On January 19th 2019 with the opening ceremony has started the “Special Year” for Matera as European Capital of Culture.
The celebrative ceremony opened with an institutional meeting at the “Quarry of Sun” ("Cava del Sole"), (once an abandoned stone quarry now turned into a huge outdoor theatre). The Quarry of Sun is also the place where many musical bands coming from all the different municipalities of Basilicata, other Italian Regions and from 27 European cities, have met and alternately played. There were a total of 2019 musicians - a true record! - that at the end of the institutional meeting, have performed all together the Ode to joy of Beethoven, the official hymn of the European Council.
Matera 2019. The Program
This is going to be a very rich year in events for Matera. As in the past the city of Stones has been considered the symbol of the poor laborers civilization, now Matera is the symbol of the Southern part of Italy that wants to redeem itself and to look ahead to the future. The sentence "Open Future" summarises this ambition and has been very inspirational for developing the whole project of Matera European Capital of Culture and, accordingly, for defining the guidelines of the official program.
The big numbers of what expects Matera, they summarise the hard job already done during the last years: 48 weeks of planning, 800 operators and artists coming from all over the world, more than 50 original cultural productions, 5 major art exhibits.
Not to forget the public and private museums, shows, performances, concerts, presentations of books and other cultural events organized by the dedicated work of the local operators.
Matera – Passport 2019
The “temporary citizens” that Matera expects to welcome are approximately between 700.000 and the 800.000. They are looking forward to discover the city and its historical and cultural aspects, to take part to the shows and to be involved in the real local life. In order to take part to the events of the official program of Matera 2019 you can get a special 'passport' that you can purchase both online and in the Matera 2019 shop.
The 'passport', that costs € 19,00 (€ 12,00 for the Basilicata inhabitants, € 5,00 for boys, schools and groups, free for children), will allow you to:
- - become a temporary Matera citizen;
- - have the right to participate to the events;
- - enjoy many other benefits.
