THE Spring of Culture Festival is set to return in a completely in-person format for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic curtailed entertainment and public gatherings.
The 16th edition of the popular annual festival, set to run from February 25 until March 31, will showcase a global range of artistic and musical talent alongside lectures and art exhibitions.
“We are looking forward to events returning to normal after a two-year hiatus,” Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) director-general Shaikha Hala bint Mohammed Al Khalifa told reporters during a Press conference announcing the line-up of activities.
“We will be following the guidelines set forth by the Health Ministry regarding Covid-19 protocol, but we are looking forward to welcoming people in-person again,” Baca president Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa added.
This year, the festival is being run by Baca, Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research and Al Dana Amphitheatre, in co-operation with Al Riwaq Art Space and Albareh Art Gallery.
Five embassies, namely those of Italy, Pakistan, Germany and Egypt, as well as the Spanish embassy in Kuwait, will be taking part this year, alongside the Aga Khan Music Programme and the Shaikha Hessa Girls’ School, Enki Performing Arts Centre and Entertainment Live.
“Through the festival, we reaffirm the importance of cultural work, and after two years of communicating with our audience from a distance, the festival finally comes face-to-face,” Shaikha Mai added.
“We are also pleased to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the National Theatre, all thanks to the generous support of the first patron of culture, His Majesty King Hamad.”
The festival will kick off on Arab Tourism Day, February 25, with ‘Akhenaten... Dust of Light’ an Egyptian contemporary performance choreographed and directed by Walid Aouni. It tells the tale of an ancient pharaoh through dance and theatre, taking audiences on a journey 3,000 years into the past.
Other theatrical performances at the Cultural Hall will include Pianotainment, a unique experience featuring piano virtuosos Stephan Weh and Marcel Dorn on March 9, and the Wind in the Willows live show featuring beautiful puppetry and uplifting live music telling the story of animals emerging from hibernation from March 11 to 14.
Amongst the concerts at this year’s festival will be Palestinian artist Omar Kamal on March 10, UK’s Philharmonia Orchestra on March 25, and Richard Clayderman and Zaid Dirani performing ‘Manama Mon Amour’ on March 31. All of these performances will take place at the National Theatre.
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Meanwhile, famous Emirati singer Hussain Al Jassmi will take the stage at Al Dana Amphitheatre on March 4.
Bahrain’s traditional folk arts bands Mohamed bin Faris, Dar Al Muharraq, Dar Al Riffa, and Dar Bin Harban will also be taking the stage at their respective musical halls throughout the month.
This year’s Spring of Culture will also include a variety of local art exhibitions, starting with ‘Woman between Reality and Fantasy’ by artist Ebrahim Khalifa at the Art Centre, from February 27 to March 13.
Starting March 1 and running until March 29, the Art Centre will host a solo exhibition by Rashed Al Araifi titled ‘Visual Memoirs: Between Figuration & Abstraction’, in recognition of his second place at the Bahrain Annual Fine Art Exhibition in 2020.
On March 23, Al Hidaya Al Khalifiya School is set to unveil an exhibition celebrating the centenary of Annadi Al Adabi, one of the most important cultural clubs in Bahrain’s literary history.
Talks taking place during the festival will include a lecture on March 8 about ‘Documenting Women’s Performing Arts’ by Jassim Mohammed bin Harban at Al Jasra Crafts Centre accompanied by Sharifa Mohammed and her band, in collaboration with the Enki Performing Arts Center.
Saudi filmmaker and poet Ahmed Al Mulla will take the stage on March 14 at Ebrahim Al Arrayed House of Poetry for an evening of poetry.
The month’s calendar is jam-packed with even more lectures, exhibitions, performances, tours and film screenings, which can be explored online through the Spring of Culture website or by following @springofculture on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
naman@gulfweekly.com
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