Enjoy 14 shows at Bangkok's International Festival of Dance and Music this September
Held from September 6-October 15, the festival draws together an eclectic yet considered roster of global acts – 14 productions over six weeks, in styles that stretch from Cuban contemporary to Russian opera – it's the cultural marathon.
And while the festival itself never loudly insists on its prestige, the line-up doesn't have to. Among this year's headliners is the China National Acrobatic Troupe, a gravity-defying collective that has amassed more than 70 gold medals since its founding in the mid-20th century. Nicknamed China's 'dream team,' they'll be somersaulting into the Thailand Cultural Centre mid-September for the kind of act that will probably cause a few jaws to dislocate.
Here's what's on:
Also making headlines is Plácido Domingo, in his first-ever Thai performance. The man is operatic royalty – 12 Grammy Awards, over 150 roles, and a voice that has filled concert halls from Vienna to Buenos Aires. Bangkok gets its turn on September 23.
But the real charm of the festival has always been its refusal to cater to one type of viewer. Opera diehards will find their fix in Tosca and Aida (and for the especially committed, Three Masks of the King), while dance lovers can veer from flamenco to ballet in the span of a weekend. There's even a techno-meets-ballet hybrid in PIXEL, just in case you were worried it might all get a bit too traditional.
Tickets begin at B3,000, which might seem steep until you consider you're essentially buying a passport to fourteen different worlds. Full details, programme notes, and ticketing are available through ThaiTicketMajor. And while the posters may promise dance and music, what you'll really find is something rarer – a sense that, for a brief moment, everyone is listening.
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