Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold is performed by Latvian National Opera. Provided to China Daily

Music buffs in the region head to Macao this month for another edition of the annual Macao International Music Festival. For well over two decades, the festival has gained in importance and prestige, as it is an event that attracts a wide range of musical talent in genres ranging from classical to contemporary, and from vocal and instrumental to highly experimental.

"This year, our operating budget for the festival was MOP38 million ($4.75 million)," says Ung Vai-meng, president of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, at a news conference to launch the festival. "It has been steadily increasing since the year 2000. About 80 percent of the festival is attended by local residents, and the average attendance per show is more than 90 percent."

This year, headliners include the Vienna Boys' Choir, Giuseppe Verdi's Messa da Requiem and Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold, both performed by The Latvian National Opera and musical Miss Saigon.

From Asia, Shanghai Chinese Orchestra and Macao Chinese Orchestra will be performing a variety of classical favorites.