News Festival Lent 2015

Echoes of love in the rain

Fri, 10 Jul 2015 12:10:00 +0200

The long awaited rain finally cooled down the city and transformed Thursday night into a tribute to love with acoustic concerts, rock music or a cosmic journey created by the sounds of the guitar. The band Hamo & Tribute 2 Love put a romantic twist of the warm but rainy evening by creating an intimate, acoustic evening with the sounds of guitars, percussion, keyboards, bass and distinctive vocals. Matevž Hamo Šalehar’s vocals made people ignore the summer rain or even join him on stage to seek shelter. Hamo & Tribute 2 Love Demolition group and Kill Kenny took a different approach to romance. “Make sure you always leave some room for uncertainty, fear and unreasonableness. That way, love is born," said the vocalist of Demolition group, Goran Šalamon. The masters of poetry, coming from the darkest places of the human soul, promoted their new album Zlagano sonce. The band demolished our casual interpretation of the modern world and made us question our perception of today’s society. “Start every morning without dreams and realize that we are 99% complete,” was an introduction to a single that immediately created the distinctive demolishing energy, accompanied by passionate sounds of the saxophone. Demolition Group Bill Frisell used fewer words and let his music do all of the talking. Unlike Demolition group, Frisell slowly, gently and lovingly told his music story entitled Guitar and the space age. One of the best composers of American guitar music gradually built the energy with every song, taking the audience from the romantic American prairie to a trip to the universe. By making a unique connection with the audience, Frisell maintained the atmosphere without commenting or breaks. When the audience refused to let him of the stage, he picked up the guitar once again and continued to spread love all over the vast universe. Bill Frisell and the band

The global phenomenon of the Brazilian samba

Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:23:00 +0200

It is hard to believe that the laid-back members of the group Bossa Negra actually represent the new global musical phenomenon, with millions of fans in Brazil and worldwide. Their European tour, which started out in England, led them to Slovenia and their next stop will be Italy. After passionate concerts and several sleepless nights, the band still provided the crowd with the stereotypical energetic Latin American temperament and a fusion of sounds. Members of Bossa Negra successfully combine samba, jazz, lundu, chor, popular music, and amazing vocals that have been known to break some hearts in the past. Diogo Nogueira is one of the most famous Brazilian singers and son of the legendary samba singer Joãja Nogueira. Despite being just over 30 years old, he already received a Grammy Award for Best Latin American album. He is known for performing with his golden microphone, which represents his instrument and connection to the audience. Hamilton De Holanda, one of the best mandolin players in the world, masters his 10-string instrument with a unique technique, which had the critics rename him to "the king of Mandolin" and "Jimi Hendrix of Brazilian music". The pair was joined on stage by André Vasconcelos (bass) and Thiago de Serrinha (percussion). Bossa Negra is a phenomenon not only because of their unique approach to making music, but because unlike groups that build their own musical repertoire for decades, Bossa Negra is a relatively new band. The group is supported by the Brazilian government and is therefore accompanied by ambassadors and cultural representatives everywhere they travel, including Maribor.

Clowns, rabbits, fish and other windows to the world

Tue, 07 Jul 2015 17:52:00 +0200

Clown Barabba showed off his acrobatic stunts in front of Vetrinjski Dvor Mansion, which was followed by street magician Sam Sebastian’s interactive performance One Man Magic Cabaret that was full of magic, juggling and mental tricks. Clowns, artists and circus animals also took over the area in front of the Water Tower for the Circus Copatky performance. The highlights of circus events, however, were French artists Sebastien Le Guen and Jerome Hoffman, who wowed the crowd with their spectacular artistic performance Weight of Skin. Their unique fusion of tightrope walking and live music created an unforgettable show, which seemed perfectly coordinated with the background music. Weight of skin

Street festival in three acts

Monday night was an introduction to a dynamic and busy festival week as well as the first day of this year’s Street Theatre Festival, produced in collaboration with the Ana Monro Theatre and under the auspices of the street theater festival Ana Desetnica. The festival will last until Wednesday, July 8, with a variety of performances and international artists at two venues: Vetrinjski Dvor Mansion and Water Tower. Tuesday will start with a playful, absurd, emotional and spontaneous interactive street performance Three of a Kind, in which three middle-aged man try to deliver an important package, but have forgotten what the shipping address was. Also make sure to catch Polona and Petra Prosen and their puppet show Fish in front of the Water Tower, or the theater group Bad Rabbits, comprised of music students from Vilna, in front of Vetrinjski Dvor Mansion. End the evening with an impressive fire spectacle Carmen Funebre that will make the parking lot next to the Water Tower light up in flames. The final night on Wednesday will include eight performances, starting with the performance Grounding at 7PM at the Vetrinjski Dvor Mansion and puppet show Totem at 7:30PM at the Water Tower. The street performances will continue late into the night, with the peak being the show Window, in which Sébastien Fraboulet – Čopko and Manca Uršič will make us dizzy with a fusion of vertical dance, puppets, music and interactivity. Let imagination, creativity and positivity take over and spend the following days in the company of street artists. Circus Copatky

