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Unofficial Opening “ Nice! Bring it to L.A., please....”
Every year, Aarhus Festival advances the festivities with an Unofficial Opening. Designed by the world-known architect Arne Jacobsen, the beautiful city hall of Aarhus is open for everybody and provides the perfect setting for artists performing an outstanding show.
Facebook comment by Tom Scarillo
“ OMG OMG OMG. Please come do this in Belgium!” Facebook comment by Française Maischic
In 2013, John Cale performed his 1982 album ‘Music for a New Society’ in its entirety, exclusively and for one night only at the Unofficial Opening.
“ You have got high standards in this city.” John Cale (US), musician
“ Please come home to Wales and perform.” Facebook comment by Philip Roberts
“London. Please?”
“ Two words: NEW YORK.” Facebook comment by Patricia Belluci
Facebook comment by Karina Bee
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Gala Opening HM Queen Margrethe 2nd serves at the patron of Aarhus Festival and therefore participates in the annual Gala Opening. At the 2013 Gala Opening of Aarhus Festival, Det Kongelige Kapel (The Royal Chapel) played Mahler’s Symphony No. 6, directed by chief conductor Michael Boder. Earlier Gala Openings have featured Tacit Group (KOR), Our Big World (a live, worldwide performance), Sabores with Sara Baras (E) and Hell on Earth by Constanca Macras (DE).
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A new view on urban spaces The architects of Aarhus play a vital part in the festival, as they every year carry out new urban space initiatives towards which the guests of Aarhus Festival feel great passion and responsibility. In 2012 and 2013 the area at the music venue Musikhuset’s park,the city hall park and the street Frederiks Allé formed the setting of a big public area for the whole family. During the entire festival week Frederiks Allé was blocked from all traffic. The large park had been decorated with grass, garden sprinklers and a water volcano.
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Photo: Ukendt Aarhus
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An urban oasis “The Store Torv forest clearly showed that beautiful and interesting urban installations can create life and atmosphere as well as contribute to m aking Aarhus an attractive city for both locals and visitors.”
In 2007 Store Torv was furnished with the world’s longest sofa. With 51.3 meters it topped the then current Guinness World Record holder with 13.3 meters. In 2010, nature was brought back to the center of the city, as Aarhus’ main city square, Store Torv, was transformed into a forest. The forest was used as a setting for picnics, wedding photos, jazz concerts as well as general fun and games. Aarhus Festival and Schønherr Landscape won the Danish Landscape Award 2011 for their transformation of Store Torv into a forest. In 2012 and 2013, Store Torv was transformed by the ‘Little Big Thing’-installation which was the festival’s biggest piece of urban furniture yet, a hang-out and a unique stage with many staggered levels and height differences.
Laura Hay, Alderman at the Department of Technical Studies and Environment.
In 2014 ‘The Sofa Experience’ was introduced to Store Torv. Building on the idea of the world’s longest sofa in 2007, ‘The Sofa Experience’ reimagines urban furniture and functions as a meeting point during Aarhus Festival. The sofa is created by elements shaped like wedges called ‘Piece’, which can be combined in countless ways, creating a piece of furniture, a sculpture, or a scenic element – or all of these at once. The wedges are made of a sustainable material and can be transported in a single container to minimise the environmental impact.
“It would be a bit of a relief to have a small forest there…” Facebook comment by Pia Christensen
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World’s biggest stringed instrument In 2013, for the first time outside Latin America, Aarhus Festival presented Huey Mecatl – a gigantic pentagonal stringed instrument, constructed by a group of Mexicans from ten shipping containers on two levels. Between the top five containers, ten strings were strung and played by ten musicians with custom-made tools, directed by one composer. The music that could be experienced every night during the Festival was composed specifically for the instrument and encompassed a vast sonic landscape. During the late concerts, the instrument was flooded with artificial light and in the daytime Festival visitors could explore Huey Mecatl themselves.
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A cultural cornucopia “ Aarhus Festival is a wonderful festival. The city is alive and generous and warm.”
Judged by the number of events, Aarhus Festival is more than 1.000 different things. A guiding principle is that there must be something for everybody, but not everything is for everybody.
“ Aarhus Festival embraces inclusivity, new ideas, adventure and anarchic fun. Snuff Puppets completely enjoyed our experi ence in Aarhus and would love to return regularly building on the fantastic creative relationship this festival has to offer.”
Alice Nash, Executive Producer, Back To Back Theatre
“ Under the leadership of Jens Folmer Jepsen, Aarhus Festival has in recent years changed from a mere folk festival to an inter national culture festival with wide appeal and artistic bite”.
Andy Freer, Artistic Director, Snuff Puppets
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Asker Hedegaard Boye, Weekendavisen (national newspaper)
Outstanding theatrical performances “It was a real pleasure, to do the show, and to experience a f estival that is so central to the life of its city. And to have so many of your staff be so welcoming and helpful. ”
Aarhus Festival has always been proud to present artists and performances from all over the world, such as Gob Squad’s ’Super Night Shot’, Geumhyung Jeong’s ’Oil Pressure Vibrator’, The New Riga Theatre’s ’Long Life’ and Christina Hagen’s ‘White Girl’. In 2015, Aarhus Festival will present Robert Lepage’s performance ‘887’. The internationally renowned Canadian has both authored and will star himself in ‘887’, which explores personal and collective memory.
