Tel Aviv celebrates 100th birthday

February 5, 2009 - 1:28 AM by

contempoWhen the folks of Tel Aviv decides to celebrate, they do it in style. The official Tel Aviv-Jaffa Centenial celebrations are being launched this weekend (I’m not sure exactly what happened in 1909 – maybe the first parking ticket issued?).

Touted as the first festival of its kind, the Contempo Fest is going to feature hundreds of artists from Israel and Europe over a three-week period, focusing on video art, DJs, concerts, operas, and a diverse display of contemporary musical styles: classical, electronic, club music, and rock.

First up is SOUNDS & VISIONS: Artists’ Films and Videos from Europe The Last Decade, which is a multi-media exhibition of Europe’s foremost video artists at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Among the dozen outre artists displaying their projects include Italy’s bad boy Francesco Vezzoli (An Embroidered Trilogy 1997-99), Cyprien Gaillard (France), Christian Jankowski (Germany), Jesper Just (Denmark), Mona Vatamanu and Florin Tudor (Romania).

Over the next three weeks, venues like the Caliph Club, Einav Auditorium, Ha’eiva in Yafo, Levontin 7 Club, Tmuna Theater and the Felicja Blumental Music Center, will also be featuring exhibitions and performances.

And even though they were not to happy with us over Operation Cast Lead, those EU member states are suckers for art, so participating countries include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Among the homegrown talent will be:

* Meitar in a program bringing compositions by Israeli poets and composers on the theme of Tel Aviv. The New Vocal Ensemble will perform at the Einav Center with a cabaret tribute to Tel Aviv.

* Two contemporary operas will premier at the Festival: “ME,” by composer Kiki Keren Hoss at “The Ark,” based on texts by Lea Goldberg, performed by Nova Music Group and directed by Danny Erlich. “An Index of Metals,” a video-art opera by composer Fausto Romitelli (1963-2004) and Paolo Pachini, performed by the 21st Century Ensemble, will appear at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

* A tribute concert to one of the major composers of the 20th century Luciano Berio, marking six years since his death. The Meitar ensemble with perform the premier of British-Israeli composer Yerach Fishman’s, Dan Yuhas and Ari ben Shabtai.

* Ensemble Nikel will perform pieces of Chaya Chernobin, Steven Takasogi and Helmut Ohring. Nizar Raduan’s Haifa Ensemble and the Tel Aviv Art Ensemble will perform, “The First Time,” by Alon Olearchik at the Einav Auditorium.

Numerous overseas artists and groups, many of whom will perform in collaboration with Israeli groups, will be participating as well: A concert by Musica Nova on contemporary French music at Tmuna, including pieces by renowned contemporary composer and Festival guest artist Betsy Jolas. Neue Vocalsolisten Stuttgart, one of the most important ensembles in its area, returns for another successful visit, with a program of love songs. From Germany, the Mosaic Ensemble, winners of the Siemans award, with Engel, will perform pieces by Palestinian composer Samir Ouda Tamimi, including “Shatilla” and “Our Brothers II” as well as pieces by new German composers. The Mosaic and Nikel ensembles will perform together in a musical marathon, featuring works by German composer and Festival guest Helmut Ohring, one of music’s most renowned and intriguing figures.

Electronic Music and Interdisciplinary events dealing with the meeting point of art, music and the culture of the world of clubs will take place within the framework of C.SIDE, at the Caliph Club, following four years in Jerusalem and Berlin. Curators: Roni Shen-Dar (Israel) and Tiel Roman (Germany).

C.Side will host over 30 leading acts from around the world and Israel on a number of stages.
International artists include: Efterklang (Denmark), Kameel John Farrah (Canada), Mina and the Complainer Asi (Poland), Kucharczyk brother and sister Mit and Ganopol (France), dOP (France), Carreras Jacopo (Italy/Germany), Glitterbug (Germany).

So, if it’s culture you’re looking for, with a taste of European class, then Tel Aviv is the place to be this month. Happy Birthday!

Tags: , , , , • Category: History and Culture, Movies, Music, Pop Culture 

Comments

One Comment on Tel Aviv celebrates 100th birthday

  1. Avi on Thu, Feb 5th 2009 12:18 PM

    2. Don’t know if it reopened yet but for the Tel Aviv 100 hope everyone visits the renovated Bialik house and (most importantly) the new Tel Aviv museum (built by my great-great uncle, I must add!) in the original city hall on Rehov Bialik. Should be opening soon!

Leave a Comment





© 2012 ISRAELITY | Sitemap