Grand opening at Zollverein World Cultural Heritage site
UNESCO Welterbe Zollverein, Essen / Photo: Rupert Oberhäuser
The European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010 will get off to a strong start with an exciting event open to the public on January 9 & 10, 2010. A huge cultural festival for all residents of the Ruhr metropolis will start at 18:00 Saturday at the Zollverein World Cultural Heritage site in Essen. This follows the official opening ceremony, which will be broadcast live on German TV.
Under the motto "GLÜCK AUF 2010" (a traditional miner’s "good luck" greeting), a wide array of cultural performances and previews shown at the Zollverein’s many exhibition halls will arouse visitors’ interest and put them in the mood for RUHR.2010. Guests can also walk through the spectacularly lit outdoor "night-time city of arts". The colourful course passes through 50 big and small sites that represent the unique cultural cocktail served by the Ruhr metropolis in 2010.
The shine of the "1000 fires" will light up the dark and rambling industrial landscape and transform it into a bright, vibrant and fascinating cultural landscape. The spectacular production will include presentations specially created for the event by the 53 cities of the Ruhr metropolis. The Saturday celebration will conclude with a dazzling half-hour fireworks display.
On Sunday, RUHR.2010 and the Ruhr Museum will continue the opening activities with a high-calibre offering of theatre, comedy and music as well as a special programme for children and families.
You can find images of the new guiding themes here (German only):
Media contact:
RUHR.2010 GmbH
Katharina Jarzombek
International Media Relations
Phone: +49 (0)201 888 2049
Mobile: +49 (0)170 77 26 400
E-mail: katharina.jarzombek@ruhr2010.de