STEP INTO THE PAST WITH MACAU 2049, WHERE 5,000 YEARS OF CHINA’S DIVERSE CULTURE WEAVE SEAMLESSLY WITH CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY
TEXT: WARUT DUANGKAEWKART
PHOTO COURTESY OF MACAU 2049
(For Thai, press here)
Launched last month (December 15, 2567), ‘Macau 2049’ inaugurates the first-ever Artist Residency project at the MGM Theater in Macau. Leading the charge is internationally renowned Chinese director Zhang Yimou, in collaboration with producer Pansy Ho, Chairman and Executive Director of MGM China Holdings Limited. By weaving together over 5,000 years of China’s diverse cultural heritage with contemporary technology, this new production delivers a grand, immersive spectacle, marking a notable milestone for Macau’s tourism industry. It also commemorates the 25th anniversary of the city’s return to the motherland.
Central to ‘Macau 2049’ is the seamless integration of ancient Chinese civilization—an intangible cultural heritage encompassing rituals, vocal performances, dances, and folk music—with the latest technological innovations. The show is divided into eight distinct segments, each offering more than just visual splendor: beneath the razzle-dazzle lie carefully crafted details that enrich its narrative depth.
The opening act, Drumming·Shadows, highlights Hua’er-style singing, a form of folk music with roots in the Ming Dynasty that fuses vocal performance with traditional instruments. This centuries-old tradition is heightened by IRB2600 robotic arm technology, which closely mirrors the full range of human arm movement. Employing precise shadow projection onto white surfaces, a lone performer interacts with two robotic arms, creating a thought-provoking interplay of physical form, perspective, live action, and projected images. The result is a performance that playfully challenges the audience’s sensory perception, blending physical surfaces, shifting perspectives, live action, and projected shadows into a captivating display.
In Act 2, Khoomei·Ethereal, the spotlight falls on Mongolian vocal culture, where resonant, high-pitched singing and enchanting melodies evoke a vast, open landscape. The sound conjures an evocative sense of Mongolia’s sweeping grasslands, as if the listener is traversing those endless plains. Meanwhile, visual projections of imaginary creatures wandering through the seasons reinforce the region’s natural splendor—showcasing grasslands, flowers, and snow in a spectacle that perfectly captures Mongolia’s distinctive terrain. A particular highlight is the Air Fountain Installation: 16 fans, cleverly integrated into the stage setup, swaying fabric in a fluid, dance-like swirl, lending an ethereal grace to this segment of the performance.
Act 3, Miao Songs·Transcendent, shifts focus to the indigenous Miao people, whose centuries-long presence in China has woven them into the nation’s lesser-known cultural tapestry. Their unique musical and dance traditions come to life through tribal songs performed in their own language and complemented by striking costumes. Heightening the visual drama is the Kinetic Mirror technique devised by WHITEVoid, employing 108 sets of mirrors that move and interact with the stage lighting. As angles and reflections shift incessantly, beams of light seem to proliferate without end, forming ever-changing structures, completing the performance with mesmerizing energy.
Act 4, The Crossroads Inn·Masks, unfolds in two distinct parts. The first is steeped in the traditions of Peking Opera, a theatrical form dating back to the Ming Dynasty, often likened to a silent drama. Here, two characters cross paths in the darkness of an inn, their sight obscured, leading to a series of near-miss encounters and escalating tension. The interplay of movement and dim lighting invites the audience to engage with the drama not through explicit action but through suggestion and shadow. The second half shifts to the present, reflecting the modern era of digital communication and interconnected technology. Here, the performance explores the intricate web of the internet and artificial intelligence, conveyed through a striking combination of light, sound, imagery, and dance. Performers wield iPads, symbolizing the technological ‘masks’ that now mediate human perception.
Act 5, Yangge·Robots, is a clash of dance moves and playful interactions. Inspired by Yangge, a traditional Chinese folk dance known for its exuberant rhythms, vibrant costume the performance radiates joy, encouraging the audience to move in time with the dancers. Yet, just as the human form reaches its peak of fluidity, a stark contrast emerges: the entrance of the H1 humanoid robot. Near human in scale and capable of independent movement, it strides, dances, and performs alongside its living counterparts, its programmed precision standing in quiet opposition to the dancers’ spontaneous expressiveness. The act then culminates by returning to another Yangge performance.
Act 6, Yi Song·Ocean, transforms the MGM Theater into a vast, pulsating seascape. A 900-square-meter screen floods the space with undulating ocean currents, immersing the audience in a hypnotic aquatic world. Accompanying this visual spectacle is a vocal performance rooted in Yi ethnic traditions, where male and female voices intertwine in harmonies as deep and resonant as the sea itself, accompanied by folk instruments that echo like flowing water. Beyond the imagery and soundscape, the performance extends into the physical space above the audience, where Biomimetic technology brings aquatic creatures to life. Manta rays and sea turtles, suspended in mid-air, glide freely through the theater, mimicking their natural movement and interacting with the audience.
In Act 7, Lion Dance·Radiance, the traditional lion dance is reinterpreted through a contemporary lens, offering a fresh perspective on a performance deeply embedded in cultural history. A striking fusion of martial arts, dance, and music, the lion dance has long been a symbol of vitality and celebration across different regions. Here, its expressive movements are taken a step further with the unveiling of a kinetic installation composed of 2,118 golden pieces, each designed to move independently. As light catches the shifting surfaces, it creates an endlessly evolving complex spectacle of reflections.
The final act, Storytelling·Origin, draws audiences back to the genesis of existence. A sweeping visual narrative unfolds, tracing the origins of the universe as laser effects interact with digital projections to depict the gradual transformations of nature, the emergence of civilizations, and the evolution of human society through the ages—until it all converges into the modern world. Underscoring this cosmic journey is a live instrumental performance featuring three traditional instruments from the Ming and Qing dynasties, their melodies echoing the passage of time and bringing Macau 2049 to a resonant, evocative conclusion.
Blending immersive storytelling with cultural narratives reimagined in contemporary formats, ‘Macau 2049’ has created a fresh impressive of Chinese heritage while expanding its reach to new generations. More than a tourist attraction, it serves as a bridge, inviting global audiences to connect more profoundly with Macau’s rich artistic and historical tapestry. With rarely heard folk music, distinctive costumes, and meticulously crafted digital effects, the show transcends mere spectacle to become a cultural experience that is not only captivating but also essential to witness.
For more information and ticket booking details, please visit
https://macau2049.mgm.mo/en