VILNIUS - Don't you just love it when everything goes 'BOOM!'? Nothing in the whole world is more exciting than explosives arranged in a special way, so that the explosion becomes a piece of art. Yes, you got it right. I'm talking about fireworks.
I guess that our inexplicable love for fireworks comes from ancient times, when people used to gather and stare at lightning. But as time passed, we learnt to make our own thunderstorms, and more colorful, too.
Not many people know that the earliest, unequivocal, documentation of fireworks dates back to 12th century China, where they were first used to frighten away evil spirits with their loud sound, and also to pray for happiness and prosperity.
Eventually, the art and science of firework-making developed into an independent profession. In ancient China, pyrotechnicians (firework-masters) were well-respected for their knowledge and skill in mounting dazzling displays of light and sound. A record from 1264 states that the speed of the rocket-propelled 'ground-rat' firework frightened the Empress Dowager Gong Sheng during a feast held in her honor by her son Emperor Lizong of Song. By the 14th century, rocket propulsion had become common in warfare, as evidenced by the Huolongjing, compiled by Liu Ji (1311's1375) and Jiao Yu (1350's1412).
Since then, any event - a birth, wedding, coronation or New Year's Eve celebration has become a fitting occasion for noisemakers.
The perfect example for this will be on the last weekend of September, when Vilnius' Vingio Park will light up with thousands of different colors during the First International Fireworks Festival Vilniaus Fejerija 2009. This is going to be an event with no comparison in Lithuania, and which will not leave the spectator indifferent; moreover, this is going to be an opportunity to evaluate the art of fireworks from another perspective.
At the beginning of the festival the grand live concert by Marijus Mikutavicius and the band will be held. The performances of the participants will be supplemented by dances with fire of the fakir studio "Ugnies ratas," while "Lazerines idejos" will provide laser light effects.
But that will be just the beginning. The competitive part of the festival will consist of professional team performances, which will include three parts: in the first part teams will have to create fireworks using the same music (fragment from Maurice Ravel's "Bolero") and will use only yellow and blue color pyrotechnic effects. This part of the contest will show the spectators how the masters of fireworks interpret under the same conditions. In the second part every team will show fireworks using a song by Michael Jackson, or a mix of several songs. In the third part the teams will perform a program of fireworks using freely chosen music.
Fireworks, or other pyrotechnic effects, become the accent of the culmination of many events. The essence of the program for this festival is the many artistically performed fireworks. Vilnius' Vingio Park is a wonderful place for enjoying the fireworks; moreover, you will see a concert by a popular Lithuanian artist, not to mention the fakirs, lasers and performances of the professional teams of pyrotechnicians... It is worth participating in such a unique event, which will be held for the first time in Vilnius!
First Internation Fireworks Festival will be held on Sept. 25
