Huge success for Notte Bianca 2013 A national orchestra concert with a difference, a massive pigeon installation and music echoing all around the capital were some of the highlights of this year’s Notte Bianca, as thousands flocked to Valletta’s largest cultural event yesterday evening. “Notte Bianca 2013 managed to break its own record and attract more than 70,000 visitors to Valletta,” said parliamentary secretary for culture and local government Jose’ Herrera. This is the first edition of Notte Bianca since Valletta was awarded the title of European Capital of Culture in 2018. Dr Herrera said that this year’s edition of Notte Bianca confirms that the decision to include a wide spectrum of artists from all walks of life and focus the programme on particular themes has proved to be successful. “Notte Bianca is a living example of how different art forms can be used in order to generate income and interest in the cultural and creative industries.” He thanked all those who helped with the organisation of this event, particularly the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts. Accompanied by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts chairman Albert Marshall and V.18 chairman Jason Micallef, Dr Herrera visited the President of the Republic George Abela. Together they visited a substantial part of the activities organised in Valletta. “The special trip from Gozo organised with the help of Gozo Channel was another success story, as tickets for this trip were sold out in less than an hour.” With over 1,000 participants and over 100 events - from street and performing arts to visual arts and new media, from live music to literature, food and fairs - this year’s Notte Bianca managed to retain some of the features which make it so well-loved while introducing a fresh vision and exciting new concepts. This year’s festival encouraged collaborations across generations and sectors, including with different generations of artists, craftsmen, entertainers and cultural practitioners. It also paid tribute to the notion of legacy: a traditional elevated stage or planċier was built in St Lucy Street for the festival’s live classical, opera and brass band music programme. This structure will remain even after the festival is over. Other new features included curated music stages, which required bands to play mainly original music and group them according to genre – as well as the reinvention of a number of locations. The festival kicked off yesterday evening at 6pm with an official opening, complete with coloured smoke and In Guardia troops. A closing breakfast at 2am at the Casino Maltese brought the night to an end. “This has been an amazing experience,” said artistic director Sean Buhagiar, also known for his theatre work and his most recent project Ċirku Malta, the Maltese circus show at the Malta Arts Festival. “I would like to thank all the people who have made this success possible. It has been a pleasure and an honour for me to work with such a dedicated team.” Notte Bianca is supported by The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Oct 2013 06:44:19 +0000
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