Harpa Inauguration Press Kit 2011 FINAL

HARPA – REYKJAVÍK CONCERT HALL AND CONFERENCE CENTRE August 2011 Press Kit Summary 2 Overview 3 -‐ 4 Press Release 5 Façade and Olafur Eliasson 6 Architecture, Henning Larsen Architects, and Batteríið Architects 7 Harpa’s Halls 8 Acoustics and Artec Consultants Inc 9 The Iceland Symphony Orchestra and Vladimir Ashkenazy 10 The Icelandic Opera 11 Conferences 12 Dining and Retail Shops 12 Harpa’s Name and Visual Identity 13 Leadership 13 Location 13 Media Contacts

Harpa -‐ Reykjavík Concert Hall and Conference Centre. Photo Courtesy of Harpa. Photo Credit: Nic Lehoux

Harpa – Reykjavík Concert Hall and Conference Centre Press Kit: of 13

Overview A striking addition to the Icelandic and European cultural scene, Harpa -‐ Reykjavík Concert Hall and Conference Centre (www.harpa.is), celebrates its official inauguration on 20 August 2011. Harpa unites the most important classical music and performance venue in the country with an international conference centre. Offering a diverse range of performances, from classical to contemporary, it is home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra (ISO) and The Icelandic Opera. Harpa also serves as a tourism and business hub, providing flexible facilities for programs and international events. Harpa’s façade is designed by renowned artist Olafur Eliasson and Henning Larsen Architects, the building is by Henning Larsen Architects and Batteríið Architects, and the performing arts venues acoustics and theater design is by Artec Consultants Inc. Harpa is a landmark in the redevelopment of Reykjavík’s historic harbour and waterfront area, and a symbol of Iceland’s renewed dynamism.



Press Release 19 Aug 2011, Reykjavík, Iceland – Harpa -‐ Reykjavík Concert Hall and Conference Centre will celebrate its official inauguration and the first illumination of its façade, designed by Olafur Eliasson, on Saturday, 20 August 2011, with a day-‐long series of special events. Harpa’s highly anticipated inauguration will feature classical, jazz, and pop concerts, outdoor acrobatic performances, and firework displays, and is taking place during Reykjavik Cultural Night, the city’s annual arts, culture, and music festival. The building inauguration is the final stage of Harpa’s opening celebrations, which began in May 2011, and is a momentous occasion in the history of Iceland. The grand finale of the inauguration day will be the first official lighting of Harpa’s iconic façade, which has already garnered international acclaim. Designed by renowned artist Olafur Eliasson in collaboration with Henning Larsen Architects, the façade is composed of unique quasi bricks inspired by crystalized basalt columns, which are a common element in the Icelandic landscape. Natural light is a key element in the design as shifting daylight alters the reflectivity and colours of the glass. At night, when the façade is lit, Harpa will glow dramatically against the darkness of the harbour. “In designing Harpa’s façade, together with Henning Larsen Architects, I sought to create a skin that would both reflect and become a part of the Icelandic landscape and the urban life of Reykjavik” says Olafur Eliasson. “This first lighting of Harpa’s façade is the final step in its journey from conception to completion, a journey that I am very proud to have been a part of.” Harpa has already welcomed over 100,000 guests and an impressive cast of celebrated musicians and cultural icons to its halls since opening in May 2011. Performers have included British pop sensation Jamie Cullum; German tenor Jonas Kaufmann; world-‐renowned pianist Maria Joao Pires; violinist and composer Maxim Vengerov; pop/indie rock group Dikta; and Icelandic pop diva Páll Óskar, to name a few. In the months following the building inauguration, Harpa will present more iconic cultural figures and musicians such as Bjork and Yoko Ono, as part of the Iceland Airwaves festival in October. Since it first opened its doors in May 2011, Harpa has not only become a landmark in the redevelopment of Reykjavík’s historic harbour and waterfront area, but also a symbol of Iceland’s renewed dynamism. In addition to its extensive musical performance schedule, Harpa continues to welcome a variety of professional and corporate events. “Harpa’s capacity to host a diverse range of events, from performances and concerts to professional banquets and large-‐scale conferences, has been proven again and again since it’s opening in May,” says Höskuldur Ásgeirsson, Managing Director of Harpa. “For the building inauguration, we are coming together to celebrate the continued success of Harpa and the country of Iceland. This is truly a momentous occasion for all of us.” Official Building Inauguration & Reykjavik Cultural Night: 20 August 2011 Inaugural festivities on 20 August will begin at 13:00 outside Harpa with an official opening ceremony. A formal introduction of Harpa by the Mayor of Reykjavik will be followed by a brief outdoor musical performance by Reykjavík Jungle Unit. At 13:15, the inaugural concert featuring new works for seven to nine harps as well as fanfare for brass and percussion by Atli Heimir Sveinsson, Mist Thorkelsdottir, and Anna S. Thorvaldsdottir will take place in Harpa’s grand foyer, in front of the striking glass façade. At 13:20, the first of four performances by the China National Acrobatic Troupe will take place with Harpa’s iconic facade serving as a spectacular backdrop. The Iceland Symphony Orchestra, which now proudly calls Harpa its home, will perform at 14:00 in Eldborg Hall, led by conductor


