(Macao, June 8, 2013) - Sponsored by The Venetian® Macao, The Philadelphia Orchestra performed en masse Saturday at the Venetian Theatre. The renowned orchestra is in town on its 2013 Residency and Fortieth Anniversary Tour of China - Macao, and will perform a second show Sunday night, playing a completely different programme.

 

"The Venetian Macao is very pleased to have sponsored The Philadelphia Orchestra's trip to China for its 2013 Residency and Fortieth Anniversary Tour," said Edward Tracy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sands China Ltd. "The platinum sponsorship allowed us to bring the full Philadelphia Orchestra to town for the first time - a very rare opportunity for audiences in Macao to enjoy music from such a high-calibre orchestra. The performances at the Venetian Theatre, along with three community events, are all part of our multi-tiered strategy of diversifying the scope and quality of entertainment available in Macao."

 

Under the expert baton of guest conductor Donald Runnicles, The Philadelphia Orchestra wooed Saturday evening's audience with such classic pieces as Pomp and Circumstance and Slavonic Dance, as well as more modern music from contemporary composer Gabriela Lena Frank. Sunday's audience will get an altogether different treat, being serenaded by Wagner and Brahms tunes.

 

One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, The Philadelphia Orchestra was one of the United States' first cultural ambassadors to China, visiting in 1973. It has made several return trips since then, the last one being in 2012 when it made a scheduled stop at The Venetian Macao for a concert. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Orchestra's historic first trip to China. Its residency in China commenced May 31 with a concert in Hangzhou; the tour then went to Shanghai, Tianjin and Beijing, culminating with two performances in Macao June 8 and 9.

 

The Philadelphia Orchestra was led by guest conductor Donald Runnicles during its China tour. As well as being one of the world's leading specialists on Wagner, Runnicles is general music director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, chief conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony, music director of the Grand Teton Music Festival, and principal guest conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The year 2005 marked the first time Runnicles began conducting The Philadelphia Orchestra, and has since done so on numerous occasions. He also regularly leads the Berlin Philharmonic and the London Symphony.

 

The Philadelphia Orchestra has had a busy time in town: guest speakers held a lecture at The Macau Conservatory Saturday afternoon; a lecture was held simultaneously at the University of Macau; Saturday evening saw the Orchestra's first evening concert at the Venetian Theatre; Sunday afternoon will see a string trio concert at the historic Dom Pedro V Theatre; and Sunday evening the Orchestra will hold its second evening concert at the Venetian Theatre.



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Entertainment at Sands China Ltd. Properties

Sands China Ltd. has as a clear vision to establish Macao as Asia's top entertainment destination.

 

The 15,000-seat CotaiArena™ is the only venue in Asia ranked in Pollstar's Top 100 Worldwide Arena Venues based on ticket sales. It is the top entertainment destination in southern China, hosting the world's and the region's biggest names in music, sports and awards shows. Superstars frequently choose the venue as the starting point of their Asian tours.

 

The 1800-seat, multi-purpose Venetian Theatre is one of the most luxurious entertainment venues in greater China. Featuring ushers in black-tie, champagne service, gourmet food and beverage items and other unique, premium amenities, it offers an intimate, luxurious and exclusive venue experience. The Venetian Theatre is playing a key role in bringing the best in international and Chinese entertainment to Macao, with a luxury theatre experience like no other in the region.

 

The 650-seat Sands Macao Hotel theatre regularly features internationally-renowned singers, performers and artists of the highest calibre. From traditional Chinese-costumed dancers to modern performances, and from singing troupes to contemporary bands, everything from Western rock to Cantonese pop is covered.

 

With an unbeatable diversity, the entertainment offering of Sands China Ltd. is ushering in a new era of entertainment in Macao.

 

About Cotai Strip Resorts Macao - Macao's Integrated Resort City

Sands China Ltd. is the leading developer, owner and operator of integrated resorts in Macao. The befittingly named Cotai Strip Resorts Macao, situated on reclaimed land between the islands of Coloane and Taipa, is the one destination that provides a stunning array of experiences at the heart of Cotai. Cotai Strip Resorts Macao has transformed a gaming-centric day-trip market into an integrated resort city and international hub for business and leisure travellers.

