Western SLOVAKIA



Bratislava
NEW YEAR`S RUN: STARTING at 10:00 on December 31 from the Economic University at Dolnozemská 1 in Bratislava-Petržalka, the 23rd year of the traditional New Year’s Eve Run across the Bratislava Bridges will see participants cross all the city’s bridges spanning the Danube and along the river embankment. The finish is at the Lafranconi Bridge. Prospective participants can apply, and prospective onlookers can find more information, at www.starz.sk, until 9:30 on the day of the run.

Bratislava
EXHIBITION: PAINTINGS by renowned Slovak artist Rudolf Fila bring a new perspective on familiar myths, stories and symbolic figures. The exhibition at Galéria 19, Lazaretská 19 in Bratislava, lasts until January 15 (Tue-Sun 14:00-19:00) and showcases works consisting of several parts, some of which are on a monumental scale.

Bratislava
OPERA: Silvestrovský galakoncert / New Year’s Eve Gala Concert – A special concert offering famous operatic arias and duets by Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi, Puccini, but also Offenbach, Strauss, Hellmesberger and others. The music will be conducted by Rastislav Štúr and performed by Jana Bernáthová, Louise Hudson, Jitka Sapara-Fischerová, Ján Babjak, Daniel Čapkovič and Jozef Benci.
Starts: Dec 31, 16:00; historical building of the Slovak National Theatre, Hviezdoslavovo Square 4. Admission: €13-€35. Tel: 02/2047-2299; www.snd.sk.


Bratislava
PERCUSSION WORKSHOP: The First Percu(se)ssion in Batelier - The session is meant for all percussionists, fans and amdirers, as well as for those curious who want to have a taste of drums and recall sun, warmth, and hot rhythms.
Starts: Dec 20, 19:00-23:00; Batelier, Továrenská 14. Admission: voluntary. Tel: 0944/357-716; www.batelier.sk.


Bratislava
ICE SKATING: Ice skating for the public – Open-air ice skating has started in front of the historical building of the SND. Skates can be rented at the site for a small fee.
Open: daily 10:00-22:00 until Jan 31; Hviezdoslavovo Square. Admission: free for children under 130 centimetres, others €1. More info: www.staremesto.sk.


Bratislava
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Novoročný koncert – This New Year Concert by the Slovak Philharmonic will bring arias and choirs by Verdi, Puccini, Alexander Borodin, Jules Massenet, Ruggiero Leoncavallo, Georges Bizet and Charles Gounod, as conducted by Leoš Svárovský and performed by Adriana Kučerová, Miroslav Dvorský and the Slovak Philharmonic Choir.
Starts: Jan 1, 15:00 and 19:00; historical building of the SND, Hviezdoslavovo Square 4. Admission: €20. Tel: 02/2047-5233; www. filharm.sk.


Bratislava
LIVE MUSIC: Swing Society Orchestra – This Christmas concert full of festive atmosphere will see familiar popular pieces, as well as some new ones, performed by this musical group.
Starts: Dec 22, 20:30; Hlava XXII, Bazová 9. Admission: €6. Tel: 0948/327-333; www. hlava22.sk.
Bratislava
NEW YEAR/CLUBBING: Silvester 2011 – The Nu Spirit Club presents DJ Vec, Emonoizboyz DJs, Old School Stage, DJs Norbert Goldstar & Yellow Box for a New Year Eve’s celebration, playing soul, breaks, funk, hip-hop and nusound.
Starts: Dec 31, 21:00; Nu Spirit Club, Šafárikovo Square 7. Admission: €10 (in advance, at the Nu Spirit Bar, Medená 16). Tel: 0948/855-449; www. nuspirit.sk.


Bratislava
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Trio Frizzante – Three Vienna-based musicians (Marlies Gaugl on flute, Doris Lindner on piano and Johannes Kubitschek on cello) play works by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Piazzolla, Adalbert Gyrowetz and Nikolai Kapustin.
Starts: Dec 19, 18:00; Mozart Hall of the Austrian Embassy, Ventúrska 10. Admission: free. Tel: 02/5464 -1337; www.rakusko.eu/sk/kultura.aspx.


Bratislava
LATINO WORKSHOP: Bellita Pino & Miguel López - Jazz-Latino Workshop – Pianist, singer and composer Bellita Expósito Pino and jazz multi-instrumentalist Miguel Miranda López have put together a musical grouping, Bellita y Jazztumbata. At this workshop, they will explore Cuban musical genres on the first day; and Latino percussions and multi-instrumentalism on the second day.
Starts: Dec 19-20; Kuul fabrik, Chemická 1. Admission: €10. Tel: 02/2071-3363; www. kuulfabrik.sk


Bratislava
EXHIBITION: Eveliina Hämäläinen: Nuotio – The first solo exhibition by this young Finnish artist outside Finland presents her drawings on canvas, woodblocks and books with the leitmotif of landscapes and forests inhabited by animals or humans.
Open: Mon-Fri 10:00- 18:00, Sat 9:00-17:00 until Jan 10; T-Gallery, Panská 24. Admission: free. Tel: 0903/ 601-656; www.tgallery.sk.


Bratislava
EXHIBITION: Romana Hagyo (Vienna) - Standard Life / Livin Standard – Austrian artist Hagyo confronts her own perceptions of the Bratislava borough of Ružinov with the views and perceptions of locals, as seen in a series of photographs.
Open: Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00 until Dec 31; Austrian Cultural Forum, Zelená 7. Tel: 02/5464 -1337; www.rakusko.eu/sk/kultura.aspx.


