A large-scale opening program that took place on 1st February 2020, and lasted for 24 hours, marked a date on which the city of Rijeka officially took over the title of the European Capital of Culture, as well as the actual start of perhaps the most important, and certainly the most interesting cultural year in city’s history.
From the early morning hours, the entire city was a single body, beating to the same beat. Opera Industriale marked the culmination of the evening in which Rijeka announced the values by which it will present itself to Europe, along with the as values it will convey to Europe.
The all-day programme in Rijeka was attended by more than 30,000 people, of which 20,000 gathered on the piers and breakwater in Rijeka Port to watch the central programme, titled Opera Industriale. Freedom, Tolerance, Antifascism, and Love are but some of the messages that rounded up the central opening event.
Following Opera Industriale, the other programmes continued to the morning hours, in numerous clubs, cafes and concert venues.
After yesterday, nothing will ever be the same as before. This was a day in which Rijeka clearly demonstrated why it became the European Capital of Culture.
