Approximately 1000 artists from all over the world and Israel will participate in Israel Festival 2008. The festival will include outstanding theater, music and dance performances this year Israel's 60th anniversary will add to the festive atmosphere. The festival will also bring to the stage some of the most important cultural events of modern Polish music, dance and theater and also some of the best theater and music events from France.
The festival continues to promote and advance Israeli creations and shows its respect to young Israeli artists. The festival will present many theater, dance, classical and easy listening music premiers.
The festival will be carried out during 23.5.08-22.6.08 in Jerusalem's different halls and sites: Jerusalem Theater, ICC- Jerusalem International Convention Center, The Sultan's Pool, Jerusalem International YMCA, Ein Kerem, Tower of David, Hamachtarot Museum, Hama'abada, Zarar Bachar, Hachan, Bibal Land Museum, the Nature Museum and the Jerusalem Theater Area.
This year the festival will cooperate with Holon, a city that puts cultural events at high priority. In addition to performances at Holon Theater, there will be performances and children plays at Holon's Meditech parallel to and as part of a special children festival that will take place in Jerusalem to mark 60 years of independence. Performances by the festival will also take place at the Performing Arts Hall at Herzliah.
Among the performances - 90 years to "The Dybbuk" and to "Habima" with a mass production by the theater group TR Warszawa from Poland and three international premieres of Israeli "Dybbuks", "Jazz Festival" including the best jazz artists in the world, the legendary Jordy Sable with Yair Dalal, Israeli film industry homage concert, Grupo Corpo from Brazil, Preljocaj Ballet from France and the Juilliard Foursome from USA, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Warszawa, the prestigious French Ensemble "Les Art Florissants", Accordona Ensemble" from Italy with the wonderful singer Marco Bisilli, Schubert marathon to mark 180 years to his passing, a French music celebration,. Salsa Celtica from Edinburgh and a festive celebration of ethnic Israeli music.
In addition several Jazz legends will perform at the festival including the legendary Bill Frisell, the vibraphone player Stefon Harris and his band from the USA, the Anat Porat Threesome, the trombone player Nils Wogram, the Marcin Wasilewski Trio from Poland and Alon Olearchik in an Israeli Jazz performance.
The Festival's CEO and program manager is Yosi Tal Gan. The art consultants are: Gil Shohat- classical music, Rachel Bilski Cohen - dance performances, Ache Bar - Jazz and Emanuel Witztum - music and Jazz.