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European Capital
of Culture People’s Opening
Photographs by P
Trollope, report by L Trollope.
LIVERPOOL
was buzzing on Friday 11 January 2008, night as a crowd,
estimated at 25 to 30 thousand, possibly more, thronged into
and around St George’s Plateau for the “People’s Opening” to
the year of Liverpool’s reign as European Capital of
Culture.
Folk had been appearing for several hours beforehand. The
weather, although dry, was strikingly cold but the crowd
remained good -humoured despite the lack of any intervening
entertainment. As no agenda had been released, no one knew
what to expect so last minute preparations were watched with
great interest for clues as to what would follow.
At 20:08 precisely the festivities began with floodlighting
and a blazing 2008 sign at the top of St George’s Hall. The
40 minute performance comprised some highly original
material. The adjacent buildings, always striking, looked
spectacular as they became the backdrop for light shows and
images and the rooftops displayed numerous colourfully
illuminated guitarists and drummers, who bombarded the scene
with sound; even from as far away as Radio City’s unique
tower and from Wellington’s statue. A narrator boomed the
significant details as the tableaux unfolded.
Offerings varied from the zany to the traditional at the
bewildering speed; the thread, was Liverpool’s character and
its workers.
A container, labelled ‘Precious Cargo’, was
whisked, by a giant crane, to be deposited by the main
platform. Once opened, mist spewed out and then the Lord
Mayor and other dignitaries and celebrities emerged,
followed by performers, including Liverpool schoolchildren
carrying their illuminated “Treasure Boxes”
representing things that they held dear in their lives. Choirs sang more soberly, poetry was spoken and later the
well known Liverpool group, graduates of LIPA, Liverpool
School of Performing Arts, the ‘Wombats’ gave
it some ‘wellie’, providing an opportunity for
some jigging and stomping to ward off the cold.
There were climbers on ropes, who clambered around in front
of glowing 08 banners on the side of the Hall, gyrating and
spinning plus aerial performers who somersaulted around in
shining, suspended squares high above the arena. Fireworks
were also loosed from adjacent locations. Large
equipment performed a mechanical ballet before our eyes,
but, unfortunately, the very equipment necessary for the
performance tended partially to obscure the view of some of
the performances and projections, including the information
and pictures showing on the walls....
...continued...
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