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Well-attended saga festival concludes in Corvey
The castle of Corvey in Westphalia, originally a monastery founded around the time of Iceland's settlement, provided a spectacular setting for a three-day presentation of the Sagas of Icelanders, organized by Literaturbüro Ostwestfalen-Lippe in collaboration with Fabulous Iceland and the publishing house S. Fischer. The occasion was a new translation of all the Sagas of Icelanders, published in 5 volumes by S. Fischer this September.
The event's programme, which lasted from dusk till dawn for three consecutive days, featured readings by many well-known German actors, including Angela Winkler, Michael Altmann, Corinna Harfouch and Matthias Habich. The readings were alternated with talks delivered by Icelandic and Germans scholars such as Vésteinn Ólason and Kurt Schier, and readings by Icelandic contemporary authors including Sjón and Einar Kárason.
Also a success was an appearance by the Argentinian author Alberto Manguel, who spoke of the high regard his late friend Jorge Luis Borges had for the sagas, and translation the late great author eventually undertook of portions of the Prose Edda.There was also music, including performances by the Norwegian bass player Arild Jandersen, the Caput Ensemble and Ólafur Arnalds.
Attendance turned out to exceed expectations. Corvey remained crowded with enthusiastic guests for the entire duration of what is no doubt the most extensive presentation ever given of Icelandic medieval literature.
For the event's programme, click here.