Liverpool is preparing 350 events, "mostly free", "with plenty of art, dance, cinema, cooking and theatre". Stavanger, instead, will rely on architecture, literature, visual arts and music, "bringing together artists from all over the world, working on the national and international stages". The English city, "the cradle of pop music", and the Norwegian city "famous for its festivals" have taken over as "European capitals of culture" for 2008, after Luxembourg and Sibiu (Romania), which were the capitals of culture in 2007. Both cities will open the events on January 12th. Liverpool, where the organisers expect to "attract one million people from sixty different countries", "will open the party with its Liverpool-The Musical" show, starring the ex-Beatle Ringo Starr, and Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics; the event "will also mark the official opening of the new Liverpool Arena". Stavanger "will give prominence to the Rogaland County, asking all its municipalities to present some theme event".
