The morning programme of the opening of European Capital of Culture in Rijeka launched off with music, dance and great mood
The largest culture party in Europe launched!
From the early morning hours, the streets of Rijeka have been in a festive and joyful mood, marking a start of the all-day culture party that includes more than 70 events at over 30 different locations. The event’s organization includes more than 40 different associations, entrepreneurs, artists’ organizations and numerous individuals. Today, Rijeka enters the year in which it will be the European Capital of Culture.
“We are proud that today Rijeka officially becomes the European Capital of Culture. All the citizens of Rijeka, regardless of age, along with the esteemed guests of Rijeka, will get a chance to enjoy a truly varied cultural entertainment. While the morning hours have been dominated by dance, theatrical and musical performances along with performances by children’s choirs, vocal groups and dancers, evening will be crowned by a central event that is going to take place at 7.30 p.m. under the title Opera Industriale. We are inviting all the citizens of Rijeka to come to the port, where they will be also able to participate in the programme“, said Emina Višnić, the CEO of Rijeka 2020.
Among the numerous programmes, one has been sold out days ago. This is Anti-toruist Tour, a guided bus tour that is hosted by Rijeka actresses Tanja Smoje and Jelena Lopatić. Mayor of Rijeka Vojko Obersnel joined the passengers on the first tour that took place at 10 a.m. This hilariously intoned tour offers quite a unique view of Rijeka, that is also self-ironical and typical for Rijeka.
While some begun their morning with Anti-tourist ride, the other joined a programme titled Rijeka, Steps and Time that took place in Rijeka’s main street of Korzo, where people walked through 116 years of Rijeka history, with the assistance of 232 meters long timeline. The magnificent building of Rijeka Fish Market found its place in the programme, as during the morning hours it hosted a gig by Vocal Studio Rijeka.
A rich musical morning in Rijeka gathered all the generations. The pupils of Elementary School Vežica performed children’s songs, nursery rhymes and lullabies in many European languages, thus showing how the childhood in Port of Diversity looks like. Mixed Choir of Rijeka Pensioners performed for passers-by in Kružna Street, under the lead of maestros Vinko Badjuk and Damir Badurina. The all-day plethora of evens was joined by The Association of Restaurants and Caterers of Primorsko-goranska County, which organized a programme in numerous cafes and squares in the centre, with musical performances, cocktails mixing spectacles and big-time entertainment.
The program continues throughout the day and night
It is expected that the audience that will follow the central programme of the opening of European Capital of Culture will start gathering from 7 p.m. in the Rijeka Port. Opera Industriale, starting at 7.30 p.m., is based on the musical template of the Rijeka art duo JMZM – Josip Maršić i Zoran Medved, and on the orchestration of the Croatian composer Frano Đurović. The programme will bring the noise, city sounds, sounds of workers, sparks and light effects. It will be performed by more than 200 performers and involve a large part of the audience. The director of the central opening programme is Dalibor Matanić.
The space for the audience visiting Rijeka Port stretches to all piers in the port – Adamić Pier, De Franchesci Pier, Karolina Riječka Pier, Boduli Waterfront, and Molo longo. Those who want to participate in the performance should come to Molo longo, especially children with their parents, high school students and university students. They should arrive there already between 6 and 6.30 p.m. due to the limited capacity for the audience on Molo longo. On Molo longo, the audience will receive cowbells they will use to participate in defined moments during the performance. One part of Adamić Pier has been turned into a space where people with disabilities will be able to follow the program in a pleasant way. In order to avoid jams, it is highly recommended for them to arrive to the Port between 6 and 6.30 p.m.
Happiness, positive energy and party in Rijeka will last throughout the day. In the afternoon, there will be rock, pop, jazz and blues concerts, as well as DJ sets. The only break and rest will be during the one-hour Opera Industriale. Starting from 9 p.m. in the clubs and in the open there will be performances of many bands – from Jonathan, Paraf, Fit, Denis&Denis, The Siids, Associations of Rijeka rockers from the 1960s and 1970s, and also Marko Tolja, Dule Bonaca, Šajeta and many others.
All programmes that will be running in Rijeka throughout the day are completely free for all visitors, and especially for this occasion, working hours of all bars, restaurants and clubs have been extended.
It is an excellent introduction into the programme of the European Capital of Culture 2020 which will feature more than 600 individual events. Over 300 organisations from Croatia and 40 European countries and the rest of the world have been involved in the organisation.