Apr 9, 2024 4:33am PT
Zhang Yimou Sets Theater Residency in Macau, Plans ‘MGM 2049’ Stage Spectacular
By Patrick Frater
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MGM China Holdings
Leading Chinese film director Zhang Yimou has been announced as chief director of “MGM 2049,” pitched as “an unprecedented residency show” in Macau.
Zhang, who is known for films including “Raise the Red Lantern,” “Hero” and “Full River Red,” is also established as one of the world’s foremost directors of spectacular, large-scale stage productions. His credits include the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games and the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, “The First Emperor,” with Tan Dun at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and an equestrian-themed outdoor show held 3,000 meters above seas level in China’s Yunnan Province.
The show will be hosted at the MGM Grand hotel and theatre complex and kick off in December. It aims to “[use] originality and technology to re-interpret traditional Chinese culture from a contemporary perspective.”
Working with Zhang will be Wu Tong, music director and crossover musician; Sang Jijia, dance director and resident choreographer of the City Contemporary Dance Company in Hong Kong; Dominic Faraway, visual director; and Bernard Prentice, underwater cinematographer.
The show’s title is a reference to Macau’s handover by former colonial power Portugal, which occurred in 1999, and to 2049 which will mark the end of Macau’s status as a ‘Special Administrative Region’ and its full integration into the People’s Republic of China.
The show “serves not only as a grand tribute to the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC and the 25th anniversary of Macau’s return to the Motherland, but also as a catalyst to propel the city’s cultural and entertainment sectors towards new heights,” said an MGM spokesperson. “The objectives of ‘MGM 2049’ are to tap into youth power to further foster the development of Macau as the ‘City of Performing Arts,’ establishing an epitome of cultural tourism within the Greater Bay Area [Hong Kong, Macau and the southern cities of China], and promoting Chinese culture to the world.”
“We have picked Macau as the base for this creative residency show, as we hope to leverage the international tourism platform of Macau to deepen the global reach of Chinese culture. MGM 2049 will be a fusion of international perspectives, Eastern artistic ingenuity, and futuristic design elements. The show will harness technology and innovation, to bolster Chinese cultural confidence and captivate global audiences with China’s cultural prowess,” said Zhang.
Macau is no stranger to huge-scale stage spectaculars. Its various casino resorts have previously hosted “The House of Dancing Water” and “Zaia,” a 90-minute Cirque du Soleil show.
Zhang has been honored with lifetime achievement awards at last year’s Tokyo International Film Festival and last month’s Asian Film Awards. He will be the guest of honor at the Far East Film Festival in Italy’s Udine at the end of the month.
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MGM China Holdings
