Cover ‘Masks’ in ‘Macau 2049’ (Photo: courtesy of MGM)
‘Masks’ in ‘Macau 2049’ (Photo: courtesy of MGM)
1 / 1
Zhang Yimou, a celebrated Chinese filmmaker known for directing the Beijing Olympics’ opening ceremony, is back with an ambitious show in Macau that explores the past and future of human experiences
As if blessed by his name “Yi” (art) and “Mou” (strategies) in Chinese, China’s leading filmmaker Zhang Yimou is never short of ideas for his stories and craft. At 74, after an already prolific career of creating some of Asia’s most influential arthouse films and blockbusters—think the socially critical Raise the Red Lantern (1991) or the commercially successful House of Flying Daggers (2004)—and then directing the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Winter Games in 2022, Zhang is back with a new, ambitious theatre show.
Running from December 15 at MGM Theatre, Macau 2049 is his first residency theatre production in the Greater Bay Area. It brings state-of-the-art technology and the traditional Chinese arts to the same stage. Created in collaboration with 20 international art groups, the show comprises eight scenes; each one pairs a type of intangible cultural heritage arts with art tech to tell different social messages.
Don’t miss: ‘Papa’ star Sean Lau and director Philip Yung explore human emotions in a film based on true crime
Above From left: Zhang Yimou and Pansy Ho (Photo: courtesy of MGM)
From left: Zhang Yimou and Pansy Ho (Photo: courtesy of MGM)
1 / 1
For instance, in Yi Song · Ocean, flying whale and turtle balloons whose movements are supported by bionic technology are paired with the celebratory music of the Yi people in Yunnan and acrobatic dancers from Europe to portray the harmonious co-existence between humans and the ocean. In Yangge · Robots, dancers of Yangge, a type of northern Chinese folk dance characterised by lively dancing, are interrupted by humanoids who imitate human movements; in The Crossroads Inn · Masks, a Song dynasty folklore about deception is reinterpreted by dancers whose faces are covered by iPads to signify the masking of our identities in the digital age.
‘Khoomei · Ethereal’ (Photo: courtesy of MGM)
1 / 3
Meanwhile, in Khoomei · Ethereal, the evocative vocals of Khoomei singers—who perform throat-singing, a style of singing that originated in Mongolia, and is today practised in China’s Inner Mongolia—are paired with a brightly coloured fabric moving in flame-like motion to create a powerful multisensorial experience. In another set, the songs of the Miao people in Guizhou are transformed into an upbeat pop performance, complete with kaleidoscopic lights and kinetic mirrors. Together, the show explores the human experiences and our relationship with technology and nature from the past to the future.
“If we view the progression of civilisation through a linear lens, one end represents the 5,000 years of ancient civilisation, while the other signifies a future driven by rapid technological advancement. [Standing] at this moment, we find [ourselves at] a time that bridges the past and the future,” Zhang says in a press statement. “Macau 2049 brings together the two ends of time and space at this moment, converging the horizons of the east and the west in this place.”
‘Lion Dance · Radiance’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
1 / 3
Perhaps understandably, summarising the vast history of humanity and predicting its future within 80 minutes is a daunting challenge and some of the scenes can feel a bit overwhelming and repetitive, and its “lessons” about humanity rather didactic.
But Macau 2049 has plenty of merit too: most importantly, it demonstrates one of the things that Zhang does best, which is injecting new life and innovation into traditional arts that would otherwise be forgotten. And for that alone, Macau 2049 distinguishes itself from just another spectacular hotel show.
Topics
Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