Bernhardur Wilkinsson. The theme will be Maximus Musicus, the musical mouse, Harpa’s official mascot. The opening of a weeklong exhibition by Faroese artist Elinborg Lutzen í Flói will take place at 15.00. Teitur, the Faroe Islands’ most celebrated singer-‐songwriter, will perform in Norðurljós Hall at 16:00, and at 17:00, the ISO will perform selections led by conductor Bernharður Wilkinsson, including Glinka’s Ruslan & Ludmila Overture, Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Orchestra in D Major, Prokofiev’s Montague & Capulet, Tchaikovsky’s waltz from the ballet Sleeping Beauty. Soloist Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson will perform with the orchestra in Eldborg Hall. At 20:00, Harpa will present the opening concert of the Reykjavik Jazz festival, which takes place 20 August through 3 September. The concert will feature Icelandic bands, who will represent Iceland at the London Jazz Festival on 12 November 2011, including The Sunna Gunnlaugsdóttur Jazz Band; Guitarist Ómar Guðjónsson with his Jazz Quartet; the jazz, funk, and afrobeat group Samúel Jón Samúelsson Big Band; and The Freedom Fighters of The New Iceland, an Icelandic jazz octet led by Haukur Gröndal. Following the jazz concerts, Harpa will present a special harbor-‐side sundown performance. Outside of Harpa’s south façade, a pilot boat named “Magni” will circle the building and cast streams of water in varying patterns creating a unique visual experience. The grand finale to the building inauguration celebrations will be the first official lighting of Harpa’s façade. At 22:35, the lights that are embedded into the facade’s structure will be lit and visitors will be able to view the building glowing against the night sky. The event will be accompanied by a girls choir and musician Benni Hemm Hemm performing the beloved song “Sveitin milli sanda” by composer Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson. Concluding the day of festivities and openings, a celebratory fireworks display will take place in Reykjavik harbour, at 23:00.



Façade Harpa's multi-‐faceted glass façades are the result of a unique collaboration between renowned artist Olafur Eliasson and Henning Larsen Architects. The design is based on a geometric principle, realized in two and three dimensions. Reminiscent of the crystallised basalt columns commonly found in Iceland, the southern facades create kaleidoscopic reflections of the city and the striking surrounding landscape. Natural light is a key element, dramatically altering the transparency, reflectivity, and colours of the facades as the weather and seasons change. Olafur Eliasson Olafur Eliasson (b. 1967) studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. He represented Denmark at the 50th Venice Biennale in 2003 and later that year installed The weather project in the Turbine Hall of Tate Modern, London. Take your time: Olafur Eliasson, a survey exhibition organised by San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, travelled to further venues until 2010. His solo exhibition Innen Stadt Aussen (Inner City Out) opened at Martin Gropius Bau in 2010, with interventions across Berlin providing a public dimension to the show. From 30 September 2011 the 17th SESC_VIDEOBRAZIL International Contemporary Art Festival based in Sao Paulo will be hosting Your body of work, the first Eliasson solo exhibition in South America. Eliasson has engaged in a number of projects in public space, including Green river, carried out in various cities between 1998 and 2001; The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2007, designed with the architect Kjetil Thorsen; and The New York City Waterfalls, commissioned by the Public Art Fund in 2008. Your rainbow panorama, a circular 150 m walkway with walls of coloured glass, opened on top of ARoS Museum in Aarhus, Denmark. As professor at Berlin University of the Arts, Eliasson founded the Institut für Raumexperimente (Institute of Spatial Experiments) in 2009. www.olafureliasson.net

Olafur Eliasson. © Olafur Eliasson

Harpa -‐ Reykjavík Concert Hall and Conference Centre. Photo Courtesy of Harpa. Photo Credit: Hörður Sveinsson


Architecture Designed by Henning Larsen Architects and Batteríið, the 28,000 square-‐meter (301,000 square-‐feet) building comprises four main halls, including the 1,800-‐seat concert hall, several meeting rooms, and a spacious exhibition area. Seen from the foyer, the halls form a massif with the Main Concert Hall as its red-‐glowing centre. This inner massif contrasts the expressive and open façades, thereby generating a dialogue that defines Harpa’s public space, continued in the square in front of the building. This will be realised in dark shades to juxtapose the crystalline exterior. The surroundings are thus incorporated into the architectural concept. As Harpa takes its beginning long before visitors step into the foyer, the activities of this cultural institution are merged with city life. Henning Larsen Architects Founded in 1959, Henning Larsen Architects is now one of Europe's leading international architectural companies, currently with 145 employees. Over the years, Henning Larsen Architects has designed numerous cultural, educational and commercial buildings as well as large planning projects, masterplans, hospitals and research institutions. In recent years, Henning Larsen Architects has become renowned for its profound knowledge on the integration of sustainability. Henning Larsen Architects has designed several buildings for art and culture where the framework of the building is an active part of the city space and life. In the World Architecture survey of the British building magazine BD, Henning Larsen Architects features as an impressive number six on this year's Top Ten in the market sector of culture. In Iceland, Henning Larsen Architects has also designed the overall masterplan for the East Harbour area as well as the new university, Reykjavík Háskólinn, placed in the southern part of the city. www.henninglarsen.com Batteríið Architects Ltd. Batteríið Architects Ltd. worked with Henning Larsen Architects in designing Harpa. Batteríið Architects Ltd, founded in 1988 by Jón Ólafur Ólafsson and Sigurður Einarsson, is a consulting architecture firm with a broad range of experience in building design and planning. The firm’s scope of work spans a broad register of architectural design, from town planning, public-‐, cultural-‐ & office buildings, industrial buildings, sports facilities, post offices, banks, hotels, schools, kindergartens, district heating facilities and public and private housing, to detailed planning and interior design as well as renovation/restoration of historic buildings. The company is now one of the largest architectural consultant firms in Iceland. www.arkitekt.is