Unstoppable Riblja Čorba

Mon, 06 Jul 2015 13:23:00 +0200

“Wow! I knew I had to come to Maribor so we can rock out all the way!” said front man Bora Đorđević at the beginning of the band’s performance at Večer stage as the crown immediately started singing along. “We are happy to be performing outdoors! You can hear us all the way to Murska Sobota!” added Đorđević. Riblja Čorba served Maribor with an acoustic performance of their unique music with unexpected interpretations. “Don’t worry, this was the only one, I swear,” said Đorđević after performing a Slovenian song on his guitar. The project »Čorba se čuje i bez struje« in unplugged version filled the venue with positive energy and hundreds of voices all singing in harmony. "We are here to present our new album. And other 25 of them.” The band loved the fact the audience knew all their songs as well as they do themselves. "This will be our first acoustic performance in Slovenia. We will be joined by the string quartet Metamorfoze, three vocalists and two drummers from Montenegro. The program is brand new, as it includes two new songs, songs you haven’t heard for a while, as well as some of our most popular singles with a twist,” explained Đorđević before the concert.

The indefatigable musical activist on the stage at Minoriti

Sat, 04 Jul 2015 11:33:00 +0200

On 4th of July at 10 p.m. the first name of African music, South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela, is to stand on a stage in Slovenia, that is why his concert on the Zavarovalnica Maribor stage will be something really special. Always in good mood, and despite his 76 years still in great shape, he is very looking forward to his first Slovenian performance. „We will play some of our most popular songs which people all around the world love to hear and sing with us. For example, Stimela, the hit Grazing in the Grass, Lady by Fela Kuti and Bring back Nelson Mandela. We will combine them with some of our less known ones,“ he announced their evening repertoire. "We have an excellent band. The group following us always has very demanding work to do,“ he smiled. He has been playing with this cast for ca. 5 years, and says they get along very well: „The group is now very relaxed and greatly harmonized, and people all around the world notice that.“ He is staying true to his African roots and despite numerous musical influences during his 60-year-long career, Masekela says: "We play African music, that’s all we know. But I think it’s the widest combination of different music from our continent since Miriam Makeba. We play stuff from Congo, Nigeria, the South African Republic, activist songs from the times of the fight against apartheid.“ The contact with the audience is very important and this is why he puts a lot of energy into the communication with his listeners, and encourages them to sing with him. „You don’t make music for yourself, but for the people. And if they are not happy by the end of the concert, if they didn’t take something with them, some nice memories or a good feeling, then you wasted their time. People like to listen to quality music, but foremost they like to have fun, also some humour is more than welcome, and this is why I try to give them both,” he added, and said goodbye with a friendly hug, not just a handshake. Masekela stepped on his musical path in 1954, when the local priest gave him a trumpet, and after that he evolved into a real music star. He was a member of the first South African band (The Jazz Epistles), where Dollar Brand (later known as Abdullah Ibrahim) played the piano. His best known song »Grazing in the grass«, experienced incomparable international fame in the early 70's, and sold out all auditoriums in the USA. At the same time, he was a passionate fighter for the liberation of Nelson Mandela, and his song Bring back Nelson Mandela, bring him to Soweto became the voice of all freedom fighters. Although he is 76 now, he is still in great shape, has many concerts all around the world and published around 50 albums, while learning from the greatest jazz musicians. In 1960, when he was forced to leave his homeland, he arrived at the music school in Manhattan with the help of famous violinist and conductor Yehudi Menuhin during the golden age of New York jazz. He was meeting a lot of music giants every evening, like Miles Davis, John Coltrane in Thelonious Monk, and he learned from Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Harry Belafonte in Miriam Makeba. He collaborated with Fela Kuti and played trumpet in some of the earliest recordings of Bob Marley. In 2010 he opened the FIFA World Cup with his band, and has reached the record-breaking TV rating of 500 million. A year later, he was guest musician at the biggest U2 concerts (featured in »I still haven't found what I am looking for«). He arranged music for one of the best-selling albums of world music, »Graceland« by Paul Simon. Last year he received the most prestigious world music award – WOMEX Award. He is still committed to the fight against racism, and the recognition of the African cultural heritage.

Jurček – bigger, better, legendary!

