29th MACAO INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL | BBC Philharmonic and Icelandic musician Ólafur Arnalds to take to the stage

Olafur Arnalds

The 29th Macao International Music Festival is returning to town from October 4 until November 1, featuring a variety of local, Chinese and international artists – all of whom have a particular focus on classical music. The BBC Philharmonic and Icelandic musician Ólafur Arnalds are among the expected highlights, revealed the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) president Ung Vai Meng.
With the theme of “Sound-
Mazing,” this year’s festival features a total of 23 performances and 60 outreach program activities, Mr Ung explained at a press conference yesterday.
Heading the festival’s grand opening is Swedish mezzo-soprano Charlotte Hellekant who will join the Macao Orchestra, the NCPA Orchestra and Choir, and the Macao Youth Choir on stage.  Together, the musicians will be interpreting Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 3.
The IC says that such powerful symphonic masterpieces require an orchestra of over 100 musicians as well as a choir of close to 100 women’s and children’s voices to create an unparalleled performance. The concert is to take place on October 4 at the Macau Cultural Center.
A co-production between the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Macau International Music Festival brings the month-long event to a close as Charles Gounod’s opera in five acts, “Faust”, takes to the stage on October 30 and November 1.
The opera explores the story of an aging scholar profoundly disappointed in his life achievements. He decides to sell his soul to the devil in exchange for his youth. “An insurmountable work of human nature and life’s contradictions exploration, which will transport the audience to the golden ages of the French opera,” said the IC.
The festival also features a one-act production by Moscow’s Novaya Opera Theatre, who will be interpreting Mozart and Salieri – Opera in 1 Act by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The performance will take place between October 9 and 11 at the D. Pedro V Theatre.

BBC Philharmonic

The world-renowned BBC Philharmonic is to play two concerts in Macau, including Schubert’s Symphony No. 9, titled “The Great,” and “Enigma Variations” composed by Edward Elgar on October 16 and 17 respectively.
To mark the birthdays of Chinese composers Xian Xinghai – who was born 110 years ago – and Liu Tianhua – who was born 120 years ago – as well as the 70th anniversary of the Anti-Japanese Resistance War, the Macao Chinese Orchestra will present the Xian Xinghai and Liu Tianhua Commemorative Concert on October 15.
IC’s president promises to bring powerful voices to this year’s festival, drawing particular attention to Icelandic musician Ólafur Arnalds’ performance, which is scheduled for October 29. The BAFTA-
winner multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer will be performing in Macau for the first time.
Swedish mezzo-soprano Charlotte Hellekant is bound to take the audience on a musical journey through Scandinavia’s amazing landscapes in a concert titled “Northern Lights”, taking place on October 9.
An all-male American choir “Chanticleer,” also known as “Vocal Orchestra”, will take to the stage to present their “Over the Moon” and

Charlotte Hellekant

“Washing of the Water” concerts on October 13 and October 14 respectively.
The “Great Ladies of Song,” Patti Austin, Janis Siegel and Elisa Chan, will perform on October 18 in a tribute concert to jazz legend Billie Holiday.
From Portugal, the quartet Danças Ocultas and fado singer Pedro Moutinho join forces on stage on October 16.
The festival’s budget was set at MOP38 million, the same as last year.
IC’s vice-president, Leung Hio Ming, said that next year’s edition marks the festival’s 30th anniversary and therefore will be focusing on China. “There will be more Chinese opera next year, and we will invite more local artists to perform,” he insisted.
Ieong Chi Kin, the head of the IC’s department of cultural events, said that they  will strive to further diversify the festival, incorporating different music genres and artists.
Tickets go on sale on August 23 at 10 a.m. on the Macau Ticketing Network. Telephone and online bookings will also be made available on that day as of 12 p.m.