First details of the 40th Kilkenny Arts Festival announced today
It is almost forty years since a young, tousle-haired Seamus Heaney took to the stage in the back room of Kyteler’s Inn for a reading at the very first Kilkenny Arts Festival in 1974. The poet was virtually unknown, but he held the audience spellbound, and artists have been doing just that every year in Kilkenny since. The festival has built up an enviable reputation at home and abroad for the presentation of both familiar and more esoteric art programming, slicing up styles and genres and serving them up, side by side, to eager audiences.
The Kilkenny Arts Festival draws over 28,000 visitors to the city annually with its mix of poets and performers, sopranos and sculptors, Krautrock and craftwork, workshops and talks. The festival has showcased some big names over the years – like theatre director Peter Brook, writer Garrison Keillor, or Turner Prize-winner Susan Philipsz – but it has also nurtured home-grown talent, formed its own dedicated festival chorus and helped to launch the stars of tomorrow. From silent film screenings in St Canice’s to hurdy gurdy players in the 16th century tavern The Hole in the Wall, there’s no city like Kilkenny, and no festival like the Kilkenny Arts Festival.
Today, Monday 25 March, details were announced of a number of major events from this year’s programme including two Festival commissions in the fields of music and dance. Tickets for these events go on sale on 26 March at 10am. The full programme for the 40th Kilkenny Arts Festival will be announced in the coming months.
Speaking of the announcement Rosemary Collier, Festival Director said, “For 40 years, Kilkenny Arts Festival – or arts week as it was formerly known – has played such an important role in the cultural life of this country and is an integral part of Irish summers. To mark our 40th Festival we hope to celebrate the legacy of eclectic programming that has been presented at Kilkenny down through the years. We are delighted that a number of artists who have been part of Kilkenny Festival story in the past will return this year including Colm Tóibín, Irish pianist Barry Douglas and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Company (UK). We are equally excited to be presenting four times Grammy Award winning Dawn Upshaw who will perform her first solo recital in Ireland. New works are always a key part of the Festival and we delighted to announce Festival commissions for 2013 include a piece by leading American composer Michael Gordon to be performed by The Crash Ensemble, and a brand new dance show called Dusk Ahead from Junk Ensemble.”
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The Dust Settles On A Fantastic Festival
With the dust settled on the 2012 Kilkenny Arts Festival we have already started planning ahead to 2013 which is sure to be as inspiring and uplifting as this year's festival with a strong artistic programme taking shape already. The 2012 Kilkenny Arts festival was one of the most successful and most well attended festivals in the history of the festival. The feedback has been incredible with artists and attendees sharing their stories and experiences with the festival team over the past few months and what the Kilkenny Arts Festival meant to them. Words commonly used included 'extraordinary', 'wonderful buzz', 'explosive cultural events', 'warm audiences', 'enjoyment', 'magical', 'positive energy' and 'soulful'. For those in the know, Kilkenny Arts Festival is not only Ireland's Oldest Multi-Disciplinary Arts festival but a period in the Irish events calendar where culture and the arts meet in the beautiful Medieval City of Kilkenny for 10 days every August and magic happens. We don’t just put on a festival we create an experience and one that you won’t get anywhere else in any other Country, City or any other festival.
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Video: A Winged Victory For The Sullen
A delayed flight from Venice to Dublin almost meant one half of A Winged Victory For The Sullen missed the show in Set but between swift pilots and friends willing to get the rest of the band to the Kilkenny, we got the full effect of their magical soundscapes. The lights were turned down low, the atmosphere set and for the best part of 80 minutes, those in Set Theatre were completely hooked into their performance. Hit play, close your eyes and take a listen...
Banville Talks
One of Ireland’s greatest living playwright’s, John Banville made another welcome return to Kilkenny for his customary insightful chat. Here's a collection of his best soundbites!
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Video: Kilkenny Arts Festival Choir & Orchestra
The Kilkenny Arts Festival Choir & Orchestra, now in its third year of programming, took to the stage at St. Canice's Cathedral last night where amateur and professional performers combined under the watchful eye of conductor Fergus Sheil for a programme including Beethoven's Meeresstille und Gluckliche Fahrt, Mass in C major op. 86 and Hector Berlioz' Les Nuits d'Été. Here's a short extract for you.
Video: Jape Live at Set Theatre
Richie Egan and Jape arrived with gusto to Set Theatre, having the roof raised, the dance floor torn up - throw whatever superlatives you want it the gig, it was absolutely top stuff from a band who are at the top of their game. Here's a snippet of what you may have missed, or just want to relive from the night.
Video: Warm Ghost
Brooklyn's Warm Ghost arrived in Kilkenny to play their first Set Theatre show in advance of Jape on Friday 17 August. Here's a selection of highlights from their set which got underway around 9.40pm last night.
The Hubert Butler Annual Lecture
This years Hubert Butler lecture came courtesy of Misha Glenny who played to a packed house in St. Canice's Cathedral.
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Murderous Laughter
There was a packed house in the Watergate Theatre on Friday afternoon to see one of Ireland’s foremost experts on Shakespeare, Fintan O’Toole give a talk about the Bard's work.
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Video: Finghin Collins & Maarten Koningsberger
Irish pianist Finghin Collins joined Dutch baritone Maarten Koningsberger once more at St. Canice's Cathedral to perform Schubert's celebrated song cycle, Winterreise. Here's a short clip of what went on.
