Grand Opening performance Lotus on the Silk Roak unveils the 36th Macao Arts Festival Ethnic dance showcases promote solidarity and friendship among nations

MACAU, May 8 - Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), the 36^th Macao Arts Festival under the theme “New Streams of Inspiration”, was inaugurated today (on 8 May), at the Macao Cultural Centre. This year’s edition features the Grand Opening Lotus on the Silk Road – Traditions in Motion, which brings to the stage a profound echo of the multicultural dialogue between the Silk Roads. The opening ceremony was officiated by the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Leong Wai Man; the Deputy Director of the Department of Publicity, Cultural and Sport Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Bai Bing; the Counsellor and Director of the Department of Information and Public Diplomacy of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Gao Yuan; the Chairman of the Executive Committee of TDM – Teledifusão de Macau, S.A., Lo Song Man; the Director of Corporate Communications of MGM, Serena Chin.

In response to the “2026 China-Kazakhstan Year of Cultural Exchange”, this edition of the Festival has specially invited the BIRLIK Song and Dance Ensemble from Kazakhstan to present the opening performance Lotus on the Silk Road – Traditions in Motion, showcasing the cultural charm of the Silk Road in Central Asia with rich ethnic characteristics and dazzling dance. Local dance troupes – Indian Cultural and Health Association of Macau, Macau Space for Dance Idea and Macau Ieng Chi Dance Association – also join on stage for a cross-cultural exchange, collectively conveying messages of peace, unity and friendship. Another renowned Kazakh group, the Jolda Dance Theatre will present Double Bill, comprising the pieces Tamyr and Timeless, in which dancers will offer a feast that transcends regions, space and time.

This year’s festival is filled with compelling events, including The Starry Night – The Musical, produced by Hong Kong’s leading musical theatre company Actors’ Family. Starring singer Hubert Wu and other talented actors, the musical incorporates the intangible cultural heritage of Cantonese Opera and ceramic art, showing the warmth and bonds between people in music. The performance 1014 – Nanyin x Jazz, directed by multi-awarded Hong Kong theatre master Tang Shu-wing, featuring Hong Kong veteran Cantonese opera performer Yuen Siu-fai and singer Ashley Lin, is a collaborative production between Mainland China and Hong Kong, showcasing the contrast between Eastern and Western cultures. Meanwhile, the monologue Between the Lines, by acclaimed Portuguese director Tiago Rodrigues, is presented at the Mirror Hall of the Dom Pedro V Theatre, delving into a family letter hidden between the lines of the script of Oedipus Rex.

Tickets for the Festival programmes, including The Starry Nigh – The Musical, 1014 - Nanyin x Jazz, the monologue Between the Lines, the dance performance Double Bill, Divine Comedy, the classic ballet Swan Lake, and the play Her Dynasty, will go on sale simultaneously through the Enjoy Macao Ticketing outlets, telephone and online booking from 10:00am on 9 May (Saturday). Tickets for all other performances are already available through the same channels, with various discounts offered.

For more information about the programmes, outreach activities, ticket purchase, other discounts and the Enjoy Macao Ticketing outlets, please visit the 36^th MAF’s website (www.icm.gov.mo/fam), follow the respective page on Facebook (search “Macao Arts Festival”), or subscribe to IC’s official WeChat account (IC_Art_Macao). 24-hour ticketing hotline: 2840 0555 (Macao). Online ticket reservation is available at ticketing.enjoymacao.mo.