Month-long festivities for Penang

Month-long festivities for Penang

THE city’s streets will come alive with arts and culture beginning Thursday, where the month-long George Town Festival 2010 promises a stellar line up of events to celebrate the second anniversary of its listing as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

A joint effort by the Penang Government, Penang Municipal Council, George Town World Heritage Incorporated, Penang Global Tourism and various ethnic communities, the festival, which runs from July 1 to 31, is expected to attract 200,000 visitors.

There will be over 80 programmes encompassing theatre, music, dance, film, art, opera, food, fashion, photography, food, sports and inspirational talks, according to festival director Joe Sidek.

It is aimed at providing a platform for local and international artists to showcase their talents, while also serving as a catalyst to arouse public interest in arts.

“We wanted to use George Town as a backdrop to highlight our living cultures and heritage, and were glad that various parties have come forward to share their knowledge, rituals, cultures and possessions.

“The city is alive and its very fabric will be on show. You will hear it, you will smell it, you will see it,” Joe said, likening it to a marriage of tourism and culture.

He admitted that although he initially had grander plans in mind, it had to be scaled down due to budget and time constraints.

Nevertheless, he hoped the first edition of the festival would be a springboard for greater things in the coming years, with the ultimate aim of making it a world-renowned event on par with the festivals of other countries.

The festival will kick off with a performance of Emily of Emerald Hill, Stella Kon’s well-loved play about a Nyonya matriarch, directed by local film director Saw Teong Hin at the Penang Town Hall, Esplanade, on July 1. Additional performances will be on July 2 and 4.

A full spectrum of performers will also be on show, from A-listers like Italian baritone Patrizio Buanne who will be performing at the George Town Ball on July 11 at the E&O Hotel, to Japanese soprano Ranko Kurano,who will perform at a Street Opera in Stewart Lane on July 29 and 30.

The main highlight is the Street Celebrations on July 7, themed ‘Streets Come Alive Unforgettable George Town’ where Beijing Opera director Ghaffar Pourazar will present excerpts from his repertoire of the Monkey God.

The day-long celebrations will also feature over 30 community shows along the Street of Harmony, as well as traditional games, cultural dances, musical performances and open houses of public and private heritage buildings.

Among the festival’s other highlights include public installation art works by Malaysian artists Leon Lim and Fuan Wong, screenings of movies shot in Penang such as The Blue Mansion and Red Kebaya, and classical Indian dances by Ramli Ibrahim and Sutra Dance Company.

There will also be an exhibition on the Governors of Penang from the archives of Winson Saw at the Town Hall, and a Showcase of Malay Culture and Arts at the Jawi Peranakan Museum.

Some events will be free, while others are on a ticket basis, which can be purchased at the George Town World Heritage Office at 116 and 118 Lebuh Acheh, and at the G Hotel lobby.

For a full breakdown of the festival’s 80 over programmes, visit www.georgetownfestival.com, or email info@georgetownfestival.com for inquiries.

Alternatively, call 016-4644211. Joe can also be reached at 016-4173456.

-News courtesy of The Star-