{"id":17691,"date":"2019-08-13T20:16:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-13T19:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/?p=17691"},"modified":"2019-08-13T20:17:26","modified_gmt":"2019-08-13T19:17:26","slug":"belfast-international-arts-festival-2019-programme-launched","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/2019\/08\/belfast-international-arts-festival-2019-programme-launched\/","title":{"rendered":"Belfast International Arts Festival 2019 Programme Launched"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul><li><strong>Belfast selected for French and Japanese International Cultural Partnerships<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>14 Premieres, 200+ events, 20 days<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>15 October \u2013 3 November 2019<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>International programme  focuses on crossing artistic borders and pushing boundaries<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/press-8-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17693\" width=\"342\" height=\"512\"\/><figcaption>Smokin\u2019 Cuban Dame Launches 2019 Belfast International Arts Festival\rOne of the headline acts for this year\u2019s Belfast International Arts Festival was in Belfast to launch the 2019 Festival Programme.  The Cuban-born singer, Yaite Ramos-Rodriguez, known as La Dame Blanche, is the daughter of the creative director of the Buena Vista Social Club.  Her show at the Belfast Empire will be one of 14 premieres and 200 events across the city over 20 days from 15 October to 3 November.  Visitwww.belfastinternationalartsfestival.com for booking and full Festival programme.\rPhoto Credit: Brian Thompson<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The programme for the 57<sup>th<\/sup> Belfast International\nArts Festival has been launched, with a showcase performance by one of the\nFestival\u2019s signature artists, Cuban-born Parisian musician<strong>, La Dame Blanche<\/strong>,\nwho will perform at the Belfast Empire on Saturday 19<sup>th<\/sup>\nOctober.&nbsp; (Real name) Yaite Ramos Rodriguez is the daughter of the\nCreative Director of the <strong>Buena Vista Social Club<\/strong>.&nbsp; Reflecting the\nfestival\u2019s key themes of internationalism and artistic fusion, <strong>La Dame\nBlanche<\/strong> brought guests at the launch to their feet with her infectious and\nunique blend of hip-hop, cumbia and reggae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Festival Artistic Director, Richard Wakely<\/strong> unveiled\nthe programme, which will this year feature over 200 events from the world of\nmusic, dance, film, visual arts, literature and theatre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He revealed that Belfast has been chosen to contribute to\ntwo major international cultural celebrations, <strong>Japan-UK Season of Culture<\/strong>\nand <strong>FranceDance UK<\/strong>.&nbsp; He said, \u201cThe 2019 Belfast International Arts\nFestival will open on 15 October with the UK premiere of <strong><em>Median<\/em>,<\/strong>\na contemporary paring of choreography with digital projection and electronic\nsound from Japanese multi-disciplinary artist <strong>Hiroaki Umeda. <\/strong>Think of\nthe most creative music videos by Radiohead and Aphex Twin, meets the stealth\nand intensity of The Matrix.&nbsp; Also featuring in the programme will be <strong>ASUNA<\/strong>,\na wonderful young artist from Tokyo with his quirky, immersive sound\ninstallation, <strong>100 Keyboards. <\/strong>It is an honour to have been selected to\nhost some of Japan\u2019s finest artists.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Richard went on to reveal another major arts first for the\ncity.&nbsp; He said, \u201cShowcasing the best of international dance for Belfast\naudiences has always been one of my biggest goals for the Festival.&nbsp; I am\nespecially pleased to announce that on the weekend of 25<sup>th<\/sup> and 26<sup>th<\/sup>\nOctober, Belfast International Arts Festival will be co-hosting the first ever\nall-Ireland dance conference, <strong>Co-Motion<\/strong><em>,<\/em> in partnership with\nDance Ireland, Dance Resource Base and Queen\u2019s University Belfast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat weekend\u2019s Festival programme will include performances\nby <strong>Shobana Jeyasingh Dance<\/strong> performing an Irish premiere of <strong><em>Staging\nSchiele<\/em><\/strong> (the story of radical Austrian nude artist and self-portraitist,\nEgon Schiele) before it heads to Southbank\u2019s Queen Elizabeth Hall for its\nLondon run; and acclaimed French company <strong>(LA)HORDE <\/strong>performing their high\nenergy jumpstyle piece <strong><em>To Da Bone<\/em><\/strong>.&nbsp; This is a captivating,\ncontemporary rebel-call to the social media generation, both in its narrative\nand in the way that the cast was crowd-sourced from across Europe, through an\nopen audition on the internet.