REYKJAVÍK ARTS FESTIVAL 2010 ENDS – GREAT PARTICIPATION AND HIGH CRITICAL ACCLAIM
The Reykjavík Arts Festival 2010 closed this weekend with a stunning operatic performance by Kristinn Sigmundsson, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Reykjavík Opera Choir. The Festival's events numbered over 60 this year and included more than 600 artists, both Icelandic and foreign. All events were extremely well attended and received.
The first Reykjavík Arts Festival was held in the summer of 1970, so the festival is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. It began on 12 May and the opening weekend can only be described as being highly diverse. Concerts abounded from morning until night, a major concert was held at the Laugardalshöll arena, there was a veritable smorgasbord of theatre and jazz performances, a children's outdoor theatre production was performed in downtown Reykjavík in fabulous weather, and over 20 photo exhibitions opened on the first weekend alone. A number of foreign journalists came to Reykjavík for the Festival, sponsored by Visit Reykjavík, the Icelandic Tourist Board, the Trade Council of Iceland, and the Reykjavík Arts Festival. Collaboration between Icelandic and non-Icelandic artists featured highly this year, as did the broad scope of events. Artists' studios and writers' homes were the settings for readings and recitals and inevitably filled up with eager audiences. The Festival's events were extremely well received by audiences and critics alike, as demonstrated by the host of glowing reviews.
Among the concerts that received high critical acclaim were those by renowned Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes and the German siblings Christian and Tanja Tetzlaff, performances by Bedroom Community at the National Theatre of Iceland, recitals by the Carmina chamber choir that filled the Kristskirkja cathedral twice, and a series of morning recitals by Ágúst Ólafsson and Gerrit Schuil in the Fríkirkjan church, whose performance of Schubert's Swan Song brought down the house. Icelandic songwriter Megas revealed new sides of himself in front of a packed auditorium at the University Cinema, the exotic tones of Finnish virtuoso Kimmo Pohjonen were applauded by concert-goers at Nasa, and the generations danced into summer at Amadou and Mariam's delightful opening concert at the Laugardalshöll arena. The musical collectives Adapter and Njúton premiered progressive Icelandic music that was very well received. Dance and theatrical performances also garnered a wonderful reception. Icelandic audiences will surely long remember the magic of Romeo and Juliet performed by a Lithuanian theatre ensemble at the Reykjavík City Theatre, and three unorthodox theatrical productions fascinated audiences at the National Theatre of Iceland.
This year the Reykjavík Arts Festival focused on photography through numerous photographic exhibitions in galleries, museums and the open air. Most will remain on display until this summer, even though the formal Festival programme is over. David Byrne was a guest at this year's Festival with two photo exhibitions on Reykjavík's streets, and the exhibition Reality Check was on display in the city centre. Cindy Sherman's exhibition Untitled Film Stills will remain on display at the National Gallery of Iceland until this autumn. More information about opening hours of photo exhibitions at the Reykjavík Arts Festival may be found on the Festival's website, www.artfest.is.