Giant spheres and lanterns to headline Night of the Arts

Turku 2011 programme during the Night of the Arts 18 August is set to include the Music of the Spheres performance, a lantern picnic, circus, theatre, DJ music and an exchange market for unneeded stuff. On the Vähätori (the little market place by the city library) you can give your eco-promise and light your Ancient Bonfire on the virtual map.

While the highly popular Colourscape labyrinth has just left Kupittaa Park, the Colourscape experience will culminate on the Night of the Arts with the Music of the Spheres performance at 10 p.m. Two gigantic plastic spheres moving between Turku Cathedral Bridge and Aura Bridge will carry flautist Simon Desorgher and aerial dancer Claire Crook as they deliver their performance.

Desorgher will perform in a giant sphere with a radius of 8 metres. The same sphere was featured in the Colourscape opening show in late July. This time, the Night of the Arts performance will take the experience to the next level, as the aerial dancer’s sphere spans up to 15 metres in diameter, providing the dancer with room to manoeuvre. The darkening August night will also provide a magical atmosphere for the performance.

Lantern Picnic, part of the 876 Shades of Darkness project, invites audiences to Vartiovuori Park between 5–10 p.m. to take in music and the darkening night under the pleasant glow of lanterns. French lantern group ParadeDesign will create a magical atmosphere in the park with large, winding lantern artworks. The high-quality picnic accompaniment will be performed by vibraphonist Severi Pyysalo and pianist Jussi Fredriksson with his trio, among others.

Vähätori Square will host an exchange market between 5–10 p.m., organised by Capital of Culture volunteers. Everyone can bring things they no longer need but in good condition to be exchanged for free for interesting finds brought in by others.

Starting from 6 p.m., DJ Fossa will spin records at the Capital of Culture information cafe, 2011 Corner. Corner and its terrace will be open till 10 p.m.

On the Night of the Arts, Turku 2011 programme will also extend beyond the city centre. The outdoor performance No Man’s Land will premiere in Raunistula at 8 p.m. The play brings together memories and personalities from past decades into a story of a waste land area in Raunistula.

At 7 p.m., Logomo will host the Les Etoiles rope dancing performance by the world-famous French group Les Colporteurs. Comprising two separate performances, the show is set to feature rock and roll on high heels and a poetic love story on the delicate art of finding a perfect balance. The highly successful performances have toured Europe for four years. The Logomo performance will be the Finnish premiere. Circus will also be featured in the Un circue plus juste performance by Barker Theatre and the Uusikaupunki–New York performance at Turku City Theatre will offer puppet theatre.