The Remix Opening that will officially launch the Esch2022 European Capital of Culture year is set to be “one of the biggest participatory events ever held in the border region,” according to its general director, Nancy Braun.
The event, spread over the city of Esch-Alzette and the Esch-Belval university and commercial district, is expected to attract a crowd of up to 25,000--5,000 in Esch and 20,000 in Belval which will be closed to traffic for the evening.
Labelled an “immersive festival”, the event will include live music, DJ sets, movement workshops, light and video installations, architectural projections, and a variety of live performances. 18 concerts featuring artists from Luxembourg, France and the greater region, as well as performers from the two other European Capital of Culture cities, Kaunas in Lithuania and Novi Sad in Serbia, will be held on four stages.
One of the highlights will be the culmination of the Future Frequencies workshop that will see artists under the direction of Frank Wiedemann and Matthew Herbert present two Sound of Europe concerts at the Rockhal.
Visitors should remember the opening with a sense of accomplishment--the feeling of having created something together
“All participants, old and young, will be at the heart of the celebrations and will be encouraged to shape the opening of the European Capital of Culture in their own personal way through immersive and interactive experiences,” said Nancy Braun, general director of Esch2022. Visitors should remember the opening with a sense of accomplishment; the feeling of having created something together."
Four profiles for participants
After completing a questionnaire, visitors will be assigned one of four profiles--Iron Furnace, River Alzette, New Horizons or Red Earth--when reserving their free ticket to the event.
Each profile will follow a personalised path during the Remix Opening event and participants will have chip wrist bands that can be used to provide energy for the launch of a virtual rocket--the centre of Esch will transformed into a space rocket centre and Esch-Belval into a virtual rocket launch base.
The profiles are based on the industrial heritage, geography and tech future of the region, and will be assigned according to the following attributes as described by the Esch2022 team:
Iron Furnace is for “passionate people who inspire others, make them laugh and move, and encourage them to excel.”
The River Alzette profile encompasses “loyal and caring people, whose lives are rich and diverse, together.”
New Horizons “suits people who are inventive, creative, continuously want to become better versions of themselves, love adventure and strive for innovation.”
Red Earth will be assigned to “stable, down-to-earth people who learn from their past experiences.”
The official opening ceremony will take place from 5.30 to 6.30pm in front of the Esch town hall. Visitors with a ticket for Esch-City and Esch-Belval will be able to travel between the two locations by train or shuttle. The event will end at 11pm.
Visit the website to take the questionnaire and book free tickets for the opening.