The Hans Christian Andersen Fairytale Weekend in Copenhagen, Sorø and Odense 1 - 3 April 2005

Official arrangements without ticket sales are marked with *

Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Friday 1 April:
             
In Odense:
- 9.00 a.m-1.30 p.m.: Mr. Torben Iversen and the Hans Christian Andersen Parade invites the children of Odense to join the birthday celebration in Odense Concert Hall (Odense Koncerthus). (Primarily for children).
Arranged by: Kultursekretariatet, Odense Municipality.
Address: Odense Koncerthus, Claus Bergs Gade 9, 5000 Odense C.
Tel: 0045 66 14 78 00

- 3.00 p.m-7.00 p.m.: Reading Marathon in the central part of Odense city.
Free admission
Arranged by: Odense Theatre/ The HCA 2005 Foundation /Odense Municipality.

- 8.00 p.m.: Fairy Tales and Silent Movie. Concert with Odense Symphony Orchestra in Odense Concert Hall (Odense Koncerthus). 
Reading of H.C. Andersen's Rejsekammaraten in Danish by renowned Danish actress Ghita Nørby, music by Danish composer Fuzzy.
Film: Charlie Chaplin's silent movie City of Lights. Music composed by Carl Davis and conducted by Frank Strobel
Arranged by: Odense Symphony Orchestra
Tickets: Tel: 0045 66124480

- 9.30 p.m.: Fire works show by French Groupe F.
Free admission.
Arranged by: The HCA 2005 Foundation / Odense Municipality.

- 10.30: Bishop Kresten Drejergaard encourages all churches in Odense to mark the Hans Christian Andersen Bicentenary by ringing the church bells.
Arranged by: Kresten Drejergaard, bishop of Odense.

In Copenhagen:
- * 8.00 p.m.: Gala premiere of the Andersen fantasia Raddish and Stuffed Cabbage at the Royal Danish Theatre. Directed by renowned Swedish director Lars Rudolphsson.
Arranged by: The HCA 2005 Foundation.
Press access: Accreditation can be made at hca2005.com.

Saturday 2 April:
             
In Odense:
- 8.00 a.m.: Ceremony at the Hans Christian Andersen statue in public park Eventyrhaven.
Free admission.
Arranged by: Odense City Museums / The HCA 2005 Foundation.

- 8.45 a.m.: Church service in Odense Cathedral by priest and writer Johannes Møllehave.

- 10.00 a.m.: Children's house of culture Børnekulturhuset Fyrtøjet.
Distribution of Danish children's book Se det var en rigtig prinsesse to the local schools and kindergartens of Odense. Experience the exhibition In the Heart of Andersen - a sensory experience installation involving the children and adults in the audience.
Arranged by: Children's house of culture Børnekulturhuset Fyrtøjet

- * 10.00 a.m.: Official arrival of the VIP-train with invited guests at Odense Central Station.

- * 10.30 a.m.: Reception of the VIP-guests by the Mayor of Odense Mr. Anker Boye at Odense City Hall.
Entertainment: local choir and the Odense Drum Majorettes.
Arranged by: Odense Kommune, coordinated by the HCA 2005 Fonden.

- * 11.00 a.m.: Special VIP-tour of Hans Christian Andersen's birth home H.C. Andersens Hus.
Arranged by: Odense City Museums.

- 11.30 a.m.: Choir performance on the Odense City Hall Square Flakhaven.
All amateur choirs from Odense performs together at Flakhaven followed by performances around the city between noon and 2.15 p.m.

- * Noon: Official lunch in Odense Koncerthus for all VIPs and invited guest.
Arranged by/host: Odense Municipality, coordinated by the HCA 2005 Foundation.

- Noon-3 p.m.: Reading marathon in the central part of Odense.
Free admission.

- * 1.30 p.m.: Award Ceremony and entertainment at Odense Concert Hall. The 2005 Odense City Hans Christian Andersen Award of 50.000 Euros and the Hans Christian Andersen Committee Honorary Awards will be presented.
Arranged by: Odense Municipality, coordinated by the HCA 2005 Foundation.