&nbsp; The work of <strong>(LA)HORDE<\/strong> will be\nrecognisable from the multi-million-viewed music video for Christine and the\nQueens\u2019 track Girlfriend.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This year\u2019s <strong>Embrace <\/strong>FREEpublic events\nprogramme will be headlined by a breathtaking UK and Irish premiere performance\nby French all-female circus-arts troupe led by <strong>Chloe Moglia<\/strong>, called <strong><em>La\nSpire<\/em><\/strong>, which will take place in Belfast\u2019s Botanic Gardens on Saturday\n19 and Sunday 20 October. This is a free, unticketed event, no booking\nrequired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a typically surprising sidestep for the Festival, Belfast\narchitects Hall McKnight will showcase an immersive large-scale installation at\nUlster University for three weeks, which was originally presented at the\nprestigious Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition.&nbsp;\nEntitled <strong><em>Unique Instruments, Expectant Spaces<\/em><\/strong><em>,<\/em> this\ncritically acclaimed installation looks at the re-imagining of civic spaces \u2013\nan interesting subject, as the Cathedral Quarter and University undergoes its\nown landscape re-imagining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, the eclectic musical offering in this year\u2019s\nprogramme will feature two shows in the Grand Opera House by <strong>Glen Hansard<\/strong>,\nwhich have all but sold-out on pre-release, County Down-born<strong> Two Door Cinema\nClub<\/strong> and <strong>Joshua Burnside<\/strong>, 70\u2019s ska favourites, <strong>The Selecter<\/strong>\nand a host of classical performances including NI star pianist <strong>Ruth McGinley<\/strong>\nand violinist <strong>Darragh Morgan<\/strong> performing as a duo for the first time; and\nclassical pianist <strong>Lucy Parham, <\/strong>joined by<strong> Juliet Stevenson <\/strong>and <strong>Tim\nMcInnerny, <\/strong>performing <strong><em>Beloved Clara <\/em><\/strong>which brings to life the\nlove triangle story between Robert Schumann, his wife Clara and Johannes\nBrahms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the field of theatre, and underscoring the continuing\nimportance of cultural relations across the island, the Festival brings together\nsome of Ireland\u2019s finest, including Dublin-based <strong>Fishamble <\/strong>with <strong>Pat\nKinevane\u2019s <\/strong>searing solo choreography and theatre piece <strong><em>Before<\/em>,<\/strong>\nwhich touchingly combines some of the best-loved songs from musical theatre\nwith a family drama centred around the closing day in Dublin\u2019s iconic Clery\u2019s\ndepartment store; and an edgy, of-the-moment piece by <strong>Chalk it Down\nProductions<\/strong>, <strong><em>Spliced,<\/em><\/strong>a study of mental health and\nmale identity in the uber-masculine sports world of gaelic games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the lighter side, <strong>Forced Entertainment<\/strong> will bring\nits mesmerising and Beckett influenced hit play, <strong>Real Magic <\/strong>to the MAC<strong>;\n<\/strong>while Northern Ireland\u2019s <strong>Big Telly Theatre Company <\/strong>will premiere <strong>The\nWorst Caf\u00e9 in the World, <\/strong>a special for the Festival, in a make-believe\npop-up caf\u00e9 in Belfast\u2019s Cathedral Quarter.&nbsp; Here, the diners will become\nflies on the wall as reality theatre unfolds around them through a histrionic\nchef, a menu of real-life pathos, comedy and drama, and waiting staff who just,\nwell, wait.&nbsp; With 8 performances from Wednesday 23 to Sunday 27 October\nthis is chaos not to be missed and diners are advised to book a post-theatre\nmeal elsewhere! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The literary and film sections of the programme are packed\nwith highlights and big names, including author <strong>Michael Rosen<\/strong> (<em>We\u2019re\nGoing on a Bear Hunt<\/em>) and <strong>Booker longlisted authors<\/strong> <strong>Max Porter <\/strong>(<em>Grief\nis a Thing with Feathers<\/em> and <em>Lanny<\/em>) and <strong>Kevin Barry <\/strong><em>(Night\nBoat to Tangier),<\/em> along with hotly tipped <strong>Kerry Hudson <\/strong>(<em>Lowborn<\/em>),\n<strong>Emilie Pine <\/strong>(<em>Notes to Self),<\/em><strong>Meena Kandasamy <\/strong><em>(Exquisite\nCadavers)<\/em> the <strong>Octavia Poetry Collective<\/strong> and a special event on 30\nOctober, the eve of Brexit, featuring journalist and author <strong>Gavin Esler<\/strong>\ntalk about his latest book <strong><em>Brexit without the Bullsh*t<\/em><\/strong>.