Asia's most dynamic theater experience fuses pioneering technology with cultural heritage

With his bold vision and celebrated aesthetics, the internationally acclaimed artist leads a global team of top talents and a strong crew from more than 20 countries and regions, made up of A-list performers and behind-the-scenes experts. Hailing from four corners of the globe including the UK, the US, Inner Mongolia, Korea, Belarus and Poland, they have dedicated over 2,800 man-hours over the course of nearly a year. All the hard work, combined with leading-edge technologies and a curated selection of intangible cultural heritage, culminates in Macau 2049, an unrivaled theatrical experience that highlight the vast potential of modern technology in preserving and celebrating heritage and tradition.
   
Weaving together eight performance segments, Macau 2049 is a grand tribute to the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 25th anniversary of Macau's return to China. It also serves as a catalyst for elevating the city’s cultural and entertainment landscape, forging a powerful link between technology and tradition that will inspire live entertainment around the world for many years to come. Every moment of the performances is a feast for the eyes and the ears. Masterful art direction, breathtaking visuals beaming from Asia’s biggest indoor LED screen, as well as spectacular sound effects from first-in-class audio systems, offer a glimpse into a future of tech-infused live entertainment, all the while honoring a selected form of intangible heritage from ancient China. A plethora of 21st-century concert effects and jaw-dropping stage designs are added to the mix to amplify the impact of the show.

Members of the audience will find themselves fully enveloped in the transcendent experience like never before. Their senses are immersed in the motions, music and mood on stage, where state-of-the-art innovation and creativity meets tradition, giving rise to a larger-than-life, futuristic immersive theater extravaganza. In Miao Songs | Transcendent, for example, when beloved classics of Miao folk songs are sung to the accompaniment of a kinetic mirror set comprising more than 100 mirrors, ingeniously mimicking rice terraces on the mountains of Southern China, the audience is instantly drawn into a magnificent universe where nature, artistic expression, and technological marvels come together in perfect synergy. 
When a lone piece of lightweight fabric dances gracefully on stage in Khoomei | Ethereal, the audience is at the same time treated to hyper-realistic, dynamic sound effects that accentuate an ancient Mongolian style of singing. In the sci-fi and cultural wonderland of Macau 2049, the dialogue between innovation and art and culture is incessant, and technology plays a pivotal role in shaping the audience’s multi-sensory experience, enabling them to feel the full force of the amalgamation of the past, present and future. 
In an age powered by digital innovation and artificial intelligence, the integration of advanced technology in theater performances has become a familiar concept. Yet, Macau 2049 pushes boundaries in numerous ways, not least in its application of the new edge of technology to a long-running theater production performed daily, seamlessly melding it with ancient Chinese culture to stunning effects. By way of example, the use of robots in live entertainment is not without precedent, but Drumming | Shadow breaks new grounds with the seamlessly coordinated, fluid movements of a robot arm and a human dancer. The duo move in sync, and yet a simmering tension is palpable. All this is accompanied by the enchanting rhythms and sounds of ancient percussion instruments. The effects are nothing short of electrifying. Yet the compelling performance also subtly draws the audience into a reflection on the intersection of technology, tradition, and the future of human connection. Is technology in control of our lives or under control? Are we in a symbiotic relationship with machines?