2023 Macao Alternative Music Festival features avant-garde, minimalist, interdisciplinary, post-romantic and improvisational music, and experimental theatre

The 2023 Macao Alternative Music Festival has a series of experimental shows featuring artists from a variety of musical genres and several countries

The festival takes place every weekend in August and on two weekends in September, and offers a chance to explore the city beyond its casinos

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Scientist-artist Daniel Maszkowicz is presenting a cinematic performance during the 2023 Macao Alternative Music Festival in Macau. The festival, runs at weekends in August and September. Photo: courtesy of MAMF

Published: 11:34am, 3 Aug 2023

Macau is hosting the 2023 Macao Alternative Music Festival in August and September – a series of experimental shows featuring artists from a variety of countries and musical genres.

The festival, with events every weekend in August and on two weekends in September, will take place across the city. With some historic performance venues taking part, the festival can be seen as a catalyst to exploring the city – especially for those who think Macau is nothing but casinos.

The musical genres featured include avant-garde, minimalist, interdisciplinary, post-romantic and improvisational, and there are experimental theatre shows too. The artists performing in the festival hail from places including Hong Kong, Macau, mainland China, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

The opening performance on August 6 is an experimental theatre show by Macao Experimental Cinema (MO). It will be followed by Swiss scientist-artist Daniel Maszkowicz mixing sound synthesis with visual effects from his machine, the “Tesla Coil”.

Guangzhou-born Mafmadmaf is a composer who uses field recordings to create soundscapes. Photo: courtesy of MAMF

The restored Teatro Capitol in Macau. Photo: Weibo

Two performances will take place at Teatro Capitol, a former mid-20th century cinema that reopened in 2019 after renovations.