Bergen International Festival
Ceri Rimmer
Following the VIP event at Treborth Botanical Gardens Telyn Harp Tales flew to Norway to perform in Festpillene i Bergen, with the celtic hand held harp (which is slightly easier to travel with than the full sized orchestra harp!).
I had been asked to create an angelic like theatrical performance, to be performed at two events, the first being the opening of the festival. This took place in the city centre, and I was perched on top of the Ole Bull fountain, which has a large sculpture of the famous violinist Ole Bull, whom was also the founder of Norway's National Theatre. I donned a specially made white flowing dress and wings - which attached to my arms beautifully, and was very effective while playing the harp, and useful in hiding from hundreds of onlookers, creating a shy, and sometimes cheeky angel character! The sunny ceremony opening greeted the high council and the Prince of Norway.
The second performance was part of the festival's family day in Silijustol, the home of composer Harold Sæverud. It was a day full of various site specific performances happening throughout the composers forest, and it was up to the children had to find them all. I created a White Lady performance in a circle of trees with my harp, with material suspended from the trees surrounding me. I started cocooned in my white wings, awakening and stretching at the sound of people around me, only to be scared to find families staring at me! I used my wings, again, to hide behind and peer out over, and slowly make friends with the audience, getting the children to wave to me, and then, once over my shyness, I started to show off my harp, which I then would play to them, until I became tired once more, and the act would finish with me falling asleep over my harp, at which point parents would whisper to their children to leave quietly, and I would stay in my cocooned sleeping position until the next herd of children came along!
Photo: Kamran Sanaee for the opening ceremony
Photo: V.Synnevog for the Family Day