A giant grasshopper is among the features at
the festival launch |
Giant
insects have invaded the streets to mark the opening of this year's
Belfast Festival at Queen's.
Ants, bees, spiders, butterflies and a praying mantis joined the
parade by Spanish company Sarruga in the city centre on Friday
night.
An opening night concert at the Waterfront Hall featured 1960s
icon Marianne Faithfull, the Ulster Orchestra and the Renaissance
Singers.
The 17-day festival showcases both national and international
artists.
Dance fans can look forward to the Ireland premiere of Love Me, a
trilogy of new work by Australian choreographer Lucy Guerin.
It is based around the theme of relationships and will be
performed at the Waterfront Hall studio on Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2
November.
Kicking off this year's jazz programme is world renowned Polish
band the Tomasz Stanko Quartet at the Elmwood Hall on Friday, 21
October.
Jazz fans can also catch the trio Melt, featuring Bangor drummer
Steve Davis at the Spring and Airbrake on Sunday, 23 October.
Flamenco music
Comedy is as popular as ever with Harry Hill performing at the
Whitla Hall on Sunday 23 October.
A former member of The Nualas, Karen Egan, celebrates the
diversity of European cabaret at the Spring and Airbrake on Thursday
27 October.
The BT Talks programme returns with a range of voices from the
worlds of broadcast, politics, literature and the legal profession.
They include Michael Mansfield QC, best-selling children's author
GP Taylor and Chocolat author, Joanne Harris.
Legendary singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb will perform classics
including Wichita Lineman at the Elmwood Hall on Friday 28 October.
The man dubbed as "the Jimi Hendrix of the bagpipe", Carlos
Nunez, brings his fusion of celtic and flamenco music to the Whitla
Hall on the same night, in the company of the Field Marshal
Montgomery Pipe Band.
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