The Macau Cultural Center will host a 43-year-old Lisbon native described as a “Portuguese fado diva” on October 11, according to a statement from the Cultural Institute (IC) of the Chinese special administrative region, which organizes the festival.
The FIMM program highlights the concert as a “cultural exchange” combining the “rich cultural heritage” of the Macau Chinese Orchestra with Cuca Roseta’s fusion of jazz, bossa nova, and world music influences.
FIMM returned to the stage in 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, featuring performances by international guests, including Portuguese artist António Zambujo, through recorded performances.
International artists made a comeback in 2023 following the lifting of entry restrictions, with a program that featured a concert by Gisela João. Last year, Mariza performed with the Macau Chinese Orchestra.
The orchestra was established in 1987 during Macau’s Portuguese administration—the same year FIMM’s inaugural edition took place—and uses traditional Chinese instruments.
Since then, it has collaborated with Portuguese musicians, including fado singers Camané and Hélder Moutinho, guitarist Custódio Castelo, and the group Ala dos Namorados.
FIMM kicks off on October 3 with French composer Georges Bizet’s (1838–1875) classic opera “Carmen,” performed by the Zurich Opera and the Opéra Comique of Paris, conducted by Norwegian maestro Eivind Gullberg Jensen.
The performance will also feature the Macau Orchestra, the China National Symphony Orchestra Choir, and the Macau Youth Choir.
The festival’s program includes two concerts showcasing works by Xian Xinghai (1905–1945), a composer born in Macau known for writing patriotic music during the fight against the Japanese invasion from 1937.
The concerts on October 18 and November 7 will not only celebrate the 120th anniversary of Xian Xinghai’s birth but also the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Pacific.
On October 31, “Duets at Your Fingertips” will feature Russian couple, ballerina Svetlana Zakharova and violinist Vadim Repin, accompanied by principal dancers from the Bolshoi Ballet, based in Moscow.
FIMM also includes 14 Festival Extra activities, such as lectures and masterclasses. According to local media, this year’s budget is 25.5 million patacas (2.72 million euros), 22.7% less than in 2024.
