Did Somebody Say Culture?
The days may be short and the nights long, but winter is the perfect time to experience Iceland�s wonderfully unique cultural season � and what a season it is! We don�t want to sound like we�re bragging, but it�s hard not to when Reykjav�k has been named one of Europe�s nine cultural cities for the year 2000. Quite an accomplishment for a city with only 110,000 inhabitants.
We attribute this to the long winter months that force restless Icelanders to find creative outlets for their natural artistic abilities, be it writing, painting, singing or most anything else: the only criteria is that it�s creative.
Iceland�s cultural season begins in the fall with the first concert by the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra. Concerts, performed at the University Concert Hall, have received rave reviews from critics at home and abroad. Foreign conductors and featured artists have performed alongside Icelandic musicians playing works by Icelandic and foreign composers.
The Icelandic Opera also opens its cultural season in the fall with performances in the northernmost opera house in the world. Although the elegant old cinema house in the heart of the city seats only 473, individual productions have drawn overall audiences of 8,000.
The Icelandic theater scene, which runs year-round, couldn�t be hotter these days with more shows currently running than ever before. Reykjav�k has two full-time companies performing at the National Theater and the Reykjav�k City Theater.
Visual art has always been a beloved form of expression in Iceland. Reykjav�k is home to more than a dozen museums and art galleries, and there are more than 50 more around the country, the majority of which are open year-round. Icelandic artists draw their inspiration from their extraordinary environment, and cultural heritage. To preview the work of some 250 Icelandic artists, look up the following homepage: www.umm.is.
Now, if we haven�t convinced you yet that Iceland is the �hip� place to be in winter � with its renowned opera, symphony orchestra, theaters, museums and galleries � then maybe we can tempt your palette with a little food and fun! Many people are surprised when they discover dining in Reykjav�k. The city offers international cuisine from places such as Mexico, Thailand, Italy and Japan, using natural Icelandic ingredients. Fish, lamb and dairy products are hormone free. The clean air and water provide ideal conditions for raising these products, which, along with fresh vegetables, provide Iceland�s creative chefs with a head-start in artistic dishes of extraordinary taste.
And what better way to top off a great meal than by dancing the night away at one of Reykjav�k�s hottest haunts, such as the Kaffi Bar or the Shadow Bar (Skuggabarinn). Nightlife in Iceland is legendary, especially on weekends. �Skemmtista�ir,� or �entertainment spots� throb with party goers who want to �get down� after a long and hard work-week.
But if you are under the impression that Iceland freezes to a halt in winter, think again. This is when the cultural scene bursts into full bloom and the party really gets started.
Finally, I am pleased to announce that from now on Good Morning Iceland will be on the Internet. Homepage: http://www.goiceland.org/
Einar Gustavsson, Director of the Iceland Tourist Board in New York.
|