Bratislava
EXHIBITION: Príbehy čajovej šálky / Stories of a Teacup – The ÚĽUV centre of traditional art and crafts presents pottery by Daniel Lichard, specifically teacups and saucers. Lichard studied traditional Modra ‘majolica’ pottery-making.
Open: Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00 until Jan 7; foyer of the Government Office, Nám. Slobody Square 1. Admission: free. Tel: 02/5729-5111; www. government.gov.sk.


Bojnice
CHRISTMAS/MUSEUM: Anjelské Vianoce na zámku / Angels’ Christmas at the Castle – The Slovak National Museum has prepared a special event at Bojnice Castle to lure visitors during the festive season; children can get presents from St Nicholas (until Dec 23) or the Three Kings (from Dec 26).
Open: daily (except for Dec 24, 25 and Jan 1) 10:00-15:00 until Jan 8; Bojnice Castle. Admission: €0.70-€5.70. Tel: 046/5430-633; www.snm.sk.


Pezinok
EXHIBITION: Insita In Situ – This exhibition at the Gallery of Naive Art shows more than 150 Slovak and foreign works (in particular from the largely Slovak-speaking village of Kovačica in Serbia) from the collections of the Slovak National Gallery (SNG), as selected and curated by Katarína Čierna, including art brut and ‘art of the outsiders’.
Open: Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00 until Jan 31; Gallery of Naive Art, Schaubmar’s Mill, Cajlanská 255, Pezinok-Cajla. Admission: €0.70-€1.70. Tel: 033/6404-035; www. muzeum.sk.


Central SLOVAKIA

Banská Bystrica
MUSICAL: THE BANSKÁ Bystrica staging of the popular musical Fiddler on the Roof, by Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, closes at the local State Opera on Tuesday, December 20, at 18:30. Tickets for the production, directed by Jozef Krasula and conducted by Ján Procházka, cost €4 to €6 and can be obtained through www.stateopera.sk.

Kežmarok
EXHIBITION: THE THEATRUM mundi / Divadlo sveta / Theatre of the World exhibition by Nikolaj Fedkovič is a parade of the vain, the mundane and the noble. The works of this legendary Slovak artist, who has been living in Germany for 20 years, return to Slovakia to be shown at the Galéria u anjela / At the Angel Gallery, Starý trh 53 in Kežmarok, until January 12. Admission is free; the gallery is open Tue-Fri 12:00-18:00 and Sat 10:00-13:00. More information is available at www.galeriauanjela.sk.

Martin
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Vianočný koncert – This Christmas Concert by opera trio La Gioia and opera singer Patrícia Janečková will help evoke a festive atmosphere.
Starts: Dec 22, 18:00; Roman-Catholic Parish Church of St Martin, SNP Square. Admission: voluntary. More info: www.matica.sk.


Čadca
ROCK MUSIC: Kysucké rockové Vianoce / Kysuce Rock Christmas – The 3rd edition of this rock concert presents bands like Intrepid - Metallica revival, Zóna A, Zoči Voči and local bands Haluzotvoristika, Pyrausta and Mad Frequency.
Starts: Dec 22, 19:00; House of Culture. Admission: €5. Tel: 02/5293 -3321; www. ticketportal.sk.


Banská Štiavnica
MUSEUM/EXHIBITION: Vianoce s bábkami / Christmas with Puppets – This exhibition explores several types of puppets and marionettes, as well as the history of puppet theatres in Žilina, Košice, Nitra, Bratislava and Banská Bystrica. It strives to evoke the air of Christmas and magical fairytales.
Open: Wed-Sun 8:00-16:00 until Jan 31; Old Castle (Starý zámok), Starozámocká 12. Admission: €3-€7.50. Tel: 045/ 694-9472; www.muzeumbs.sk.


Eastern SLOVAKIA



Košice
DANCE MUSIC: Štefánska latino party by Miguel – The ‘traditional’ folklore dance that used to take place on Dec 26, St Stephen’s Day, has acquired a more modern, latino style with dance hits, animations, a tombola, and more.
Starts: Dec 26, 20:00; GES Klub, Novomeského 13. Admission: €4 (in advance)-€5 (on the door). Tel: 055/6224 -303; www.ges.sk.


Košice
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Druhý vianočný concert / The Second Christmas Concert – A special concert by the State Philharmonic including works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf and Haydn, as conducted by Gergely Ménesi from Hungary and performed by the Collegium Technicum choir, Lucia Knoteková (soprano), Magdalena Idzik (alto) and Igor Stroin (tenor).
Starts: Dec 19, 19:00; House of Art, Moyzesova 66. Admission: €8-€10. Tel: 055/ 6224-509; www.sfk.sk.


Poprad
CHARITY: Vianoce a opustené psíky / Christmas and Abandoned Dogs – Animals in the Dog Rescue Shelter would be grateful for leftovers from your Christmas table.
Starts: Dec 27, 14:00; Dog Shelter Poprad-Veľká. Admission: free. More info: 0944/ 266-268; www.utulokpoprad. wbl.sk.


Poprad
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Vianočný concert / Christmas Concert – Perla Danková on piano and Tereza Novotná on violin will perform works by Vivaldi, Bach, Albinioni, Veracini, Bruch, Skoryk, Rachmaninov and Kreisler.
Starts: Dec 26, 18:00; St Egidius Church, St Egidius Square. Admission: by voluntary donation. More info: www.poprad.sk.


Prešov
RUTHENIAN BALL: Ruthenika a 1. Rusiňska zabava v Prjašovi / Ruthenika and the 1st Ruthenian Ball in Prešov – The Ruthenian minority in Prešov and the surrounding region invites people to enjoy traditional dance and music and to watch the winners of a Slovak-wide competition in singing Ruthenian folk songs.
Starts: Dec 27, 20:00; Čierny orol Park of Culture and Leisure, Hlavná 67. Admission: €13. Tel: 0905/583 -349; www.molody-rusyny.sk, www.pkopresov.sk.