Invited by the respective organization, the Macao Orchestra (OM) of the Cultural Affairs Bureau travelled to Shanghai between 20 and 25 October to perform at the 20th China Shanghai International Arts Festival. Under the guidance of its Music Director and Principal Conductor, Lu Jia, OM took to the stage of the Shanghai Symphony Hall together with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra to interpret Bruckner’s Symphony No.8 in C minor. Thanks to an excellent performance, the Orchestra earned the praise and applause of the public.
OM took part in the China Shanghai International Arts Festival for the first time in 2013, taking part this year once again with Bruckner’s Symphony No.8 in C minor under the guidance of OM’s Music Director and Principal Conductor, Lu Jia. Considering Austrian composer Anton Bruckner’s works are rarely presented in Asia, OM offered the Shanghai audience a rare chance to attend to a performance of the composer’s longest work, the Symphony No.8 in C minor. The concert took place on 24 October and earned enthusiastic praise and applause from the local audience, who thereby acknowledged OM’s professionalism and technique. The same work had already been co-performed by OM and the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra on 5 October of this year at the 32nd Macao International Music Festival. Following this initial cooperation, musicians from both ensembles had another opportunity to deepen their connection and improve their technique.
The China Shanghai International Arts Festival is hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and co-organized by the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, being the only comprehensive arts festival in China at a national level. The concert has special meaning as it successfully revealed to the Shanghai audience the achievements of Macao’s culture and music while deepening the cooperation and cultural development between the two cities, thereby effectively promoting exchanges between the two. In the future, OM will continue to take on the role of “cultural ambassador” and actively promote Macao’s culture abroad through music.