Wed, 01 Jul 2015 12:31:00 +0200

The famous area next to the Water Tower seemed perfect to be a new concert location for one of the oldest and most visited stages of the festival. Jurček Stage is considered to be an oasis of positive energy, which results in its colorful program and loyal audience. According to producer Vladimir Šega, the program will preserve Jurček’s distinctive identity while having more space to accommodate visitors.
Jurček (Večer archive) Named after Jurček, a legend from the streets of Maribor, the stage reflects his personality. Jurček was a funny character that was always present at the festival. Long mustache, small figure, an old police uniform, a radio in one hand and always full of rumors is what best describes the festival’s unofficial director. Jurček was popular everywhere he appeared, and funny enough, he appeared everywhere.
Gustafi

Some of the events at Jurček Stage you will not want to miss:

- July 3: Uros Perič, The Bluenote Quartet and The Pearlettes will pamper us with the golden sounds of jazz, blues and soul, which will be followed by an exciting performance by Driving Mrs. Satan; - July 4: Gustafi from Croatia will seduce you with the typical Istrian folk rhythms - July 5 will feature the long-time friends of our festival: Tomaž Domicelj and Janez Bončina Benč; - July 6: Open Cabaret will bring together Jure Ivanušič, Zoran Predin, Vasko Atanasovski and many others - July 7: join Gal Gjurin and Temna Godba in bringing back swing and Charleston from the twenties - July 8: time for the big three: Pero Lovšin, Vlado Kreslin and Zoran Predin - July 9: Hamo & Tribute 2 Love will create an intimate and acoustic night - July 10 will bring you the true Southern-American rock by Crossroads and Tresperados; - July 11: Rudi Bučar & Istrabend, followed by a percussion-based musical and visual treat by The Stroj!
The Stroj

A magnificent folklore evening marked by anniversaries and a new locations

Wed, 01 Jul 2015 10:07:00 +0200

“This is a special evening,” started the Mayor of Maribor, Andrej Fištravec, pointing out the new location and the anniversaries mentioned above. The president of CIOFF Magdalena Tovornik also welcomed the new location: “Folkart and its colorful performances are once again located in the center of Maribor’s culture, which we can all be proud of.” As always, the first to perform was the dance group from Slovenia, followed by colorful performances from Benin, which took us back to the beginning of human culture, which originated from African tribes.
KUD Franc Ilec Loka/Rošnja After a calm beginning there was time for something a bit more exciting – Singapore. A large dance group from the Lion City showcased the acrobatic dance of joy, happiness and peace. Next up was a performance by our former co-citizens from Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was full of consistency and rich choreography.
Benin A treat of the evening was definitely the group from Panama. Full of charisma and colorful costumes, the dancers brought energy, laughter, and typical style of singing called saloma. The evening ended with a performance of the Polish group, which can be described as a mixture of traditional folklore and elements of the Russian kazačok.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Panama Folkart festival will go on until the closing performance on Saturday, July 4^th, at the Leon Štukelj Square. For more information, see Folkart program 2015.

A day in the city is never the same!

Tue, 30 Jun 2015 19:04:00 +0200

Yesterday, numerous visitors stopped to see the RV, attached to a banged up SUV with Polish license plates. Suspicious? The situation became bizarre when two people, dressed in sports pants, Hawaiian shirt and white socks, jumped out of the vehicle and started playing ukulele and setting up for picnic. People quickly gathered around them to see what else they would come up with. Tank, 29. 6. at Grajski trg Square "Summer BBQs and spending time with friends has its charm and is popular in many cultures. We decided to use this as a base for our performance and add a mobile beer brewery, which allows us to let visitors be part of the show. Our inspiration were cartoons and anime shows. The performance is somewhat nostalgic, so many people can relate to it,” said producer Piotr Chlipalski.

Turning streets and squares into stages

The performance Tank was a warm-up to the street theatre festival Ana Desetnica, which celebrates its 18^th birthday this year since being a part of Festival Lent for the first time in 1997. This year, most performances will take place at Grajski Square, Vetrinjski Dvor Mansion and the new Jurček Stage venue at the Water Tower. Street performers from all over Europe will entertain the visitors and bring a new dynamic into the city.

On July 3^rd, Grajski Square will be full of Spaniards and on July 4^th, Koroška street will be closed down, providing the location for the dwarf performance Onani.

Weight of skin The highlight of street theater events will take place between July 6 and 8, when the city will be full of performers, including a fire-spitting Clown Barabba, and Circus Copatky, which will showcase what life is like in a circus camp. An artistic French performance Weight of Skin, located on a mobile construction 7 metres above ground, and a fire spectacle Carmen Funebre, will have you gasping for air. The final performance this year will be Window, which will take place at the city walls of Fotostolp.
Window If you encounter suspicious and unusual people or events in the days to come, do not make a run for it but rather let your imagination take its course and enjoy a different kind of day in the city.

