Until August 10
Working off of the premise that ‘handwriting is a sketch of the heart’, the Macau Museum of Art’s (Avenida Xian Xing Hai, s/n, NAPE, +853 8791 9814) Mirror of the Soul: Calligraphy from the Late Qing to the Republican Years is displaying the writing skills of famous military, governmental, literary and academic figures known for far more than merely their good penmanship. Those featured include Sun Yat-Sen, Li Yuanhong, Qui Fengjia, Mao Guansheng and other figures from the 100 years between 1850 and 1949. The exhibit
runs daily (closed Mondays) until August 10 in the museum’s Chinese Painting Gallery. The entrance fee is MOP$5 at the door.

Friday, August 1
Early August is the time to see the last two performances of the Macao Band Fair 2008. On Friday, August 1, Macau-born saxophonist Timothy Sun will return from finishing his Master’s degree in performance at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama to give a recital at the Macao Cultural Centre’s Small Auditorium. The concert begins at 8pm. Tickets costs MOP$80 from Macau Ticket, 2380 5083.

Saturday, August 2
Creative Macau (G/F Macao Cultural Centre Building, Avenida Xian Xing Hai, +853 2875 3282), a not-for-profit organization and exhibition space that promotes local artists, is currently showing Dora Tam’s White Tales collection. The exhibition features jewellery and paintings inspired by the colour white. At 4:30pm on Saturday, August 2, visitors will have the chance to chat with Tam, owner of Dora Tam Design and a winner of the prestigious 2000 De Beers Diamond International Awards, at a meet-the-artist programme, where she will present her work in person. Admission is free. For more details, go to www.creativemacau.org.mo

Sunday, August 3
For its final show, the Macao Band Fair 2008 will ring in the Beijing Olympics with an Olympic Gala Night, Light the Passion. Share the Dream, featuring performances of 10 Olympic theme songs by more than 100 youth wind players, choirboys and choir girls. The gala concert begins at 8pm at the Macao Cultural Centre’s Grand Auditorium. Admission to both performances is free. For further details, see the Listings section.

August 13-21
In conjunction with Broadway Asia and Troika Entertainment, the Macao Cultural Centre presents Rogers and Hammerstein’s eight-time Tony award winner, The Sound of Music, this August 13 to 21. Based on a true story, the musical tells the story of Maria, a jovial, high-spirited woman who warms the heart of stern widower Captain Von Trapp and his seven children while serving as their governess. Follow the Von Trapp family as they flee the Nazis and work their way through iconic melodies, including Do-Re-Mi, Edelweiss and My Favourite Things. The Macau performances mark the grand finale of The Sound of Music’s China tour, which has already stopped in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Shows begin at 8pm, with performances on all nights except Monday. Ticket prices range from MOP$480 to MOP$100 from Macau Ticket, 2380 5083.

Until August 31
August is the final month to catch the Pilgrimage Service of Catholic Lay Association of Macau’s free guided church tours. Focusing on St Augustine’s Church, St Lawrence’s Church and St Joseph’s Seminary and Church – all part of the Historic Centre of Macau – the tour runs through rituals, stories and architecture particular to each site. They start every Saturday and Sunday at 2pm and 5pm at each church – just show up at the site: admission is free and bookings are not required. It’s important to note, though, that the tours are only available in Mandarin and Cantonese. Call +853 2892 1438 for more information.

New Bloom in Town

Since February 2007, Bloom * Creative Network’s bookshop, Bloom Red (Largo do Pagode do Bazar, Rua de Guimarães 206 R/C, +853 6680 0024 ), has provided Macau with an eclectic selection of internationally published works on design, poetry, art, the environment and more, not found anywhere else in the territory. Books in Bloom’s collection particularly rare to Macau include works by Charles Bukowski and handmade cultural, political and social texts from Tara, an independent Indian publishing house and writing collective. In the past year, Bloom has expanded from merely selling books to hosting free talks, exhibitions and artistic workshops.

Enter Bloom Yellow (Calçada de S. Lázaro, 8), the network’s second artistic space. Open since June, it is the event and showroom counterpart to Bloom Red’s cozy bookshop, and is where Bloom now holds its workshops, book launches and lectures. Visitors can browse various books on display or flip through magazines during opening hours (1pm-9pm Tuesdays to Sundays, closed Mondays).

In August, Bloom Yellow will launch Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Liu Heung Shing’s new work, China: Portrait of a Country. The Taschen hardcover narrates the history of the People’s Republic of China (1949-2008) through the works of 88 Chinese photographers. Liu, who will present the collection in person, was Time magazine’s first photojournalist dispatching from Beijing and a 1992 Pulitzer Spot News Photography winner for his coverage of the Soviet Union. In 2005, the French Photomagazine named him one of the 100 most influential figures in contemporary photography. The event takes place on Sunday, August 3, at 6pm. Admission is free but remember to download an invitation at http://bloomland.blogspot.com.

A Perspective on St Paul's

The ruins of St Paul’s Church might not have changed much within the last 400 years, but The Corner’s deli and rooftop tapas wine bar (3, 5 and 7 Travessa de S Paulo, +853 2848 2848), just off St Paul’s famous steps, offers a fresh way to look at the iconic landmark. The rooftop bar, ensconced among the laundry lines and terracotta roofs of neighbouring houses, opens a quaint view of the church ruins – far removed from the street-level tourist experience. Offsetting the view are pieces of contemporary art, including the impressionist mural that guides clientele up the staircase to the bar and a bright blue cast of Michelangelo’s David holding a coffee mug. Apart from serving standard and special cocktails and wines, The Corner’s also has an extensive collection of single malt whiskies, including a rare vintage cask collection, with bottles up to 30 years old (MOP$2,300-MOP$6,300 per bottle). Tapas dishes served at the cafe include the Greek-style baked stuffed bell pepper (MOP$46), the cestino alla parmigiania (parmesan cheese basket, MOP$56) and the zucchini fish rolls (MOP$42). For something sweeter, stop by the deli downstairs for the semifreddo frengellico (MOP$52). Anyone thinking of visiting the bar should act quickly – according to manager Sam Tam, the rooftop venue will be going members-only at the end of this year.