Architectural sketch of Harpa. Courtesy Henning Larsen Architects


Harpa’s Halls Harpa is 301,000 square-‐feet (28,000 square-‐meters) in size and 141 feet (43 meters) tall and contains four main halls that can be used in a variety of settings. The names of Harpa’s halls were inspired by Iceland’s natural landscape and cultural heritage, and are intended to correspond to the four elements; water, air, fire and earth. Harpa’s grand concert hall is capable of seating 1,800 people. The hall’s glowing, red décor, represents fire and its chosen name is Eldborg, or “Fire Castle,” after the famous volcanic crater in the west of Iceland. The second concert hall represents air. Its name, Nordurljos, translates to “Northern Lights”, the spectacular natural marvel associated with Iceland’s unique landscape. Representing the element earth, Harpa’s conference hall is called Silfurberg, or a translucent calcite crystal that is rarely found outside of Iceland. The last hall, Kaldalon, which translates to “Cold Lagoon”, represents water and is named after a picturesque, blue bay in the Westfjords of Iceland and the birthplace of one of the countries most celebrated song writer from the past century, Sigvaldi Kaldalóns. Harpa complies with the highest Icelandic thermal performance standards, with its advanced insulation and air-‐tight construction. These elements will play a key role in minimizing energy use for heating and cooling and, hence, in reducing carbon emissions.

Harpa’s Eldborg Hall. Photo Courtesy of Harpa


Acoustics Harpa’s acoustics were conceived and designed by Artec Consultants Inc. The newest member of the Artec family of halls, Harpa is a remarkable concert space featuring signature design elements in acoustics and stage geometry adjustability. The main elements of the adjustable acoustics system are: • A massive two-‐piece overhead reflector system – known as ‘canopies’; • Coupled acoustics control chambers with mechanized doors; and a comprehensive system of

motorized sound absorptive cloth.

Together, they tailor the nature of the environment to meet the needs of a broad range of repertoire and performances presented in the hall. Furthermore, mobile seating areas at the rear of the stage, intended for use by audiences or choir, as well as a stage extension lift with mobile seating wagons allow the stage geometry to be similarly adjusted according to the size and nature of the performing ensembles. Artec conducted initial studies for the East Harbour Corporation and assisted in the defining the essential acoustics and functional characteristics for the development competition to ensure that Harpa would take its place among the world’s foremost concert halls. Artec provided auditorium design, acoustics, theatre planning, sound and communication systems design services in close collaboration with Henning Larsen Architects and Batteríið Architects Ltd. and the other members of the design and construction team as the project was realized. Artec Consultants Inc Artec Consultants Inc provides design and planning services for performing arts facilities worldwide, ranging from modest-‐budget community centres to the most prestigious landmark performing arts centres. Since its founding in 1970, the firm has built a distinguished reputation for excellence based on the ability to provide clients, and the artists who perform in their facilities, with high-‐quality solutions tailored to their needs and resources. Their consulting services span the areas of Auditorium Design, Acoustics Facility (Theatre) Planning, Design and Planning of Specialized Performance Equipment Systems; and Operations and Business Planning. Led by Damian Doria, Tateo Nakajima, and Edward Arenius, Artec is a group of highly qualified consultants who bring diverse, yet related, backgrounds into one office. By uniting their varied expertise into one team, we are best prepared to provide the sensitivity, technical expertise, and coordination necessary to assist clients in achieving top-‐rate facilities. We believe that this interdisciplinary, comprehensive approach is one of the primary reasons for the firm’s celebrated success. Artec Consultants Inc has designed many concert halls, theatres, and multi-‐use spaces for performance, congress, and educational facilities around the world. Representative projects include: Culture and Congress Centre, Lucerne, Switzerland; Bartók Béla National Concert Hall, Budapest, Hungary; Sala São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York, USA. www.artecconsultants.com


