2002 New Zealand Festival Goes Online

The first stage of the 2002 New Zealand Festival website was launched today at www.nzfestival.telecom.co.nz.

Sponsored by Telecom, the site previews events scheduled for the 2002 Festival, including the New Zealand premiere of the Telecom opera, Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss.

The site offers visitors the opportunity to register for regular news and updates during the build-up to the Festival. Visitors can also request a Festival programme brochure to be mailed to their home as soon as the full Festival programme is announced in early October.

At that time, visitors to the website will be able to view the entire New Zealand Festival programme, read information about all events and book for shows online.

Artistic Director Carla van Zon says that the Festival website is a vitally important means of disseminating up-to-date information about its programme, which will comprise around 100 different performing, visual and literary arts events. "We want everyone to be able to enjoy a direct, real-life experience of the arts. Our aim is to put the Festival within the reach of as many people as possible both around New Zealand and offshore, and our website plays an important part in that", she says.

The role of the Festival in encouraging cultural tourism to Wellington has grown alongside the growth in digital communications. "16% of registrations on our splash page in recent months have come from overseas," says van Zon.

The site is designed by Wellington web design company, Shift, who are also a Festival sponsor. Shift’s designers say that they look forward to the challenge of “creating an operatic experience online” as the production of Der Rosenkavalier develops and further information is added.

Telecom Chief Executive Officer Theresa Gattung says the colour and excitement of the Festival brings a new dimension to the online world. She says the Internet is an ideal and practical way to provide a “taster of the spectacular range of events to come”.

“Not only is the Internet an important part of our business, it is increasingly playing an important role in our sponsorships where we can help our partners entertain, do business, book tickets, learn and communicate,” she says.

Visit the website at www.nzfestival.telecom.co.nz

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