Vladimír Grežo

Dear visitors of the summer festival, guests and visitors of the city,

34th edition of The Summer of Culture Festival Bratislava 2009 comes again to change well-known places of the city into art stages. Main dramaturgist of the biggest cultural festival in city the Bratislava Culture and Information Centre has prepared rich program offer and more than 180 main programs on 20 stages where during 82 days will perform artists from 18 countries and 3 continents. Summer meetings are waiting on you in unusual places of open streets, big happening stages, parks, courtyards of two castles as well as in decent premises for near dialogue between art and spectator.

The ceremonial opening of the festival is done by three-part project in the city centre. Program called Living Streets is an invitation and as well a presentation of numerous stages and programs of the Summer of Culture. Main evening program belongs to concert of works of J.N.Hummel, native from Bratislava – Hummel on the Main Square and the musical-movie session will be concluded by projection of the first Slovak film Jánošík accompanied by unique live music – Bashavel. Novelty of the opening week is a three-part cycle dedicated to 60th anniversary of foundation of SĽUK, the Slovak folk artistic group, as well as programs International Gypsy FEST and 100th anniversary of Čierny Hron steam railway.

Our festival summer will bring totally 10 cycles and 12 festivals. Here belong traditional festivals and art cycles which has been around for more than three decades like Guitar festival of J.K.Mertz as well as exceptionally successful projects of past years – Summer Shakespeare Festival, modern festival of classical music Viva Musica and cycles – On the Wandering Road, Fairy Palace, Music on Danube, Sculpture and Object, Jazz under the Tower but also newer programs Summer of Actor Personalities Bratislava – Praha or great cycle of projects from 10 countries – International Bratislava.

Program will be accompanied by various artistic events in the streets of city, by new festival venue – art stage on Franciscan Square as well as by first plays in City Theatre of P.O.Hviezdoslav in production of BKIS – Moment of Truth with Dagmar Havlová.

Various independent events will resume the festival, for example Echoes of the Summer of Culture in the late September and in October will be organized a Slovak wide creative meeting of organizers of city festivals and Cultural summers in Gerlachov.

Dear Friends of art and Bratislava, welcome to the Summer of Culture Festival Bratislava 2009!

Vladimír Grežo
Director of BCIC