Patras 2006 Cultural Capital kicks off

Patras, Greece (dpa) - Lacking the normal display of fireworks and fanfare, the European Capital of Culture for 2006 kicked off in the western port city of Patras Saturday, with a concert by the Patras Orchestra and U.S. vibraphone player Gary Burton as well as an exhibition on Leonardo Da Vinci.

Known as one of the world's leading carnival cities after Rio de Janeiro and Venice, Patras is set to reach fever pitch in the coming weeks when residents prepare for Greece's largest carnival celebrations.

This year's carnival will be accompanied by a series of European cultural events such as the Cico de Madrugada, China National Acrobatic Circus and Vienna Vegetable Orchestra.

Celebrations for the carnival season are the first of six different themes of events for Patras 2006, followed by Poetry and Music, New Scene of Ancient Drama, Travelling, Religion and Art and Children's Art.

"What we hope to achieve is not just to stage wonderful events, but to create, through the institution of the Capital of Culture, institutions that will, in the coming years, become a permanent feature on Europe's cultural map," said artistic director Alexis Alatsis.

Plagued by planning delays and last-minute resignations just weeks before its official launch, Patras 2006 organisers are determined to plough through their official programme, including 152 events at a cost of 17.5 million euros, with as few hiccups as possible.

"Things were done very quickly. What we have organized may not have been exactly as we have wished but we are 95 per cent ready," Patras 2006 European Cultural Capital Director Christos Roilos told reporters.

Even though only four of 52 venues are ready to host the array of events, organizers remain optimistic that alternative solutions will be found in time.

A string of projects which began in 2005, including a 3,000-seat open-air theatre, a separate enclosed theatre and a multimedia space in the warehouses of an old agricultural cooperative and old hospital were not ready in time for the opening but will be completed by the end of 2006.

Adding to the organizers' woes, the festival's artistic director, Thanos Mikroutsikos, walked off the job a week before its launch, citing planning delays and funding shortages.

Conceived as a means of increasing the attractiveness of European cities, the rotating Cultural Capital was launched in 1985 by the Council of E.U. Ministers following a proposal by then Greek Culture Minister Melina Mercouri.

Former European culture capitals have included Cork, Ireland in 2005, the French and Italian cities of Lille and Genoa in 2004, Krakow, Poland in 2000, and the Greek northern port city of Thessaloniki in 1997.

Left with a huge task, Patras' new artistic chief Alexis Alatsis said he hoped that everything will proceed as planned with as few technical glitches as possible.

"The artistic programme represents a concern for the first few months, but we are looking at enriching it," the 40-year-old Alatsis said. "Whatever problems we will have will be technical but we are confident of overcoming them."

Among the artistic events for this year's cultural capital include an interesting look at Patras clips from the past with an exhibition entitled "A labyrinth of images" by Vassilis Cosmopoulos, a music theatre presentation by the Gogmagogs, a concert by the Orchestra of Lithuania and Cappella Glinka of Saint Petersburg.

Local artists such as Haria Pressas will host an exhibition of photos and paintings while puppet theatres from Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Russia will take part in the first ever large- scale Children's Art Festival in December.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to enjoy a series of exhibitions throughout 2006, starting with "Leonardo da Vinci- Inventor and Scientists" and an exhibition on the world's cartoonists in Patras.

Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH