent programmes to the residents, striving to build a cultural exchange platform for local arts and cultural practitioners, promoting the development of Macao’s cultural undertakings, and building Macao a base for multicultural exchanges and cooperation with an emphasis on Chinese culture.