 

Pulsating with life, both night and day, Cotai Strip Resorts Macao features an expansive offering of affordable luxury available nowhere else in Macao, with approximately 9,000 hotel rooms and suites, international superstar live entertainment, duty-free shopping with 600 retailers offering an unparalleled array of name brands, 1.3 million square feet (120,000 square metres) of meeting and exhibition space for Asia's leading conferences and exhibitions, gaming excitement, transportation offerings and well over 100 dining options, including international restaurants, bars and lounges. Cotai Strip Resorts Macao is a must-see destination providing every guest with an unforgettable experience and unparalleled excitement.

 

Comprised of the The Venetian® Macao-Resort-Hotel; The Plaza™ Macao, featuring the Four Seasons Hotel Macao; and Sands® Cotai Central, featuring the world's largest Conrad, Sheraton, and Holiday Inn hotels, Cotai Strip Resorts Macao is where Asia's ultimate destination is all within reach.

 

Cotai Strip Resorts Macao....truly Macao Starts Here™. For more information, please visit www.cotaistrip.com.mo/en/.

 

About The Philadelphia Orchestra

Renowned for its distinctive sound, beloved for its keen ability to capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences, and admired for an unrivaled legacy of "firsts" in music-making, The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the preeminent orchestras in the world.

 

Yannick Nézet-Séguin became the eighth music director of The Philadelphia Orchestra beginning in the 2012-13 season and brings a vision that extends beyond symphonic music into the vivid world of opera and choral music. He follows an extraordinary history of artistic leaders in the Orchestra's 112 seasons, including music directors Fritz Scheel, Carl Pohlig, Leopold Stokowski, Eugene Ormandy, Riccardo Muti, Wolfgang Sawallisch, and Christoph Eschenbach, and Charles Dutoit, who served as chief conductor from 2008 to 2012.

 

The Philadelphia Orchestra maintains a strong commitment to collaborations with cultural and community organizations on a regional and national level. Since Orchestra President and CEO Allison Vulgamore's arrival in 2010 The Philadelphia Orchestra has reinvigorated or launched new partnerships with the Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadelphia Live Arts (Fringe Festival), Philadanco, the Curtis Institute of Music, the Marian Anderson Award, the Ridge Theater Company, and stage director James Alexander, among others.

 

Philadelphia is home and the Orchestra nurtures an important relationship not only with patrons who support the main season at the Kimmel Center but also those who enjoy the Orchestra's other area performances at the Mann Center, Penn's Landing, and other venues. The Philadelphia Orchestra Association also continues to own the Academy of Music, a National Historic Landmark.

 

Through concerts, tours, residencies, presentations, and recordings, the Orchestra is a global ambassador for Philadelphia and for the U.S. Having been the first American orchestra to perform in China, in 1973 at the request of President Nixon, today The Philadelphia Orchestra boasts a new partnership with the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. The Orchestra annually performs at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center while also enjoying a three-week residency in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and a strong partnership with the Bravo! Vail festival.

 

The ensemble recently joined with SpectiCast to deliver simulcasts of Orchestra concerts into theatres, schools, and performing arts centers. The Orchestra also recently announced a partnership with WRTI (90.1 FM) to broadcast pre-recorded versions of its subscription concerts from February through May 2013. The ensemble maintains an important Philadelphia tradition of presenting educational programs for students of all ages. Today the Orchestra executes a myriad of education and community partnership programs serving nearly 50,000 annually, including its Neighborhood Concert Series, Sound All Around and Family Concerts, and eZseatU. In February 2013 the Orchestra announced a recording project with Deutsche Grammophon, in which Yannick and the ensemble will record Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. For more information on The Philadelphia Orchestra, please visit www.philorch.org.

 

 

Media contacts:

Public Relations, Venetian Macau Limited

 

Sophia Mok

Tel: +853 8118 2105

Email: sophia.mok@venetian.com.mo

 

Lucas Chan

Tel: +853 8118 2624

Email: lucas.chan@venetian.com.mo