The Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government is presenting the 19th Macao Arts Festival (MAF) from May 1 to 30, 2008.

Featuring more than 30 performances by artistes from Israel, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, Canada and the Republic of Korea, the festival season would not be complete without the scintillating performance from Macao and the mainland as well.

Here are a few examples of what is on offer in the second half of the season.

Brought all the way from Mexico on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, Sensorama is a place where you blindfold yourself. Then your hands, ears, nose, mouth and every other parts of your body travel on an adventure amidst the atmospheres Sensorama has created for you. The audience will feel the thrill of such an experience by simply watching the performance on stage.

The 30-minute show starts at 7pm, 8pm and 9pm on May 16, 20 to 23; 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 7pm, 8pm and 9pm on May 17, 18, 24 and 25 at Lou Kau Mansion.

For those who love classical theater with a modern twist, the return of 4D art from Canada to the Macao Arts Festival should not be missed. Multimedia creators Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon, in collaboration with the director Denise Guilbault, offer a highly inspired reading of Shakespeare's timeless creation The Tempest.

Thanks to the virtual technology at their disposal, spells, visions and poetry create a previously unimaginable storm that appeals not only to the senses but also to the mind, conveying the dreamy opulence of the work.

The Macao General Association of Chinese Opera and Music is presenting a classical Cantonese opera at 8pm on May 24-25 at Alegria Cinema. This local arts group is dedicated to preserving and carrying forward the traditional art of Cantonese opera and proud to stage The Crossing, a remarkable tale set in the mythical Three Kingdoms Period (220-280), when the ingenious mind always prevailed over ruthlessness and when bravery, strength and wit were virtues to be extolled.

The story begins with a treacherous scheme, concocted by the Commander-in-Chief of the Wu army, Zhou Yu. He plans to murder Liu Bei, king of the State of Shu, after luring him to the State of Wu with the promise of a princess' hand in marriage. What follows is an exciting succession of adventures as Liu Bei and his invincible warrior Zhao Zilong engage in fierce and awe-inspiring battles with Zhou Yu's army.

(HK Edition 05/16/2008 page2)