Featured image above: Trombone player and conductor, Christian Lindberg | A Night with the World’s Top Trombonist
The Macao Orchestra’s 2021-22 Concert Season is themed Inheritance of German and Austrian Classics, and invites numerous internationally acclaimed musicians and art groups to present masterpieces of classical music, allowing audiences to appreciate the wisdom of the great masters and to pass on the beauty of music through a vast array of exciting works.
Due to the impact of the pandemic, the concert “Verdi Operas Gala”, originally scheduled for last year, will be staged on the new concert season’s finale, in which Italian renowned soprano Maria Agresta and tenor Marco Berti will perform a repertoire of melodious opera arias.
In addition, a number of internationally renowned artists were invited for the new Concert Season, offering the audience a variety of captivating performances. Song Yuanming, an internationally acclaimed soprano well-known for her mellow and delicate voice, will join hands with one of the most influential Chinese conductors, Zhang Jiemin, in the “Starry Vienna – New Year Concert”; conductor Lin Daye, winner of the 6th Sir Georg Solti International Conducting Competition, will join hands with the Macao Orchestra to present three introductory selections of classical music in the concert The Power of Music; young pianist Zhang Haochen, winner of the gold medal at the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, will perform in Macau again, presenting Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 in the concert The Fabulous Brahms – Zhang Haochen and Macao Orchestra; Xu Zhong, the Director of the Shanghai Opera House and Principal Conductor of the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, will present classical and romantic masterpieces in the concert “Fascinated Chamber”, showcasing his flawless technique and fluid musicality.
Violinist Ning Feng
The year 2021 marks the 110th anniversary of the premiere of Austrian composer Mahler’s famous work Song of the Earth in 2021, the Macao Orchestra will team up with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of the Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Macao Orchestra, Lu Jia, in collaboration with outstanding Chinese alto Liu Siman and tenor Xue Haoyin, to present a magnificent production. The work Song of the Earth, based on the poetry collection The Chinese Flute translated by German poet Hans Bethge, has an inexplicable connection to Chinese poems during the Tang dynasty.
Macao Orchestra and its special art partner, MGM, are jointly presenting the famous work The Planets by British composer Gustav Holst in the early 20th century, under the baton of the Assistant Conductor of the Macao Orchestra, Francis Kan. In order to enhance the presentation, the concert will combine the world’s largest permanent indoor LED screen at the MGM Theatre with special lighting effects, allowing the audience to relive the vastness of the great universe as if in the solar system.
In order to promote classical music to the public, the new Concert Season features three concerts When Music Speaks, in which the Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Macao Orchestra, Lu Jia, will share the musical pieces and tell the stories behind the music. The Fun Music series of the new concert season continues to inject creativity into classical music in order to attract the younger generation, develop their interest in classical music and enhance their appreciation abilities. Conductor Jason Lai will present 11 dance pieces from different countries in the amusing and creative concert “Dancing to Music”, transforming the symphony orchestra into a versatile dancer; the Children’s Day Concert: Conductor’s Spellbook is a musical performance that combines fun, storytelling, and education, offering an exceptional musical experience to the children.
When: September 5–July 30, 2022
Where: Macao Cultural Centre, Avenida Xian Xing Hai s/n, NAPE, Macau, and Dom Pedro V Theatre, Largo de Santo Agostinho, Macau
How much: Commemorating the 110th Anniversary of the premiere of Mahler’s work: The Song of the Earth – Macao Orchestra and Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Christmas concert – Winter Fantasia and Starry Vienna – New Year Concert – MOP $100–400 (each concert per person)
For more information, call +853 2853 0782, send an email to [email protected], or check the Macao Orchestra’s official page
