The very week when Romania celebrated the
\nNational Culture Day, the city of Timi\u015foara officially became a European
\nCapital of Culture for the year 2023.<\/p>\n
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The moment was marked on Monday, January 9,
\nwith a ceremony in which the 2022 European Capitals of Culture handed over the
\ntitles to the cities and regions that become Capitals in 2023: Elefsina (Greece),
\nVeszpr\u00e9m (Hungary) and Timi\u015foara (Romania). Symbolically, the
\nceremony was held in Athens, which was the first European Capital of Culture,
\nin 1985, when the project was initiated by the Greek actress, singer and
\npolitician Melina Mercouri and the French politician Jack Lang, a promotor of
\nmany projects in the field of culture. <\/p>\n
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With the motto Shine your light – Light
\nup your city!, Timi\u015foara seeks
\nto showcase its cultural traditions and to demonstrate that it is a model of
\ntolerance, a place where various ethnic minorities and cultures live together.
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Also
\nknown as the city on the Bega, after the river and navigable canal that crosses
\nit, Timi\u015foara stands out, among other things, thanks to its 3 state theatres,
\nwith performances in Romanian, German and Hungarian. Timi\u015foara is also dubbed little
\nVienna, due to the architecture of its heritage buildings. <\/p>\n
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The official launch
\nof the 2023 European Capital of Culture programme took place on February
\n17. Vlad T\u0103u\u0219ance, a member of the Timi\u015foara 2023 curatorial team, told us
\nabout the event: <\/p>\n
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Vlad T\u0103u\u0219ance: The Timi\u0219oara
\n2023 European Capital of Culture opening weekend is designed as a feast of the
\nentire city, as well as an opportunity for cultural operators to give the
\npublic in Timi\u0219oara, in Romania and around Europe a preview of what the Timi\u0219oara
\n2023 programme will look like. Whether we talk about exhibitions, performances,
\nconcerts or community events, this opening weekend is a festive moment, a celebration
\nif you want, of the entire Timi\u0219oara 2023 European Capital of Culture year. We
\nhave scheduled more than 50 events, of various proportions and on various themes,
\nfrom a large concert for the general public in the Union Square, in Timi\u0219oara, with
\ninternational artists from Serbia, Bulgaria and more joining local bands, with
\ngenres ranging from electronica to rock to world music, with a special
\nappearance by the Romanian group Taraf de Caliu. It is a special event, complete
\nwith an aerial dance show by Moale, a group from Spain well known
\nfor its electrifying performances.<\/p>\n
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A major pillar of
\nthe Timi\u0219oara 2023 European Capital of Culture opening weekend is the
\nexhibition series: <\/p>\n
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Vlad T\u0103u\u0219ance: On
\nthe one hand we have a collective exhibition called Chronic Desire, an
\nexhibition that brings together over 30 artists from Romania and Europe. It is
\na mix of emerging artists and celebrated names, which make the headlines in major
\nart biennales around the world or are included in the collections of important
\nmuseums. What connects all these artists is the theme of the exhibition:
\nChronic Desire. A need for meaning, a need for new definitions for a Europe
\nthat is truly facing rather uncomfortable realities, whether we talk about
\nidentity crises, aggression, climate change or war. It is a very interesting exhibition,
\nintended to give the public food for thought, to challenge them to find their
\nown answers to important questions of today. This is, in fact, one of the key
\ngoals of the European Capital of Culture programme. Beyond the spectacular
\nelement, so to say, the festive moments celebrated together, this title is also
\nabout introspection, about searching together and finding together new definitions
\nfor what Europe means, where it begins, where it ends and, more importantly,
\nwhere it is headed to.<\/p>\n
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The multiculturality
\nof the city on the Bega will be showcased in the events hosted this year, Vlad T\u0103u\u0219ance from the Timi\u015foara 2023 curatorial team also told us:<\/p>\n
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Vlad T\u0103u\u0219ance: The
\nNational Theatre, for instance, is preparing what I could call a spectacular
\nprogramme, with the most important names in choreography and contemporary drama.
\nThe Philharmonic is preparing collaborations with orchestras in Germany and
\nother countries. We have guests from around Europe in various projects, including
\nforum theatre or social theatre, art residences, events in unconventional
\nvenues. This kind of multiculturality is also reflected in the opening of
\nvenues that are not usually open to alternative culture or the general public,
\nand I mean churches or other religious centres, which will host both jazz
\nperformances, experimental music shows and even theatre plays. This mobilisation
\nis unprecedented in the history of the city, and with all modesty I would say
\nin Romania’s recent cultural history as well. <\/p>\n
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It was in Timi\u015foara that
\nthe first navigable canal in Romania was first built, in 1732, and in 1884 Timi\u015foara
\nwas the first European city to use electric lighting. In December 1989,
\nTimi\u015foara was the city where the anti-communist uprising started, which days
\nlater led to the fall of the communist regime in Romania. And this year, once
\nagain, Timi\u015foara aims to prove that it is a pioneering city. (AMP)<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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