In a very unique and first-of-its-kind collaboration, MGM and the Guangzhou Song and Dance Theatre are joining hands to present MGM Awakening Lion, an exclusive and tailor-made version of the award-winning Chinese ethnic dance drama, Awakening Lion. With its premiere this October, this is the first residency show of the Guangzhou Song and Dance Theatre outside of Mainland China. MGM Awakening Lion was created with the objective to showcase traditional dance drama with innovation, telling the great stories of the Chinese people with an internationalized and contemporary backdrop.
With deep roots in tradition, Awakening Lion is a masterful combination of multiple art elements including Cantonese lion dance, Southern Fist (Nanquan), dance performance and other traditional folk intangible cultural heritage. The story is centered on the spiritual awakening, courage to fight and national spirit of the people of Guangdong during the chaotic times. A drama without dialogue, it achieves bold innovations in stage music, design, lighting, and costume and demonstrates the unique artistic charisma of the repertoire, whilst telling the story of the Guangdong lion dance and Lingnan culture
Named the best dance drama by the most prominent dance award in China – the China Dance Lotus Awards, the performance is based on the awakening of a nation expressed in traditional culture, with the ethnic dance drama depicting the journey of transformation of two lion dancers in the face of love and hate along with the dilemma of choosing between family and the nation, reflecting the perseverance of the Cantonese people.
“MGM Awakening Lion is not only a breakthrough of the original Awakening Lion, but also a significant symbol of cultural unification in the Greater Bay Area,” notes Shi Qianjin, Artistic and Chief Director of the dance drama and Dean of Guangzhou Song and Dance Theatre. Leveraging the advanced technologies of the MGM Theater, MGM Awakening Lion blends ancient intangible heritage with virtual reality, taking the drama to a whole new sensational level.”
The 70-minute drama has been re-arranged and tailor-made according to the cutting-edge technology and state-of-the art equipment of the MGM Theater. Empowered by the world's largest permanent indoor LED screen, blurring the line between virtual and reality, the drama fuses the venue and the performance together to deliver a one-of-a-kind and visual-stimulating extravaganza to the audience.
The set has also undergone all-round enhancements in terms character modelling, video background, stage props, choreography and even the use of music. Illustrating the essences of patriotic spirit with a contemporary touch, it is going to be a whole new multi-sensory journey for Macau residents and tourists.
“Curated for tourists of the new generation, MGM Awakening Lion sets a new milestone for MGM, as it is part of the ‘MGM Lion IP’ Program, a spectrum of tourism products in multiple categories. The MGM Lion IP Program is a brand-new style of experiencing Macau with a wide range of events created with the lion persona as the core, and the passing-on of the Lingnan heritage as the main drive,” notes Ms. Pansy Ho.
“The residency show, as well as other ‘MGM Lion IP’ products, share the common goal of building Macau into ‘a base for exchange and cooperation with Chinese culture as the mainstream and the coexistence of different cultures’. It aims to deepen the exchanges of cultural tourism in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and promote its high-quality development in humanity and culture.”
MGM Awakening Lion will have its residency at MGM Theater from October 8 to 10 and December 19 to 25. Tickets are now on sale from MOP280 on MGM’s official website at mgm.mo, as well as Damai.cn, MacauTicket.com by Kong Seng Paging Ltd. Macau, Klook and selected travel agencies.
