The 5th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival has officially opened in Guangzhou!
The festival began with Symphony of the Greater Bay Area at the Guangzhou Opera House. Led by renowned conductor Huang Yi and performed by the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, the concert celebrated Guangdong's creativity with original symphonic works. A highlight was the world premiere of "Aspiration Under the Sky: Ode to the Bay Area", written by post-95 Hong Kong composer Leung Ho-yi, winner of the Huabiao Award for Outstanding Film Music. His music captures the upward spirit and vibrant energy of the Bay Area.
Over the following one-month period (Sept 16-Oct 16), the festival will feature:
• 100+ stage performances across 11 cities from grand operas to innovative local productions.
• International masterpieces such as Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, Russia's Vakhtangov Theatre with Eugene Onegin, the Italy Verdi Opera La Traviata, and the French musical Molière.
• Local treasures like the dance drama Wing Chun (already staged in London, Paris, and Sinapore), the classic Cantonese opera Samsui Women, and new works blending lion dance, dragon boat, and Lingnan culture with contemporary stagecraft.
• 19 exhibitions and 150+ community events including free outdoor shows, art workshops, and cultural flash mobs, ensuring everyone can join the celebration.
With affordable tickets and plenty of free public activities, it invites audiences from around the globe to discover the artistic heartbeat of the Greater Bay Area.
Click to see the details of the featured productions during the festival:
Reporter: Li Fangwang
Video/Cover: Liang Zijian
Editor: Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He