Magical ceremony ahead

Updated: 2005-10-11 11:23

A major sports event would not be the same these days without a major opening and closing ceremony.

For the East Asian Games, organisers have hired the best in the business ?Beijing BeiAo Grand Cultural and Sports Events Co Ltd, (BeiAo Events), which was responsible for the spell-binding, eight-minute extravaganza at the end of the 2004 Athens Olympics inviting the world to Beijing in 2008.

"It is our hope to stage the most brilliant and spectacular opening and closing ceremony in the history of the East Asian Games," said Lu Jiankang, president of BeiAo Events, on a recent visit to Macao.

"It will be unique and creative, and we will use the best and most advanced equipment available. My message to the people of Macao is that this will be a brand new experience, and just too good to miss."

Anyone who was in Athens for the closing ceremony of the 2004 Olympics would not argue with that statement, as the colour and the costumes, the energy and the exoticism, captivated the world in a performance directed by Zhang Yimou, whose string of movie hits includes Red Sorghum, Ju Dou, Raise the Red Lantern and The Story of Qiu Ju.

While Zhang has been chosen to direct the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, he will not be involved in the Macao productions.

Chen Weiya is in charge of the East Asian Games ceremonies, with BeiAo Events president Lu as producer, and another moving and magical experience is guaranteed, judging by the preview sketches and graphics on show at a recent news conference.

The opening ceremony at Macao Stadium on October 29 will be in three sections: a pre-show performance to entertain the crowds as they enter the stadium; a ceremony to mark the official opening of the Games, including the entrance of the teams representing the nine countries and regions; and finally the cultural performance, which will last for one hour.

It will involve some 8,000 volunteers, mostly from local schools and associations, who have been training for eight months under the supervision of BeiAo Events staff.

Entitled "Light of East Asia ?Symphoic Poem of Macao", the performance will have five scenes: a prelude called "The Sunrise Sonata," three main chapters ?"Serene Sea Nocturne", "Homeward Voyage Concerto" and "Macao Symphony" ?and the concluding "New Era Rhapsody".

It will tell the history of Macao, and trace the rapid development of the former Portuguese enclave since becoming a Special Administrative Region of China on December 20, 1999.

There will also be performances by the Singaporean singer Stephanie Sun Yan Zi and the band Soler, composers and singers of the Games' catchy anthem, "We will shine."

Lu adds: "I am deeply impressed by the diligence and the discipline of the students and teachers. In terms of preparation, everything should be complete by October 20."

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