Actors Marcus Youssef and James Long (CAN)
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Smells Like Teens “The Smells Like Teens concerts are a good rendezvous for young people as an alternative to drifting around in the city looking for a community.”
Every year, Aarhus Festival is able to offer a number of inexpensive concerts only for the 13-17 year olds. The concert series is called Smells Like Teens.
“The first Smells Like Teens concert with Burhan G is a huge draw.” Louise Mandal Deruginsky, Aarhus Stiftstidende (local newspaper)
Toke Agerschou, Section Leader/SSP Leader (Cooperation between schools, social services and local police)
“We have real influence, and people really listen to us.” Rikke Myrtue, 17 years old, member of Aarhus Festival’s youth council
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Foretaste “ These are culinary rock stars, you know. The agency told us that they’re selling tickets so fast you’d think it was a Rolling Stones gig.” Jimmy Holm, chef at CANblau
With a little help from some Aarhus’ finest chefs, the children’s edition of Aarhus Festival’s food festival, Foretaste, allows kindergartens and school children to transform homegrown vegetables into children’s gourmet food. At ‘Foretaste at street level’ big culinary experiences await at eateries in mid-town, each presenting a dish and a drink that supplement each other. In 2011, some extraordinary culinary delights awaited at CANblau tapas bar. Albert Raurich, formerly chef at elBulli, the world’s best pastry chef Jordi Roca, El Celler de Can Roca, and CANblau chef Jimmy Holm composed a special menu.
“ Cooking is among our children’s favorite activities, so Aarhus Festival has really hit the nail on the head with this initiative.” Lone Iversen, teacher at the Thorshavnsgade kindergarten
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Filmlab “ I didn’t know their music b efore, but I think it’s a really, really cool song. I listened to it a c ouple of times, weeded a bit in my garden, and 15 minutes later I came up with the story.” Frederikke Aspöck, film director (on Lambchop)
‘Filmlab Aarhus’ is a film festival about trying, risking and seeking new stories by proceeding differently when it comes to the production of the films.
“ Seven fun, exciting and very different artist talks in three days. From Rutger Hauer to Michael Noer. It has been a real experience.” Christian Monggaard, film critic og moderator
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Aarhus Conversations “Under the present Aarhus Festival administration the socalled Aarhus Conversations have grown to be a recurring phenom enon, where people can come and talk with artists, scientists, politicians and business people.” Anne Bech Danielsen, Politiken (national newspaper)
A number of great personalities meet for a series of exciting conversations – every year, on the basis of the festival theme.
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The Medium-Rare Sessions “It feels cool to be here. It feels like I get to be part of a community within a community, and it’s a special thing.” Mark Lanegan (US), musician
With The Medium-Rare Sessions, Aarhus Festival tries to create a little corner in Aarhus where musicians can come and go and make surprising things happen – both to the benefit of the music and for the audience.
“What is unique about this festival is that it is creating scenarios for artists to collaborate that would have never wound up on the same street together.”
“I want to dedicate this next song to all the other artists at this fine, fine festival.” M. Ward (US), musician ”You become addicted to these Aarhus Festival concerts.”
Sally Allen (US), musician
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Anders Pedersen, musician
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Trio “ I’ll be bragging about the Aarhus gig to many people for a long time... that was such an incredible event for me (and all of us it seems). So glad I was able to make it there. Very special time for sure. Thank you” Tony Garnier (US), Bob Dylan’s bass player the past two decades
The music comes in 3s, when 3x3 singers play with 3 musicians over the course of 3 days. Aarhus Festival pursues its quest for the perfect musical experience by allowing the best singers to sing the best songs with the best musicians at a venue with the best conditions for musicians and audience. In 2013, the base trio accompanying the singers were made up of Argentinian Diego Schissi, Swedish Gustaf Ljunggren and American Tony Garnier. The singers were Beth Orton , Anna Järvinen, Al Spx (Cold Specks), Jim White, Ariadna Prime, Eddi Reader, Sofia Karlsson and Povl Dissing.
“ Rad times all around.” Al Spx (CAN), musician
” That was about the best experience I ever had as an artist. Thank you for all you did to help.”
“ Praying to be back in Aarhus next year... It’s hard to let it go!
Diego Schissi (AR), musician
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Jim White (US), musician
Ujazz “ I’ve been playing and touring for over 30 years, and I must say, you guys did a superb job in organising the festival. These performances were truly among the best organized that I’ve ever experienced. ” Rhys Chatham (UK), jazz musician
There are plenty of surprises at Aarhus Festival’s minifestival for modern jazz, called Ujazz. In 2011 new jazz legend John Tchicai, The William Blakes and many others dove into improvised concerts. In 2012 John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin fame (pictured) visited with his electronic duo project Minibus Pimps and in 2013 the names on the programme included Murcof & Tony Buck and Rhys Chatham, who played with a large troupe of Danish musicians.
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Contact Jens Folmer Jepsen Executive director (+45) 87 30 83 08 (+45) 29 20 94 85 folmer@aarhusfestuge.dk
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aarhusfestival.com