• The Magic Flute opens the 33rd Macao International Music Festival with grand panache (Photo courtesy of Iko Freese drama-berlin.de)
  • The world renowned Vienna Philharmonic returns to Macao to perform Dvořák’s stirring Symphony of the New World (Photo courtesy of Lois Lammerhuber)

33rd Macao International Music Festival Returns in November

LISTEN STOP Your browser does not support this feature

The 33rd Macao International Music Festival (MIMF), organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), will be held from 4th to 30th October. This edition of MIMF - themed ‘The Instrumentalist’ - assembles internationally acclaimed musicians and orchestras from around the world in 17 programmes for a total of 22 performances, presenting a musical feast.

Mozart’s The Magic Flute opens Festival

This edition of the MIMF starts with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s acclaimed two-act opera The Magic Flute. A creative breakthrough in traditional operatic presentation, this work is produced by the Komische Opera Berlin and British theatre group 1927 in an innovative blend of film animation and live singing.

In celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 20th Anniversary of the Macao Special Administrative Region, and in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the premiere of the The Yellow River Cantata by Xian Xinghai, Macao Orchestra will join hands with the China NCPA Orchestra and Chorus to present this signature piece with majestic momentum and tenacity in a closing tribute.

World-renowned maestros gather in Macao

In the concert Billy Childs Quartet, ensemble director and multi-Grammy Award winner Billy Childs will present a mesmerising night of jazz. The Dorian Wind Quintet from the United States, renowned for its exquisite and passionate performances, will present a repertoire of musical pieces with jazz pianist Billy Childs to present the world premiere of his highly anticipated Ecosystems. Meanwhile, Trio Mediaeval from Norway will present the concerts Aquilonis and Folk Songs, allowing aficionados to indulge in a veritable vocal musicfest.

In Pontos nos Is, prominent Portuguese ensemble Os Quatro e Meia present the most beautiful Portuguese songs, combining pop-rock and Fado; female African kora virtuoso Sona Jobarteh will stage various traditional African tunes in the concert Manding Griot; the world-acclaimed Vienna Philharmonic return to Macao to perform Dvořák’s Symphony of the New World, while Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 will be performed by celebrated Chinese pianist Yuja Wang.

Musical dialogue blend East and West

Bulgarian violinist Svetlin Roussev and Korean pianist Yeol Eum Son will present the electrifying concert A Musical Affair at Dom Pedro V Theatre; the two musicians will also perform with Sejong Soloists to present Mendelssohn’s Double Concerto in D Minor in the concert Encounter Four Seasons. Macao’s violin prodigy, Sophia Su, will also team up with Sejong Soloists to present Haydn’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in the concert Serenade of Strings. Macao Chinese Orchestra has invited various eminent musicians to present a repertoire of Chinese and Western classics in the concert When the East Meets the West in Music, including the aria Nessun Dorma from the famous Italian opera Turandot.

The Shanghai Traditional Music Society will present several masterpieces featuring national intangible cultural heritage Jiangnan Sizhu for three consecutive nights at the Mandarin’s House, a World Heritage site, showcasing the essence of Jiangnan music. American multi-instrumentalist Peter Broderick will reveal his extraordinary musical skills in the Taipa Houses Amphitheatre; while the concert Bravo Macao! invites local young music stars Choi Hio Lam (guzheng and erhu) and Fang Teng (erhu) to showcase their talent.

Outreach programme for music aficionados

The 33rd MIMF Outreach Programme features a total of 14 activities in eight categories, including talks, pre-show talks, post-show talks, meet-the-artists, master classes, workshops, community activities and school sessions introducing the ineffable charms of music to the public. Bulgarian violinist Svetlin Roussev and Sun Yingdi, the first Chinese pianist to have ever won First Prize at the prestigious International Franz Liszt Piano Competition, are invited to conduct master classes in this edition of MIMF, personally steering local violin and piano students in the improvement of their skills.

In the Meet-the-Artist session, multi-Grammy award winning jazz musician Billy Childs will share the music writing experiences and skills he has developed over his long career. In Finger Family - Musical Instruments DIY Workshop for Families, parents and children will have the opportunity to make their own musical instruments - such as African and South American cajons, rainsticks and kalimbas - and play them together in an ensemble.

A number of talks will also be held for participants to explore various music genres. Halen Woo, a specialist in African and Cuban folk music in Hong Kong, will introduce African music and demonstrate a variety of African instruments, sharing the unique timbre and charm of Western African music with like-minded aficionados.

Hong Kong-Macao electronic music band Ghostly Park will explore different kinds of electronic music, while leading veteran art critic Chow Fan Fu will use his original ‘6S’ approach to guide participants through the world of the grand opera The Magic Flute.

Tickets for MIMF programmes are on sale now, with all outreach activities currently accepting applications. For more information about MIMF, please visit: www.icm.gov.mo/fimm.