AT THE EMBASSY FESTIVAL IN THE HAGUE
On Saturday, 7 September the first edition of the Embassy Festival will take festival goers around the world in one exciting day. The picturesque Lange Voorhout provides the backdrop for a cultural journey of discovery offering music, art, dance, food & drink, debates and lectures from 12:00 until 21:00. Wander the national themed pavilions, be entertained at the music podiums and cross cultural borders at the Creative Arena. The taste buds will be working overtime with mouth-watering wine, sausages, cakes, cheese fondue, sandwiches and plenty of traditional snacks from near and far. The festival kicks off early in the afternoon, with a musical world tour offering several genres including soul, jazz, pop, folk, funk, hip-hop and classical. Besides a rich culinary and musical offering, festival goers can get creative with Balkan Artists from the project DeZoep, while Nieuwe Garde Den Haag demonstrates the creative richness that can be found in the international city of The Hague. The Embassy Festival is an all-rounder, offering a programme which promises to shape the trip you’ve always dreamed of.
The musical adventure starts early on in the day, kick starting a unique festival which seeks extremes. The Dutch star violist FREDERIEKE SAEIJS whose performance on the classical podium includes works by Bach, while on the other side of the festival terrein, warm-blooded flamenco sounds by PRIMOS DEL NORTE can be heard. The wayward soul sensation from Sweden, SAMSON FOR PRESIDENT, will have audiences on their feet, while the beautiful Australian saxophonist AMY DICKSON plays pieces by Debussy and Fauré. The Finnish-Dutch band TOWN OF SAINTS sweeps audiences up into a whirlwind of folk with a touch of punk, while sopranos STEFANIE TRUE from Canada and JULIA KOGAN (Ukraine / USA) ignite the romantic fire with their enchanting voices. From her parents’ Turkish restaurant to Carnegie Hall, multi-talented KARSU, the Dutch Norah Jones, makes a pitt-stop at the Embassy Festival continuing her journey to world fame. The Belgian KOEN PLAETINCK hypnotizes with his virtuoso marimba performance. M.T.T. TRIO FT PIOTR WOJTASIK proves that Poland has a sensational jazz scene. Meanwhile, HARI offers audiences an impressive KATHAK DANCE featuring hundreds of ankles bells. JON TARIFA, the son of the first Albanian ambassader in the Netherlands, performs an energetic blend of funk and hip-hop. SIMON MURPHY (violist and conductor of the New Dutch Academy) seduces audiences with his viola. Norwegianaccordeonist FRODE HALTLI brings atmospheric Norwegian jazz to the stage with the REMBRANDT FRERICHS TRIO. Also from Norway, PETTER CARLSEN brings the Embassy Festival to a festive close with the RED LIMO STRING QUARTET (known from Kyteman and Janne Schra) with a performance guaranteed to induce goosebumps.
INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL CITY
The Hague has every right to call itself an international city. With the presence of the many embassies, NGOs and multinationals the city enjoys continuous interaction with the rest of the world. The first edition of the Embassy Festival presents visitors with a beautiful compilation of international culture that can be seen, heard and tasted. The Embassy Festival is a sequel to The European Life I Live and is organised by Prooost, the organisation behind the annual Life I Live Festival and several other Hague-based events.
