A Majestic Ode to Jubilee Celebrations of the Nation and Macau
Drum up Macau’s Position as “City of Performing Arts”
[January 3, 2024, Macau] The symphonic masterpiece Buddha Passion – jointly presented by MGM and world-renowned musician Tan Dun at the MGM Theater during the fresh start of 2024 (January 1-2) – brought down the curtain with resounding success. This new year’s cultural mega event not only serves as a grand tribute to the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the Motherland, but also an unprecedented artistic breakthrough by MGM and Tan Dun. Empowered by the vast spectacle of the MGM Theater’s 28 million pixels LED screen, the epic Buddha Passion, composed and scripted by Tan Dun, has achieved its first-ever immersive fusion of music and technology to present the grandeur of Dunhuang’s mural stories of reclining Buddha’s Nirvana, Flying Apsara Dance, Deer of Nine Colors, and more, through digitalization.
The 2-day shows are Buddha Passion’s maiden appearance in Macau, in which Tan Dun took the lead on stage as conductor to enliven Dunhuang ancient dances and instruments to pay homage to Chinese intangible cultural heritages. The performance is a musical extravaganza that seamlessly blends the East and West, the ancient and modern, and dance and music, intended to deliver the ancient sounds of Dunhuang, the heart of the ancient Silk Road, to Macau’s residents and visitors, further illuminating Macau as the “City of Performing Arts”.
Tan Dun, Composer and Conductor of Buddha Passion said, “Macau is a key stop of Buddha Passion. This performance symbolizes a perfect harmony of both maritime and overland Silk Road, intertwining the sounds of Dunhuang with the diverse cultural backdrop of Macau to the extent that audiences can fully immerse in the intangible cultures of the Silk Road. This time, we are invited by MGM to jointly push the boundaries of music and technology, and achieve innovative means in promoting and preserving Dunhuang culture to honor Chinese traditions. Under the thriving cultural tourism scene of Macau, our performances drew in many international tourists, allowing us to form a strengthened bridge to connect the world and send peaceful messages through our music.”
Pansy Ho, Chairperson & Executive Director of MGM China Holdings Limited, said, “As Macau enters the second year of new development, MGM is delighted to partner with Tan Dun in presenting this much-anticipated cultural event, marking a spectacular beginning for Macau. As the new year rolls in, MGM is doubling down on innovations in cultural tourism to further promote Chinese intangible cultures. This cross-disciplinary collaboration with Tan Dun is a testament to our commitment. The show is distinctive in its originality and world-class standard, in which MGM and Tan Dun combined our ingenuity and leveraged the advanced technology of the MGM Theater to create a one-of-its-kind symphonic ode to Silk Road cultures shared by Macau and Dunhuang. The show’s ingenuity further showcases Macau’s leading role as the ‘City of Performing Arts’.”
This time marks Buddha Passion’s stage debut in Macau. The show is comprised of an extraordinary musical lineup, including Tan Dun, the conductor, also known as one of the “Top 10 Important Musicians on the World’s Music Scene”, as well as various Dunhuang ancient instrument performers and international vocalists such as Bass-Baritone Yang Yi, Mezzo-Soprano Liu Niru, Tenor Henry Ngan, Soprano Candice Chung, Tibetan Indigenous Soprano Yong Jiangfan, Indigenous Throat Singer and Dunhuang Ancient Xiqin Player Hasibagen, Dunhuang Fantan Pipa and Dance Performer Chen Yining, etc.
The performance enabled a touching and thought-provoking journey for audiences to experience Dunhuang murals through auditory sense. It attracted leaders of the society to jointly celebrate the jubilee anniversaries of both the Nation and Macau, and experience the benevolent philosophies embedded in Dunhuang culture, including Ho Hau Wah, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Kou Hoi In, President of the Legislative Assembly of the Macao SAR; and Shi Lin, Member of the Standing Committee of the Jiuquan Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Secretary of CPC Dunhuang Municipal Committee, and so on. The 2-day performance gained enthusiastic cheers and applause from audiences.
Maestro Tan Dun dedicated over six years of time and paid more than ten visits to Dunhuang to create this musical masterpiece. Inspired by the Dunhuang Mogao Cave murals, the composition consists of six acts, namely “Bodhi Tree”, “Deer of Nine Colors”, “Thousand Arms and Thousand Eyes”, “Zen Garden”, “Heart Sutra” and “Nirvana”. The masterpiece is globally known for its diverse range of styles – in which multiple singers, choir and orchestra harmonize to present the stories and wisdom along the Silk Road, further enriched by indigenous throat singing, Tibetan indigenous soprano, Dunhuang music and dance, as well as multi-media elements. The show represents a harmonious fusion of Chinese and Western Opera. Besides, it narrates the oriental philosophies portrayed on Dunhuang murals in Chinese and Sanskrit, and recreates the ancient music found within. This fully embodies the all-encompassing characteristic of the Silk Road culture and manifests the magnificent vision of arts and culture.
