At midnight of the New Year’s Eve attention of the whole world will be drawn by the show of lights and fireworks illuminating the sky above Vilnius – the show will be broadcasted by almost 50 foreign TV companies, and more than 30 media representatives from 12 countries will come to Vilnius to highlight the opening events of the Programmes of “Vilnius – European Capital of Culture 2009” and of Commemoration of Millennium of the Name of Lithuania.
“With this show of lights, which will be the largest event of such type in the history of the Baltic States, we try both, to reflect the Millennium history of Lithuania and to create the live picture of Vilnius as of the European Capital of Culture”, - said the stage manager of this show Gert Hof (Germany) called the most outstanding artist of lights in the world during press conference held in Vilnius.
Not only artists, but also persons who maintain order are preparing
At 22:45 on 31 December inhabitants of Vilnius City and its guests arriving from foreign countries will be invited to see the musical “@Hoffmann_Nutcracker”, the scene of which will be the façade of Vilnius Palace of Concerts and Sports. The performance will be watched from the outside – surroundings of the Palace or from the opposite bank of the River Neris. At midnight on the New Year’s Eve the Cathedral Square will be illuminated with G.Hof’s mystery of lights and fireworks. In the evening of 1 January the Town Hall Square will welcome people to the opening ceremony of the Ice Arena under the open sky with M. Drobiazko and P. Vanagas and from 2 January the cultural programme will be continued opening the exhibition of paintings created by the Georgian art talent Niko Pirosmani.
“Currently the last preparatory works before the opening events of the Programmes “Vilnius – European Capital of Culture 2009” and of Commemoration of Millennium of the Name of Lithuania to be held on 31 December – 1 January are under way. Not only hundreds of artists, performers, technical staff, but also the forces which will guarantee the security are carefully preparing for this occasion. We hope that thanks to their efforts all people who will flood to the centre of Vilnius in the evening of 31 December will be able to feel safe and welcome the New Year 2009 in cultured and unforgettable manner”, - said Elona Bajorinienė, Director of “Vilnius – European Capital of Culture 2009”.
Flashes of history of Lithuania integrated in the show
The show to be demonstrated by the artist G. Hof at midnight on the New Year’s Eve is meant to unify the symbols of the Lithuanian and European character. Fireworks, neon illuminations and music performed during the show of the stage manager called the magician of lights will bring to life the key dates of the history of Lithuania.
“Light and fire are the best tools to reflect the history and architecture of the city. These substances surpass the boundaries of language and directly affect emotions, they can shout and whisper, laugh and cry, surprise and tell stories” – said G. Hof.
The exclusive show will be opened by enormous musical parade marching across music of all periods of history of Lithuania – from harmonious songs to works of M. K. Čiurlionis. Then in commemoration of the Grand Duke Gediminas – the founder of Vilnius, lights installed on the top of the bell tower, Cathedral and the Duke’s monument will evolve into a huge 3D flag of Lithuania. All materials with the help of which this effect will be achieved are being manufactured specially for this show in Vilnius and have not been used in any other events before.
Later Vilnius Cathedral – the masterpiece created by Laurynas Stuoka–Gucevičius – will be coloured in blue – the colour of Europe. After illuminating the night sky by “The Sun of Vilnius” created by more than 60 super-high image resolution projectors, twelve pyrotechnic loads symbolising twelve stars of the European flag will be released into the sky.
The Iron Wolf from the Legend of the Founding of Vilnius, the River Vilnelė, history of the Cathedral and other most outstanding symbols of Vilnius and Lithuania will find their place in this show. Musical texture of the show was created by the Lithuanian composer of young generation Vytautas V. Jurgutis in concert with G. Hof.
The show of G. Hof held in Commemoration of the Millennium of the Name of Lithuania and crowning of Vilnius the European Capital of Culture will be the largest multimedia event in the Baltic States performed using more than 6,000 specially manufactured pyrotechnic loads.
About opening events of the Programmes of “Vilnius – European Capital of Culture 2009” and of Commemoration of Millennium of the Name of Lithuania:
- 31 December 2008, 22:45. “@Hoffmann_Nutcracker” - impressive musical interpretation of E.T.A Hoffman’s fairytale and ballet “Nutcracker” by P. Caikovskij will be performed on a many-storied glass stage mounted on the façade of the Palace of Concerts and Sports of Vilnius (Rinktinės St. 1). The performance will be delivered by more than 150 musicians, dancers, actors and stuntmen. The audience will be able to admire this musical followed by the combination of huge image projections, lights, special effects and pyrotechnics either from the Palace of Concerts and Sports of Vilnius or from the opposite bank of the Neris.
- 31 December 2008, 24:00 – 1 January 00:20. The world’s most famous artist of lights G. Hof will demonstrate the show of lights, fireworks and music consisting of 8 parts in the Cathedral square created for the occasion of opening of the Programme of “Vilnius – European Capital of Culture 2009” and of Commemoration of Millennium of the Name of Lithuania. Unique art effects will be created by 60 gigantic projectors of super-high image resolution, impressive pyrotechnics, neon lights and other miracles of modern engineering.
- 1 January. Ice Arena will be opened in the Town Hall Square under the open sky. On the occasion of opening of the Ice Arena on 1 January, 19:00, the best ice dancers of Lithuania Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas together with other dance and ice masters and acrobats will perform the “Ice Mystery”. After opening of the Ice Arena the square of the festival will welcome residents and guests of Vilnius who will be invited to rent skates and try themselves different ice entertainments enjoying panorama of the Old Town the whole January.
- Official opening of exhibition of paintings by the Georgian talent Niko Pirosmani (1862-1918) will take place on 31 December at the National Art Gallery of Vilnius of the Lithuanian Art Museum (Didžioji St. 4). All visitors who are interested in the exhibition will be able to see it from 2 January 2009.
For more information, please, contact:
Albertas Barauskas
Spokesman of PI “Vilnius – European Capital of Culture 2009”
Tel.: (8 5) 211 2099
Mob. tel.: 8 698 31 341
[email protected]
To publish this article please contact BalticTravelnews.eu editorial board
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