Manchester Int'l Festival unveils 2017 program for biennial

LONDON, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The biennial Manchester International Festival (MIF) has revealed its 2017 program which will contain world premieres of works in a variety of forms from dance to club music, theater, performance art and musical events.

The festival's new artistic director told Xinhua: "We don't have themes, we invite artists to do new stuff. But of course themes do emerge, and one of those is Journeys, there is a lot of work about journeys people take."

"We have Samson Young from Hong Kong, who is talking about the journeys people make to Europe from China, and we also have Susan Hefuna from Egypt, who is talking about contemporary journeys people are making."

Young's work is inspired by mythic tales of 17th-century Chinese travelers making their way to Europe on foot. "One of Two Stories, or Both (Field Bagatelles)" is a five-part radio series and a sound installation at the Center for Chinese Contemporary Art.

Hefuna's piece "ToGather" is a major show at the Whitworth Art Gallery, which explores stories of migrants to Manchester, and includes a public performance developed with Company Wayne McGregor and around 20 people who have recently arrived in the city.

At Old Granada Studios, Manchester musical legends New Order collaborate with visual artist Liam Gillick for five performances throughout the Festival.

Manchester Art Gallery hosts new exhibition "True Faith" exploring the significance and legacy of Manchester music bands Joy Division and New Order through the wealth of visual art their music has inspired, with work from artists such as Julian Schnabel and Mark Leckey.

The MIF begins on June 29 and runs until July 16 at venues across the city.