Timisoara officially kicks off its European Capital of Culture year this weekend, February 17-19, with a varied programme including names of the theatre, film and music scenes from Romania and abroad. The opening show is directed by Bobi Pricop, one of the most famous directors, collaborator of the most important theatres in Romania.

To mark the special event, local and international artists will perform together this weekend in Timisoara. According to the organizers, an absolute premiere will be the on-stage collaboration between Romanian rock band Implant Pentru Refuz and Alyona Alyona, an artist from Ukraine who has become, in less than a year, a sensation of the hip-hop scene.

The celebration in the city's Unirii Square will continue with Muaré Experience, an exceptional show that combines the rock concert of Duchamp Pilot, accompanied by the well-known Timișoara guitarist Horea Silvio Crișovan, with an aerial acrobatics show by the Spanish company Voalá Project. Also, Taraf de Caliu will perform together with the Bulgarian clarinetist Filip Simeonov, cimbalom player Alexei Ciobanu from the "Timisul" Folk Ensemble and the IMPEX band.

Moreover, Swedish-British composer Jay-Jay Johanson will hold a concert in the Palace of Culture hall on February 18 and will have EMAA, a young artist from Lugoj, as the opening act.

Last but not least, Romanian composer and pianist Andrei Irimia will go on stage alongside Abel Chircă, a violinist in the Banatul Timisoara Philharmonic Orchestra.

The complete program of the February 17-19 weekend is available here.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: the organizers)