&nbsp;\nPerfect timing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Always seen as an important platform to profile some of\nNorthern Ireland\u2019s top artists, this year\u2019s Festival season will close with a\ntour-de-force UK and Ireland premiere of<strong><em> Lady Magma<\/em><\/strong> by\nBelfast-born choreographer and dancer, <strong>Oona Doherty<\/strong>. In partnership with\n<strong>Prime Cut Productions<\/strong>, Oona will come, fresh from Edinburgh Festival, to\nperform this brand new ode to female strength and new femininity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Richard Wakely gave heartfelt thanks to Festival supporters\nand funders, the <strong>Arts Council of Northern Ireland<\/strong>, <strong>Tourism Northern\nIreland<\/strong>, the <strong>British Council<\/strong>, the <strong>Department for Communities<\/strong>,\nthe <strong>Irish Department of Foreign Affairs<\/strong>, and <strong>Belfast City Council<\/strong>,\nwithout whose backing the Festival would not be possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lord Mayor of Belfast<\/strong>, Councillor <strong>John Finucane<\/strong>\nsaid, \u201cI&#8217;m delighted that Belfast City Council is continuing to invest in\nBelfast International Arts Festival. It not only attracts fantastic\nworld-renowned international acts, but it also showcases home-grown talent and\nhelps to position Belfast as a must visit cultural destination. It\u2019s fantastic\nto see the festival go from strength to strength each year. I&#8217;d encourage\neveryone to check out this year&#8217;s impressive programme and wish everyone\ninvolved in the festival the very best of luck.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rois\u00edn McDonough,<\/strong> Chief Executive, <strong>Arts Council of\nNorthern Ireland<\/strong> said, \u201cThis is a programme of art of a truly international\nquality, carefully curated from around the world, the likes of which we would\nnot otherwise have the opportunity to enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is not just a boon for local audiences, but it raises\nNorthern Ireland\u2019s creative reputation at home and abroad and strengthens\nopportunities for cultural exchange between international artists and our\nhomegrown talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Arts Council is very proud to be the principal funder\nof this strategically and artistically important festival. We support it with\nPublic and National Lottery funds which allow Belfast International Arts\nFestival to continue to deliver a hugely ambitious and inspiring programme of\nartistic excellence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Aine Kearney<\/strong>, Business Support and Events Director, <strong>Tourism\nNI<\/strong> said: \u201cWe are delighted to support Belfast International Arts Festival\nthis year. With such a diverse and quality programme of activity on offer, this\nwell-established event appeals to both local and international visitors. Events\nsuch as Belfast International Arts Festival are firmly established within our\ntourism fabric, adding value to the positive perceptions and profile of our\ndestination and have been recognised as having an important role in\ncontributing to the economy. We wish all the artists, organisers and visitors\nan enjoyable and memorable experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jonathan Stewart<\/strong>, Director <strong>British Council\nNorthern Ireland<\/strong> said: \u201cThe British Council is delighted to be supporting\nthis year\u2019s festival. The festival once again has succeeded in bringing the\nbest of local and international artists and work to Belfast. This year we are\nreally excited about the international connections the festival is making\nthrough the <strong>Japan-UK Season of Culture<\/strong> 2019-2020, which celebrates\nconnections in culture and education between the UK and Japan. Involvement in\nthis international season will enable local audiences to enjoy leading Japanese\nchoreographer and artist Hiroaki Umeda on the opening night and we hope these\nconnections will lead to further opportunities and international interest in\nthe festival.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Belfast selected for French and Japanese International Cultural Partnerships 14 Premieres, 200+ events, 20 days 15 October \u2013 3 November 2019 International programme focuses on crossing artistic borders and pushing boundaries The programme for the 57th Belfast International Arts Festival has been launched, with a showcase performance by one of the Festival\u2019s signature artists, Cuban-born &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/2019\/08\/belfast-international-arts-festival-2019-programme-launched\/\">Continued<\/a><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17691"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17691"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17691\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17694,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17691\/revisions\/17694"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}