Dance "Along the River During the Qingming Festival"

In the Forbidden City in downtown Beijing, there is a famous painting called 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival'. It depicts in great detail the economy, culture, and customs of the Northern Song Dynasty dating back almost one thousand years. For the upcoming arts festival, the painting has been choreographed into a folk dance by a group of veteran Hong Kong artists. Liang Guocheng, the director of the performance, said that the dance displays the prosperity of the ancient capital with a modern interpretation.

"Some folk dances from the Song dynasty have been preserved to this day, and we have incorporated many factors from them into our show. By dividing the painting into different scenes, we designed a total of 18 parts of dances to dynamically show various aspects of Chinese life. Audience will see detailed portrayals such as 'willow leaves moving with the wind' and 'going to market with donkeys in spring's suburb'."

Concert performed by the Macao Chinese Orchestra

Focusing on Chinese characteristics is a key element of this festival. And a concert performed by the Macao Chinese Orchestra will be another highlight this year. The conductor of the orchestra Peng Jiapeng introduced their forthcoming performance.

"Macao is a city with abundant historical and cultural treasures, and Chinese music is one of the best ways to show the city's real face. Based on its colonial and religious background as well as the mix of different cultures in Macao, our music embraces diversified characteristics, such as traditional Chinese music and Portuguese music. Moreover, the show includes some elements of life in Macao. For example, the audience may hear hucksters in the markets of small fishing villages from decades past."

Visual arts exhibition

Besides the three stage performances, there will be a visual arts exhibition as part of the festival. Items on display include paintings, photographs, sculptures and videos with unique Hong Kong and Macao flavors. From the work of local artists, visitors can enjoy a glimpse of the local life and culture in the two regions far from Beijing.

Editor: Dong Jirong