The Iceland Symphony Orchestra & Vladimir Ashkenazy The Iceland Symphony Orchestra gave its first concert in 1950 and recently celebrated its 60th anniversary. It performs around 60 concerts annually with a wide-‐ranging repertoire, including traditional classical music, contemporary music, film music, and more. Many of the world's most renowned musicians have appeared with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, including Daniel Barenboim, Anne-‐Sophie Mutter, Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, Mstislav Rostropovich, Radu Lupu, Claudio Arrau, and Evelyn Glennie. Vladimir Ashkenazy has conducted the Iceland Symphony Orchestra regularly since the early 1970s and currently holds the position of Conductor Laureate. Principal Guest Conductor of the ISO is Russian conductor Gennadi Rosdestvensky. The Iceland Symphony Orchestra has recorded widely for international labels, including BIS, Chandos, and Naxos, and has garnered extensive critical acclaim. It was nominated for a Grammy award in 2008 for Best Orchestral Performance. It has toured widely in Europe and the United States. In May 2011, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra moved into its new home, Harpa -‐ Reykjavík Concert Hall and Conference Centre. In the years since Vladimir Ashkenazy first came to prominence on the world stage in the 1955 Chopin Competition in Warsaw, he has built an extraordinary career, not only as one of the most renowned pianists of our times, but as an artist whose creative life encompasses a vast range of activities and offers inspiration to music-‐lovers across the world. For the past 20 years, conducting has formed his primary pursuit working as: Chief Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic; Music Director of NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo, Conductor Laureate of the Philharmonia Orchestra; Music Director of the European Union Youth Orchestra; and Conductor Laureate of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Ashkenazy maintains links with other major orchestras with which he has built relationships over the years, including the Cleveland Orchestra; San Francisco Symphony; and Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin, and continues to make guest appearances with many other major orchestras around the world. In addition to these musical pursuits, he has developed several music projects for television in the past two decades. www.sinfonia.is/

Vladimir Ashkenazy. Photo Courtesy of Harpa.


The Icelandic Opera The Icelandic Opera was officially founded over 30 years ago, and has since been a large contributor to Icelandic musical life, having presented over 60 productions of different operas ranging from Verdi to contemporary Icelandic composers. Before its foundation, opera had held a place in Iceland’s musical landscape for years through productions at The National Theatre of Iceland. The Icelandic Opera focuses on local talents from both the musical and the theatrical venue, although foreign artists have also been regular contributors to its productions.

Many Icelandic singers have debuted on the stage of The Icelandic Opera and a majority of Iceland's leading singers have participated in its productions at some point in their careers. Amongst them are Kristinn Sigmundsson, Kristján Jóhannsson, Garðar Cortes, Sigrún Hjálmtýsdóttir, Ólöf Kolbrún Harðardóttir, Þóra Einarsdóttir, Tómas Tómasson, Sigrún Pálmadóttir, Gunnar Guðbjörnsson and Ólafur Sigurðarson to name a few. The Icelandic Opera is currently led by Artistic and General Director Stefán Baldursson. Since May 2011, the Icelandic Opera has made Harpa -‐ Reykjavík Concert Hall and Conference Centre its home, where it will produce 2 to 4 operas each season. www.opera.is/en

The Icelandic Opera. Photo Courtesy of The Icelandic Opera and Harpa


Conferences Harpa is the ideal venue for international conferences, conventions with accompanying trade shows, as well as large organizations’ or corporations’ meetings. Conceived to host a variety of simultaneous, yet independent events, Harpa is comprised of four main halls – including one auditorium that can seat 1,600 in conference setup, several meeting rooms equipped with state-‐of-‐the-‐art technology, as well as a spacious exhibition and reception areas. Surveys show that the number of conferences and meetings increase markedly when a new major conference centre enters into use. Harpa’s management expects the market to react quickly and to take full advantage of the state-‐of-‐the-‐art facilities and the fact that the exchange rate makes travel and accommodations in Iceland particularly attractive. Several events are already being planned and a preliminary schedule will be published by the end of the year. Among the conferences already scheduled at Harpa through 2013 are: • The 41st Annual European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies conference

in the fall of 2011 • Via Nordica in the summer of 2012 • The European Orthodontic Society conference in summer of 2013

Harpa-‐ Reykjavík Concert Hall and Conference Centre. Photo Courtesy of Harpa.


