Cork's year as European Capital of Culture will commence next January with spectacular opening celebrations, its organisers announced yesterday.
The centrepiece performance, Awakening, is based on the ancient myth that the River Lee was formed by the gorging tail of a giant serpent defeated in battle by St Finbarr.
Street theatre company Waterford Spraoi will breathe life back into the legend by recreating the serpent in the river.
In a performance space covering 600 metres across three city centre bridges, the serpent will rise from the Lee in a spectacle combining water effects, pyrotechnics, lighting effects, music, spoken word, projection and physical theatre.
The artistic director of Waterford Spraoi, Mr Dermot Quinn, said Awakening is intended to be the most daring outdoor performance ever undertaken in Ireland, and the largest water-based spectacle in the country. Mr John Kennedy, director of Cork 2005, said he was excited at being able to mark the beginning of such a momentous year by presenting the river and Cork's own myths and legends in the most contemporary of ways.
Before the celebrations take place, a specially commissioned theatrical production in City Hall, The Red City, written by Ray Scannell and directed by Pat Kiernan, will celebrate Cork's formal acceptance of the European designation.
The full programme of events for Cork 2005 will be launched in Cork's Municipal Art Gallery on Thursday next.