Macao Arts Festival to showcase 15 programs, 33 activities

The 35th Macao Arts Festival will take place from April 25 to May 31.

Featuring 15 programs and 33 outreach activities, this year’s theme, “Growth,” emphasizes fostering connections between audiences and artists through diverse artistic expressions.

Leong Wai Man, director of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, highlighted the festival’s role in enhancing Macau’s reputation as the “City of Performing Arts.”

With a budget of approximately MOP23.4 million, nearly half of the programs will spotlight local art groups, including Macanese dramas.

At a press conference at MGM Cotai, Leong announced that this year’s festival aligns with the East Asian Cultural Capital initiative.

The lineup will showcase selections from Japanese and Korean musicals, traditional drum performances, and Cantonese opera, promoting cultural exchanges among China, Japan, and South Korea.
In addition to performances, the festival will offer 33 outreach activities, including meet-the-artist sessions, backstage tours, pre-show talks, and workshops. Notable events include a pre-show talk for Life of Pi, hosted by resident director Gabriella Bird, who will discuss the adaptation of the novel into a theatrical experience.

Geoff Sobelle, creator of the show Food, will lead a session titled “Meet-the Artist,” exploring the themes behind his absurdist works.

Acclaimed Chinese playwright He Jiping will also share insights into her drama Deling and Cixi.

The festival promises a rich blend of creativity, featuring popular productions from London’s West End and Broadway, as well as innovative performances like immersive food interactive theater and light art installations.

The “Selected Screenings of International Stage Performances” will present acclaimed productions on the silver screen in Macau, including two plays by the UK’s National Theatre Live: The Motive and the Cue, directed by Sam Mendes, and All About Eve, starring Gillian Anderson. Additional highlights include the Tokyo Ballet’s The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter and the musical Along with the Gods: The Afterworld by the Seoul Performing Arts Troupe.

Furthermore, the Macau Chinese Orchestra will collaborate with Cantonese opera artists from the Greater Bay Area to perform classic works, showcasing the evolution of Chinese culture. Leong also addressed concerns regarding performance content ratings, ensuring that all public performances will be evaluated for age-appropriate categorization.

Workshops such as the “Theatre Movement Workshop” will demonstrate how to create dramatic body movements, while the “Behind the Scenes of Food” session will provide insights into the production process. Other workshops will include the “Drum on the Beat Workshop,” led by TAGO members, and the “Cave of Sounds Workshop,” which will engage participants in music dialogues.

This year’s Outreach Programme will feature pre-show talks, workshops, and meet-the-artist sessions, all open to the public with free admission. Victoria Chan