Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym), the first “Fado Nights” concert was held in the evening of 1 March at the Dom Pedro V Theatre in a lively atmosphere. The President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Leong Wai Man; the Advisor of the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Lo Hou Chi; the Acting Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Cheng Wai Tong; the Head of Delegation of the Orient Foundation in Macao, Catarina Cottinelli da Costa; and Fado singers Tiago Correia and Bárbara Santos unveiled the event with a toasting ceremony before the performance.

In 2011, Fado was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The “Fado Nights” concerts are held at the Dom Pedro V Theatre, a World Heritage building in the Historic Centre of Macao, allowing the public to appreciate the enchanting charm of music, an item of intangible cultural heritage, at a World Heritage site. Before the concert, at 6 p.m., the spectators can purchase and taste typical Portuguese snacks and drinks, while enjoying live music performances by local artists. Meanwhile, there is an exhibition in the Theatre Gallery for the public to learn more about the history of Fado, enriching their cultural tourism experience.

The “Fado Nights” concerts is held on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 1 to 24 March, from 7pm to 8pm, at the Dom Pedro V Theatre. Portuguese Fado singers Tiago Correia and Bárbara Santos were invited to present a number of Fado songs, including Tiago Correia’s original fados and classic Fado songs.

Tickets for the “Fado Nights” concerts are now on sale, priced at MOP200, including a drink. Holders of a valid Macao Resident Identity Card, Macao Teacher Card, full-time Student Card, Macao Senior Citizen Card or Disability Assessment Registration Card can enjoy a 20% discount through the Macau Ticketing Network. Ticket discounts are not available through the Damai or Cityline platforms. 24-hour ticketing hotline: 2855 5555; online ticketing: www.macauticket.com, www.damai.cn and www.cityline.com.

For more information about the programme, please visit www.icm.gov.mo/music/fado, IC’s WeChat official account “IC_Art_Macao”, “IC Art” page on Facebook, or Macao activities website “Enjoy Macao”.