The 2026 “Macau Live International” (澳門國際演出季) performing arts season was officially launched yesterday at Hengqin Cultural Art Centre, marking the start of a six-month event that features 13 original productions staged in collaboration with 13 local Macau performing arts troupes.
The launch was hosted by Beijing Fun Age Entertainment Co., Ltd. (known as Mahua FunAge or Kaixin Mahua). According to a statement released during the event, the 13 original productions span a diverse range of genres, including traditional plays, children’s theatre, musicals, and dance theatre. Organisers aim to establish the event as the first regular, ongoing original performing arts season in the Greater Bay Area (GBA).
Fong Fong Tan, director of the Livelihood Affairs Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, highlighted in her opening speech that the lineup brings together creative works from senior, mid-career, and younger generations of Macau artistes. Notably, many of these pieces are being staged in the Chinese mainland for the first time.
Fong also announced the development of Hengqin’s first original interactive comedy, The New Tale of the Peach Blossom Spring. The show aims to explore innovative ways to transform local culture by drawing on the shared cultural memory of Macau and Hengqin.
Cheng Le’er, assistant president and CFO of Mahua FunAge, emphasised that the event is designed to be more than just a series of performances. Instead, it aims to serve as a long-term platform integrating artistic creation, cultural exchange, incubation, and professional growth.
Cheng noted that seven of the 13 productions will stage their mainland premieres during the season. Among them, PO Art Studio’s Cantonese play, The Last Day on Shouyang Mountain – which was previously shortlisted for the youth competition finals at the Wuzhen Theatre Festival – will celebrate its world premiere on November 28. The six-month season will also host international masterclasses and a dedicated young talent development programme.
The statement highlighted several other unique production styles feature in the lineup. For instance, Theatre Farmers will present a brand-new production that breaks traditional performance boundaries by allowing audience interactions to dictate the story’s direction. Meanwhile, a piece by Teatro Experimental de Jacques will feature a unique setup where the performers control the stage lighting and sound effects themselves.
Ivan Au Chi Hang, president of the Big Mouse Kids Drama Group, told reporters that his troupe hopes to leverage this opportunity to push children’s theatre from Macau and Hengqin out into the wider GBA. Looking ahead, Au noted that the group plans to recruit mainland children to participate directly in the group’s creative process.
The “Macau Live International” event will run until December, offering audiences across the Greater Bay Area a comprehensive panorama of Macau’s original stage talent, the statement said.
Mahua FunAge Assistant President-cum-CFO Cheng Le’er speaks to reporters at the Hengqin Cultural Art Centre yesterday.
Big Mouse Kids Drama Group President Ivan Au Chi Hang speaks to reporters at the Hengqin Cultural Art Centre yesterday. – Photos: Armindo Neves