International folk festival FOLKART is coming to Maribor

Mon, 29 Jun 2015 10:00:00 +0200

Folkart is the event that brings colors to the city, attracts people and takes them to a different world far away. Folk dance groups from all over the world will change Maribor into a stage for dance, playfulness, passion and music. Dancers bring cultural traditions from different continents and introduce us to new cultures. Their performances take us back in time. Folkart is one of the most famous folklore festivals in Europe, which creates new friendships that last for generations. This year, the groups that will share their rich heritage on stage come from: Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hawaii, Panama, Poland, Singapore and Slovenia.

On the streets of Maribor and in the City Park

This year, we're moving the evening performances to SNG Maribor hall. During the day, the dance groups will be performing all over Maribor, which will allow visitors to get to know new cultures, traditions, instruments and costumes. Art Camp | Monday, 29. 6. | 16.00 – 20.00: PANAMA, BENIN
Art Camp | Wednesday, 1. 7. | 16.00 – 20.00: BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Art Camp | Thursday, 2. 7. | 16.00 – 20.00: HAWAII Maribor | Wednesday, 1. 7. | 11.00 – 12.30: Main Square carnival, Grajski Square performance (PAN, POL, HAV)
Maribor | Thursday, 2. 7. | 11.00 – 12.30: Main Square carnival, Grajski Square performance (BEN, BIH, SIN)
Maribor | Saturday, 4. 7. | 11.00 – 12.00: Grajski Square performance (BEN, BIH, HAV, PAN, POL, SIN);
12.30 – 13.00: Carnival from Grajski Square to Europark;
12.30 – 13.00: Europark performance

Folklore evenings at SNG Maribor

Evening dance performances will take place at SNG Maribor for three evenings in a row. The opening performance will feature all dance groups, which will later present their dance routines at individual performances in the following days. SNG Maribor Theatre | Tuesday, 30. 6. | 20:00: Opening performance - BENIN, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, USA - HAWAII, PANAMA, POLAND, SINGAPORE AND SLOVENIA
SNG Maribor Theatre | Wednesday, 1. 7. | 20:00: PANAMA, POLAND, USA - HAWAII
SNG Maribor Theatre | Thursday, 2. 7. | 20:00: BENIN, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, SINGAPORE

Closing performance at Leon Štukelj Square

The grand finale will be a festive performance, including all dance groups and providing a unique and diverse cultural experience, located in the heart of Maribor. Leon Štukelj Square | Saturday, 4. 7. | 21:30 to 23:30: BENIN, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, USA - HAWAII, PANAMA, POLAND, SINGAPORE and SLOVENIA

Youth folklore groups take over Triglav Stage

Folklore dances and traditions also inspire the younger generations, who learn about their heritage at a young age. The City Park will feature the 17^th Youth Folkart festival at Triglav Stage, with groups from all over the world. Come and see groups from: Serbia and Slovenia on June 30^th, Bulgaria, Spain and Hawaii on July 2^nd, and Mexico and Ukraine on July 3^rd.

Other venues

Folklore groups will also perform at other venues in Maribor and its surroundings, such as the Marprom Arena, which will feature the Benin group on July 1^st and Panama and Poland groups on July 2^nd, and the Municipality of Miklavž, which will host the Singapore group on July 1^st.

Lent-ing in the park

Sun, 28 Jun 2015 13:04:00 +0200

From today on, the festival will be transforming the city centre into a gallery of smiles, playfulness, happiness, and the indestructible desire to create and listen to good music. Add summery weather, and the fresh atmosphere in the city park, and you get an incredible cultural and creative program of Art Camp, and its Triglav stage. Get ready for numerous workshops, the festivals of culture, culinary and fine arts, readings, fairy tales, natural sciences, sports activities and many more. This is the right address to refresh yourself during the hot summer days in the company of children’s laughter and creative energy, before starting your evening at Lent. Besides all the workshops and other highlights, you can come at 16.00, and see the first performers on Triglav stage – the drumming collective Afir Bafir. They will be filling the space with traditional West African rhythms, and Slovenian compositions. One hour later, you can attend the accompanying program of Folkart, where the folklore groups will be present before the main program in Slovene National Theatre Maribor. Today at 17.00 you will be seeing the groups from Benin and Panama. For a striking finish of the first day, Maribum Afriqui, a collective of Slovenian and Malian artists, will conclude the evening with African rhythms, and a musical and dance treat! The creative summer days will be opened by the first street theatre performance at 18.30 on Grajski square. We are welcoming the roguish performance Tank, presenting you two excellent musicians and theatricals from Poland. Older visitors might be reminded of the legendary Czech cartoon "The Neighbours": there will be a caravan, deckchairs, even a DIY grill, and there will be a band playing the greatest hits of that time. But what is missing is … well ... the men ran out of beer! The two geniuses will try to undo the disaster by building their own brewery. Will you give them a hand?