Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), the 34^th Macao Arts Festival (MAF), themed “Wondrous Encounters”, will be held from 3 May to 7 June, featuring 19 selected programmes covering theatre, Chinese opera, dance, circus, music and visual arts. Tickets will be on sale simultaneously through the Macau Ticketing Network outlets, telephone and online booking from 10am on 23 March (Saturday). The public is welcome to purchase tickets online or by telephone to facilitate the purchase process.

The dance theatre production Grand Opening: Jungle Book reimagined, adapted from the classic The Jungle Book by Nobel Laureate in Literature Rudyard Kipling and produced by legendary British dancer and choreographer Akram Khan and his superb team, inspires the public to ponder the survival crisis of humanity from a child’s perspective. In the closing programme Sino-Portuguese Concert, Portuguese pop rock band Capitão Fausto will share the limelight with David Huang who is an expert in melding Western and Asian flavours, jointly creating wonderful moments of Sino-Portuguese cultural exchange with their distinctive music. Circa from Australia returns to Macao with Duck Pond, offering the public a joyful and intriguing theatrical experience with stunning techniques. The contemporary ballet Sleeping Beauty, presented by Spanish National Dance Award winner Marcos Morau and the Lyon Opera Ballet from France, will reshape the public’s imagination with a rich and varied performance. The Three Brothers presented by Portuguese art troupe My Own Name depicts family relationships and invites the audience to probe into human feelings by presenting the frictions and struggles among brothers on the stage. Macbettu, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy by Italian director Alessandro Serra, boldly recreates the classic with an all-male cast.

The Macao Arts Festival is committed to promoting the professionalism of local art groups over the years, providing a platform for local outstanding artists to showcase their talents. The Festival also includes a series of local productions, including the New Cantonese Opera “Under the Pagoda Tree” by the Zhen Hua Sing Cantonese Opera Association, A Star is Arriving by Dóci Papiaçám di Macau Drama Group, Frankenstein/Creatures by Space for Acting, Performing Arts Gala, Anamnesis no.: XXXX by Dirks Theatre Arts Association, Concert Frances Yip and the Macao Chinese Orchestra, She Said by Chan Meng, Impression of Iec Long by The Funny Old Tree Theatre Ensemble and By Your Side – Forever here with you by Bernardo Amorim.

Tickets for the 34^th Macao Arts Festival are on sale simultaneously through the Macau Ticketing Network outlets, telephone and online booking from 10am on 23 March (Saturday). On the first day of ticket sales, ticket purchases for each show are limited to a maximum of 10 tickets per performance per person; the limit of maximum 4 tickets per person applies for Frances Yip and Macao Chinese Orchestra and special ticketing arrangements are applicable to some shows. An early bird discount of 30%, subject to certain criteria, is available from 23 to 31 March, and a 20% discount will be offered from 1 April onwards. 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 programme Jungle Book reimagined and the closing programme Sino-Portuguese Concert, as well as a 20% discount on tickets for other shows. A 20% discount will be offered for holders of a MasterCard, Visa or UnionPay card from ICBC Macau, BNU, Luso International Banking Ltd., BCM Bank, Tai Fung Bank or OCBC Macau. A 50% discount will be offered to holders of Macao Senior Citizen Card or Disability Assessment Registration Card and to holders of valid full-time Student Card (holders of local student card or Macao residents with overseas student card) who purchase tickets for two different performances. Each cardholder can only use one discounted ticket per performance. For every ticket purchase over MOP500 (net price after discounts), purchasers will receive one MGM F&B discount voucher and one ticket for the “Wondrous Encounters” lucky draw. Air Macau customers may 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.

This edition of the MAF also features 23 programmes of outreach activities. Tickets for the “Selected Screenings of International Stage Performances” will be on sale through the Macau Ticketing Network from 10am on 23 March. A 30% discount on tickets for two different performances in the “Selected Screenings of International Stage Performances” will be offered. For other programmes, registration can be made online through the Activity Application System (activity.mo.gov.mo/activity-h5/activity-list-web) in the Macao One Account from 10am on 25 March. Seats are limited and subject to availability, and some activities require registration with payment.

For more information about the programmes, ticket purchase and other discounts, please visit the MAF’s website (www.icm.gov.mo/fam), follow the respective page on Facebook (search “Macao Arts Festival”), or subscribe to IC’s official WeChat account (IC_Art_Macao). Ticketing hotline: 2855 5555. Online ticket reservation is available at www.macauticket.com.