2010 Spoleto USA - Opening Ceremony VIDEO

Once again, hot weather greets the opening ceremonies for the Spoleto Festival. After the Invocation and the National Anthem the podium was given to Mr. Michael Colgan who is the Director of the Gate Theatre located in Dublin Ireland. Mr. Colgan spoke warmly of the Arts Festival that has grown into an almost symbiotic relationship with the City of Charleston. He praised Mayor Joe Riley for overseeing the refurbishment of the Dock Street Theatre (where the Gate Theatre will perform) and was overjoyed at the current state of that facility. Furthermore, he touched on the fact that the Gate Theatre has been fortunate to play in the most respected festivals in the world, including the Sydney arts festival and the Lincoln Center festival, but only Charleston has hosted the Gate Theatre for seven different productions - a fact that he attributes to the way Charleston accepts and promotes the artists which has fostered a genuine warmth - and he credits many of Charleston's garden parties as the fertile grounds where future artistic collaborations have been spawned. Yes, Charleston does have a magical event in Spoleto USA (and Piccolo Spoleto) and with many of the concert offerings located outdoors, it is also another fine way to blend culture with our lovely Lowcountry.

PhotoByJeffDennis: Micahel Colgan, Director of the Gate Theatre of Dublin makes his opening cermony remarks

VideoByJeffDennis: Charleston City Mayor Joe Riley declares in Italian and in English that the 34th Spoleto Festival is now OPEN