The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) announced in a press conference on Friday the programme of its month-long “37th Macao International Music Festival” (MIMF), which will be held from October 3 to November 8.
Among other events, it will feature “The Yellow River” on November 7 in commemoration of Macau-born composer Xian Xinghai’s 120th anniversary of his birth.
The press conference was held at the Londoner Macao in Cotai.
IC President Deland Leong Wai Man said in her speech that, with this year’s theme of “Voice Waves” (聲•海), the festival features 12 programmes presented by world-renowned artists and talents, as well as 14 activities embracing innovation, offering a musical festival that aims to transcend Eastern and Western civilisations.
The festival’s Chinese name is pronounced “Sing Hai” – Xian Xinghai’s Cantonese name.
Leong pointed out that this year marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Xian Xinghai, “the son of Macau.” Xian, she said, was a music maestro from Macau who composed the most passionate music of the Chinese nation with his works such as the “Yellow River Cantata,” which inspired the morale of the Chinese people during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and made a great contribution to China’s victory over the Japanese invaders.
According to an IC statement released on the sidelines of Friday’s press conference, the bureau has scheduled two commemorative concerts, comprising the concerts “River of Legacy” by the Macao Chinese Orchestra on October 18 and “The Yellow River” by the Macao Orchestra on November 7, both composed by Xian, in collaboration with local pianist Cheong Hoi Leong. The statement said that the concerts are not only a tribute to this great, local-born musician but also allow the young generation to experience the national spirit and cultural confidence embedded in Xian’s music.
According to the statement, in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of French composer Georges Bizet’s passing, the festival will present his opera “Carmen”, a joint production by the Zurich Opera House and the Opéra-Comique in Paris. The performance will be the festival’s opening performance in collaboration with the Macau Orchestra and the Macau Choir, the statement said.
The statement also said that tickets for the music festival are on sale through the Enjoy Macao Ticketing network from September 13 – ticketing.enjoymacao.mo
The Post published an editorial about Xian Xinghai on September 1, headlined ‘The Composer’ – honouring Macau’s most famous son and marking the nation’s WWII victory https://www.macaupostdaily.com/news/25860
Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Deland Leong Wai Man delivers a speech during Friday’s press conference about Macau’s upcoming international music-fest, at the Londoner Macao in Cotai. – Photo: Armindo Neves
