The 33rd Macao International Music Festival (MIMF), organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, is held from October 4 to 30, 2019. This edition of the MIMF, themed ‘The Instrumentalist’, gathers internationally acclaimed musicians and orchestras from around the world and offers 17 programmes in a total of 22 excellent performances, bringing a musical feast of grandeur, bounding spirit and rhythmic melodies and sharing the beauty of music with the general public.
This edition of the MIMF kicks off with the opera in two acts, The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The opera, filled with creativity beyond imagination, makes a breakthrough in traditional operatic presentation, leading the audience to a magical and fantastic world. Produced by the Komische Oper Berlin and British theater group “1927”, this innovative opera production blends 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 Macau’s Handover to China, and in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the premiere of the The Yellow River Cantata by Xian Xinghai, the Macao Orchestra will join hands with the China NCPA Orchestra and Chorus to present this signature piece with majestic momentum and tenacity as a wonderful closing tribute.
For the concert, Billy Childs Quartet, the ensemble director and multi-Grammy Award winner Billy Childs will present a mesmerizing night of jazz. The Dorian Wind Quintet from the United States, renowned for its exquisite and passionate performances, will present a magnificent repertoire of musical pieces and will join hands with jazz pianist Billy Childs to present the world premiere of his highly anticipated piece, Ecosystems. Trio Mediaeval from Norway will present Aquilonis and Folk Songs, allowing music aficionados to indulge in the world of vocal music; for Pontos nos Is, prominent Portuguese ensemble “Os Quatro e Meia” will present the most beautiful Portuguese songs, combining pop-rock and Fado music; female African Kora virtuoso Sona Jobarteh will stage various traditional African tunes in the concert Manding Griot; world-acclaimed Vienna Philharmonic will return to Macau to perform Dvořák’s Symphony of the New World and the virtuosic Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with celebrated Chinese pianist Yuja Wang; all of which are not to be missed.
Österreich, Wien, Wiener Philharmoniker, MusikvereinBulgarian 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 join hands with the Sejong Soloists to present Mendelssohn’s Double Concerto in D Minor in the concert Encounter Four Seasons. Macau’s violin prodigy, Sophia Su, will team up with the Sejong Soloists to present Haydn’s Violin Concerto No. 1, in the concert Serenade of Strings. The Macao Chinese Orchestra 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 the national intangible cultural heritage “Jiangnan Sizhu’ for three consecutive nights at the Mandarin’s House, one of Macau’s World Heritage sites, showcasing the essence of Jiangnan music. American multi-instrumentalist Peter Broderick will unfold his extraordinary musical skills at the Taipa Houses Amphitheatre; the concert Bravo Macau! invites two young local music stars, Choi Hio Lam (guzheng and erhu) and Fang Teng (erhu) to showcase their outstanding musical talent. Tickets for the 33rd MIMF are available at the Macau Ticketing Network from August 4, 10:00am.
When: October 4–30, 2019
Where: Mandarin’s House, Small and Grand Auditorium of the Macao Cultural Centre, Dom Pedro V Theatre and Macau University
How much: MOP $150–700
For more information and ticketing, check here
