Arts Festival moving forward despite Covid-19 fears
The 32nd Macau Arts Festival (MAF) is moving ahead, opening April 29, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) announced yesterday in a press conference at the Macao Cultural Centre.
The event, which has been suffering from Covid-19-related interruptions and readjustments since 2020, aims this year to appeal more to local audiences, the president of IC, Deland Leong told the media on the sidelines of the event announcement.
“We hope this year we can attract the greatest possible number of local attendees, including students and underprivileged people. Our goal is to attract higher participation [from locals] and make use of more diverse places as venues and not only theatres. We want to make better use also of outdoor spaces to allow people to interact more [with the event],” Leong said.
The official explained that the large increase in the number of activities, specifically the addition of events comprising the MAF outreach program is responsible for the events budget increase from last year.
According to the figures cited, this year MAF has a total budget of 24 million patacas, 14% more than in 2021 when the total budget was 21 million patacas.
“We have a much larger program than in 2021 and this is why the budget is higher this year. We moved from 18 to 27 activities or events on the program and from 44 to over 100 on the extended and outreach program,” Leong added.
Tickets for the MAF go on sale from 10 a.m. on April 3 through the Macau Ticketing Network.
Questioned by the media on which pandemic restrictions would apply, Leong explained that the two major restraints upon the MAF are the need to restrict the sale of tickets for indoor theatres to just 50% of capacity and the prohibition on live performances from international groups.
The same official also said that contingency plans have been prepared in case a new outbreak of Covid-19 prompts further restrictions. If no major developments occur, the MAF is expected to run until June 2.
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic situation, which is considered unstable, the IC claims that moving ahead with the event is the right choice despite several restrictions limiting the program, including the ban on foreign artists performing live.
To tackle this issue, at least in part, the IC opted to include a series of pre-recorded international performances in this year’s program to be screened during the event.
According to the organizers, this year the festival will feature several performances involving local artists exclusively or including the participation of local artists and performers in productions from the mainland and Hong Kong.
Of these, the highlight is “Carlos I” by Step Out, a performance with no actors, featuring only lighting, sound, and space installations which aims to recall historical events. Another highlight is “The Vanished Figures” led by Jenny Mok, director of the Comuna de Pedra, a performance that explores the topic of female labor roles in today’s society.
The dance-theatre piece, “Vaster Far than the Ocean,” features local dancer Stella Ho in a joint production by Hong Kong dancer, Mui Cheuk Yin, and Guangzhou choreographer, ErGao. The act combines dance and traditional bamboo scaffolding and explores the possibilities of dancers’ bodies interacting with the bamboo scaffolding installation.
The big stage will also include intangible cultural heritage, with performances of Traditional Chinese opera and Patuá theatre. These include the new Shanghai-style Peking opera “New Dragon Inn,” as well as “The Phantom of Liaozhai,” a recreation by local Cantonese opera veteran Chu Chan Wa bringing together elite and rising local Cantonese opera artists.
As usual, the Patuá theatre performance will be put on by the local “Dóci Papiaçám di Macau Drama Group.” The group continues to explore the life of the city through “Love Cruise,” a story of a luxury cruise from Hainan to Macau, which highlights, in a humorous treatment, Macau as a city of multiple cultures.
Orchestras transfer going smoothly
The transfer of administration from the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) to a management company for the Macao Orchestra and the Macao Chinese Orchestra is ongoing and has been a smooth process, the president of IC, Deland Leong told the media at the launching of the Macau Arts Festival.
According to the official, the two orchestras have been operating well and without any problems.
Leong also said that concerts from the two orchestras have been planned and scheduled and she hopes that the programmed concerts take place without disruptions.
Questioned on the topic of the current number of musicians, Leong also said that the orchestras are functioning with the same number of musicians and there are no places to fill or need to reduce the numbers.
“If eventually there is a need [in the future] for more musicians, we will invite some to perform with the orchestras temporarily,” she stated.
