According to a statement by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) on Wednesday, the 37th Macao International Music Festival (MIMF) concluded on November 8, bringing 14 sessions of 12 programmes and 19 outreach activities to audiences under the theme “Vocal Waves.”
Held throughout the month, this year’s festival gathered over 650 performers and continued to position Macau as a “City of Performing Arts,” the statement said.
The statement noted that Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Macao Orchestra (OM) Lio Kuok Man once again worked with the bureau to curate performances that paired visual and auditory aspects, featuring both international and local musicians.
The statement added that two commemorative concerts marked major anniversaries: “River of Legacy” by the Macao Chinese Orchestra for the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and “The Yellow River” by the Macao Orchestra with pianist Cheong Hoi Leong for the 120th Anniversary of Macau-born patriotic composer Xian Xinghai’s birth.
Additionally, the programme also included French composer George Bizet’s “Carmen” co-presented with SJM, as well as performances by Russian pianist and conductor Mikhail Pletnev with the Rachmaninoff International Orchestra presented by Melco Resorts & Entertainment (Melco), Portuguese fado singer Cuca Roseta with the Macao Chinese Orchestra, and South African violinist Daniel Hope with Switzerland’s Gstaad Festival Orchestra, the statement said.
The outreach component continued to expand, with talks, workshops, community events and screenings drawing nearly 8,000 participants, the statement said, adding that two charity sessions for higher-education students offered additional access to performances.
Meanwhile, the statement highlighted that the online promotion across new media and platforms reached over 8.1 million people, and the festival received support from Macau’s integrated resort operators, media partners and financial institutions.
The bureau noted that it would continue strengthening the festival’s international exchange platform, attracting performances while aiming to support local music development to further reinforce Macau’s cultural positioning within the Greater Bay Area (GBA).
This undated handout photo provided by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) on Wednesday shows the presentation of “Carmen – Opera in Four Acts by Georges Bizet” at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) in Nape during the 37th Macao International Music Festival (MIMF) which concluded on November 8.