Dining Harpa’s dining amenities offer he best of both Icelandic and international cuisine, from some of the country’s most celebrated chefs and restaurateurs. Catering services are under the direction of Jóhannes Stefánsson, a renowned Icelandic chef and caterer, who has been at the helm of many significant, large-‐scale banquets in the country. The catering wing is named Hörpudiskur, which translates to “scallop” in Icelandic. Harpa’s flagship á la Carte restaurant, Kolabrautin, located on the fourth floor, offers dramatic views of both Reykjavík harbour and the surrounding city and can seat up to 180 people. It is run by Jóhannes Stefánsson and Leifur Kolbeinsson, another acclaimed Icelandic chef and the long-‐time owner of Reykjavík’s popular Italian restaurant, í La Primavera. The head chefs are Thráinn Freyr Vigfússon and Jón Tryggvi Jónsson. Harpa is also home to a more casual dining bistro serving Nordic tapas named, Munnharpan, which means “harmonica” in Icelandic. Harpa also has a bar located on the viewing balcony on the second-‐floor, as well as many portable bars throughout the complex. Retail Shops Harpa includes a boutique design shop named Epal, which features unique home goods, furniture and speciality gifts of Icelandic and international designs. A music store named 12 Tónar offers an excellent selection of music ranging from classical to rock and pop, with a particular emphasis on a wide variety of Icelandic music. Harpa’s Name Harpa’s name comes both from the English name of the string instrument and the Icelandic name of a month in the old Nordic calendar, which marks the beginning of summer-‐ a period of particular importance in Iceland and in the minds of the nation signifies hope. Visual Identity Harpa’s visual identity was designed by The Icelandic Ad Agency. The newly designed logo, consisting of a ring of outstretched tuning forks, calls to mind people coming together and represents the 12 months of the year, while the forks’ colours symbolize the colours of the different halls.

Cuisine of Munnharpan. Courtesy of Harpa


Leadership Run by the holding company Portus, in collaboration with the Icelandic government and the City of Reykjavík, Harpa is one of the projects that will further develop the vibrant tourism and business scene of Reykjavík by creating a new waterfront hub. Pétur J. Eiríksson is the Chairman of Portus, Thorunn Sigurdardottir is the Chairman of Ago, the structure under which all programs will be run, and Hoskuldur Asgeirsson is Managing Director for both companies. Steinunn Birna Ragnarsdóttir is Harpa´s Music Director. Location Due to its geographical location midway between North America and Europe, Iceland has a tremendous advantage when it comes to hosting conferences and meetings. The classical and contemporary productions and conference facilities that Harpa will offer along with its extraordinary setting, steps away from the city centre and set against the dramatic background of the North Atlantic Ocean, will attract an audience of cultural travellers, connoisseurs, and art and design enthusiasts. Harpa is one of several projects conceived to revitalize the harbour, as well as create a stronger connection between the harbour and the city centre. Iceland is an island of 103,000 square kilometres (39,769 square miles). Over half of its 320,000 inhabitants live in its capital Reykjavík and in the neighbouring towns in the Southwest. Icelanders are known to be proficient in several foreign languages, with English spoken by virtually everyone, and German, French, Spanish and one or more of the Scandinavian languages spoken by the majority of its people. Reykjavík, Europe’s northernmost capital, is a hospitable city that succeeds at combining the charm and intimacy of a small town with the qualities of a modern, sophisticated city. The city is known for its vibrant music life. Reykjavík also boasts 30 museums, 25 galleries, 30 hotels (and 30 hostels), and daily direct flights from most major cities in Europe and North America. Official Website: http://www.harpa.is

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International Media Contact: For international media inquiries, including for further information, images, or to arrange interviews, please contact: Elizabeth Reina or Deirdre Maher, Blue Medium [email protected] or [email protected] Tel. +1 212 675 1800. Icelandic Media Contact and General Information: Anna Margrét Björnsson, Harpa [email protected] Tel. +354 528 5018 Mob. +354 864 5824


Harpa Inauguration Press Kit 2011 FINAL

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