ARTmania Festival 6th edition presents, between the 8th and 14th of August, exhibits, parties and concerts in Sibiu. Sonata Arctica, Nevermore and Lacrimas Profundere are the first bands confirmed, and today we are announcing some of the year’s most waited for concerts for the ARTmania fans: Tarja Turunen and Republica, the well-known alternative rock British band, which will be playing “Ready to Go” in Romania.

Until the end of March, subscriptions for the ARTmania Festival can be purchased for 110 lei, and tickets for Friday and Saturday cost 70 lei, 40 percent off. The first 20 subscriptions ordered online at shop.artmania.ro starting today will receive a bonus CD with Tarja Turunen’s latest album.

The ARTmania Festival became known both in Romania and worldwide thanks to its concerts held in the medieval citadel of Sibiu. Bands like Nightwish, Serj Tankian, the sisters of mercy, Within Temptation, H.I.M and many more artists have had the pleasure of playing in one of the most beautiful towns in Romania. The Festival has been growing each year, developing its program and securing the loyalty of its public.

For the 2010 edition, ARTmania organized concerts both in the Large and Small Square, exhibits and workshops in the cultural spaces of Sibiu, concerts and parties in the now transformed club cellars, facilitated the public’s access to museums in Sibiu like Brukenthal National Museum and ASTRA National Museum Complex, establishing a record of visitors for a usual summer weekend.

ARTmania and C.F.R. promoted bicycle riding at the festival by introducing special carriers to trains going to Sibiu. For bicycle ride amateurs, festival partners brought in bicyles to rent during festival days.  All these projects will be continued in 2011, together with new initiatives started by collaborations with public and private intitutions, so the festival’s public, turists and the local community can benefit from the ARTmania cultural platform.

In 2011, Tarja Turunen, the queen of symphonic rock, sings at ARTmania festival in Sibiu, headlining Friday. Renowned for her incredible voice and her stunning live performances, the northern star has succeeded in making her third studio album one of the best productions of the moment.

Tarja is loved especially for her extraordinary live performances, proved by the last two concerts organized by ARTmania, starting with her Christmas concert in 2005 at Thalia Hall and My Winter Storm tour at Palace Hall in 2009. Fans can buy either tickets for the Friday concert or a subscription for all festival days. Tarja’s concert will be followed by a party dedicated to her.

Saturday’s full schedule will be disclosed soon, but a note must be made about the first band in the Large Square, lead by another feminine symbol, represented by Samantha Sprackling (Saffron), leading the British rock alternative group Republica. The Germans of Lacrimas Profundere will be opening Friday evening, followed by Nevermore and Tarja, leaving Republica to open up Saturday night and the surprises following.

Their song, Ready to Go, was an anthem of the 90s, and recently the band has released a new version, that went straight to the first position in British club music tops. Republica will be playing its first Romanian concert on August 13 at ARTmania Festival. Republica was born in 1994, as an idea of Tim Dorney and Andy Rodd, joined by Samantha. Their debut album, Republica, went four in British albums tops and singles like Ready to Go and Drop Dead Gorgeous were a huge hit with the public.

The brits play a techno pop punk rock and received many awards, being next to Garbage one of the 90s rock band with a more aggressive and electronic sound. The charismatic lead singer has also sung on Prodigy’s Fat of the Land Fuel my Fire in 1997. Samantha, having Portuguese, Chinese and British origins has also sung on Just Say by The Cure, Anthem by N-Joi and Junkie XL’s “Crusher”, “Spirits” and “Beauty Never Fades”.

ARTmania Festival 2011 will be taking place between the 8th and 14th of August. More information is available on the web atwww.artmaniafestival.ro.  Tickets can be purchased in Diverta shops, Eventim, Carturesti and online at shop.artmania.ro, eventim.ro, and myticket.ro. Ticket prices range from 60-100 lei for a single day and 90-180 lei for subscriptions, depending on the moment of purchase.

Festival co-financed by Local Council of Sibiu by Town Hall and Culture House of Sibiu and by Sibiu District Council.

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