There will be a total of 36 performances during the festival from March 1 to March 28.

Programs from China's inland, Hong Kong, Macao and overseas, combined with an exciting week of film and video cycles and two major art exhibitions, will provide something to suit every taste, said authorities from the Cultural Institute.

The audience will be presented with ballet, Kun opera, acrobatics, music, puppetry, contemporary drama, Cantonese opera, comedy and traditional Gypsy dancing.

This year's festival will be jointly sponsored by the Cultural Institute and the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau and run for seven days longer than previously.

Every year, the Macao Arts Festival and Macao International Music Festival are the two major arts and cultural events for the Special Administrative Region, attracting the attention of both local residents and overseas visitors.

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2003)