- 3 p.m.: Outdoor concert at Amfiscenen in Odense with Danish artists.

- * 3.15 p.m.: Official departure for the invited guests by VIP-train from Odense Central Station. The guests will return to Copenhagen.

- 3.00-4.00 p.m.: Guided tour in Danish around Odense's new H.C. Andersen Forest.
Access from the parking lot on Svendsagervej v. Åsum, Odense.

- 4 p.m.: Award ceremony of the H.C. Andersen Award to a  talented student
The ceremony takes place in H.C. Andersen's birth home H.C. Andersens Hus.

- 4 p.m. and 5.30 p.m.: Two family and children's shows by Danish entertainer Sigurd Barrett in Odense Concert Hall (Odense Koncerthus) by Odense Symphony Orchestra.
Arranged by: The HCA 2005 Foundation.

- Kender du Svimmel? - Bed at hun ikke griber dig
A play about H.C. Andersen by Sven Holm. Renowned Danish actor Jesper Langberg visits Odense in the role of Hans Christian Andersen.
Directed by: Henrik Sartou
Odense Theatre, Jernbanegade 21. 5000 Odense C
From April 2nd through April 21st. 2005
Tickets: Odense Theatre's ticket office 0045 6612 0052, email: or www. billetnet.dk.

In Sorø:
HRH Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxemburg and Danish Minister of Education Bertel Haarder will attend the festive opening event, which will take place on the 200th anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen's birthday, 2 April, at 4 pm in the Grand Hall at Andersen's grammar school, Sorø Akademi (Sorø Academy). The event will be hosted by the County of West Zealand in association with the Hans Christian Andersen 2005 Foundation and will feature as part of the official opening of the Andersen Fairytale Weekend, 1-3 April.

The programme for the opening event:
- Welcome speech by Mayor of West Zealand Hans Jørgen Holm
- Speech by HRH Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxemburg on the issues of illiteracy and education
- Holbæk Chamber Music Ensemble conducted by Werner Nicolet will perform three works from the age of Hans Christian Andersen:
Edouard du Puy: Overture to Youth and Folly
Henrik Rung: Gurre
C.E.F. Weyse: 4 dances from The Festival at Kenilworth
- Danish actor Jens Albinus will perform Jubilæumskantate by Niels Kofoed as well as readings of excerpts from The Shadow and a letter from Andersen to Riborg Voigt.
- The girls' choir from Kalundborgegnens Musikskole conducted by Kasper Eliassen will perform:
Hist hvor vejen slår en bugt, movement by Otto Mortensen
Løft mig kun bort, newly composed work by Per Nørgaard.
Both with lyrics by Hans Christian Andersen
- Speech by Danish Minister of Education Bertel Haarder
- Speech by Director of the HCA-abc Foundation Mette Holst.
- Chairman of the County of West Zealand Cultural Committee, Flemming Holm, will close the event.

Hosts: Julie Zeuthen and Thomas Grejs Mortensen from the Sorø Akademi.

The cultural programme will end at approx. 5 pm and will be followed by a light lunch buffet. The event will finish at 6 pm.

To register and for further information, please contact:
Chief Counsellor of Cultural Affairs Hardy Granhøj Jørgensen, at the Secretariat of Cultural Affairs, the County of West Zealand, Tel.: +45 57 87 24 51, fax +45 7 87 24 50, email .

In Copenhagen:
- 9 p.m.: Once upon a time - the fairy tale show at the Danish national soccer stadium PARKEN.
42,000 people in PARKEN will witness the most spectacular fairytale ever. The star-studded show, including musicians, acrobats and dancers, will set Andersen's fairytale world to music, images, and words.
The gigantic TV show is to be the highlight of the three-day opening celebration of the bicentenary of the birth of the Danish storyteller and poet Hans Christian Andersen.
Tickets are sold at www.billetnet.dk.
Press access: Accreditation can be made at hca2005.com.

Sunday 3 April:

In Copenhagen:
- * Noon: Reception at Copenhagen Town Hall for HCA-Ambassadors and invited guests.
Arranged by: HCA 2005 Fonden
Press access: Accreditation can be made at hca2005.com.