Western SLOVAKIA
Bratislava
MARKET: THE CHRISTMAS edition of the Good Market / Dobrý trh – a community street market usually taking place outdoors, on Panenská Street – offers the last chance this year to buy small handicrafts, souvenirs or other gifts, as well as home-made and eco food and products, this time including a cultural programme with a Christmas theme on three stages – two outside and one inside the Old Market Hall at the SNP Square 25 in Bratislava where the market itself takes place on December 20, between 10:00 and 20:00. More details can be found at dobrytrh.sk/stara-trznica
Bratislava
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Komorná Opera Bratislava – Chamber Opera Bratislava – This concert of the chamber musical body offering opportunities to the young, fledgling opera singers and musicians presents Four Seasons by Vivaldi and arias from Mozart’s operas, as conducted by Lukáš Kunst Lederer.
Starts: Dec 16, 19:00; Heineken Tower Stage theatre, Pribinova 25. Admission: €4-€10. More info: www.komornaopera.sk.
Bratislava
STORYTELLING: Storytelling by Tom Thumb – Renowned storyteller Tom Thumb (UK), according to his own account, comes to share his “blend of magical realism and metaphor drawing on 20 years of travels around the world, extensive reading and old-fashioned imagination”, with the Bratislava audience (in English, lasting for 2-3 hours).
Starts: Dec 22, 19:00; Hlava 22, Bazová 9. Admission: €5 (in advance, predpredaj.zoznam.sk)-€7 (at the door). Tel: 0911/193-382; www.hlava22.sk.
Bratislava
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Christmas Trout (Vianočný pstruh) / Bratislava Goes Classic – The second concert of a new cycle striving to lure culture vultures to the Slovak capital offers the Piano Quintet “Trout” by Franz Schubert (and also Motifs by Emil Tabakov and a Duet by Rossini) as performed by Milan Paľa (SK, piano), Simon Tandree (UK, cello), Jozef Lupták (SK, cello), Zoran Markovič (SL, double bass) and Miki Škuta (SK, piano).
Starts: Dec 16, 19:00; Bratislava Castle. Admission: €8-€15. More info: www.bagoclassical.sk; www.citylife.sk.
Bratislava
BALLET/DANCE: The Pieces – Ballet of SND/VŠMU – The Evening of Young Choreographers is a focus project of the Slovak National Theatre (SND), soloists and students of the Music and Dance Faculty of the Academy of performing Arts (VŠMU), showing in three parts the modern perception of dance by young creators and performers.
Starts: Dec 20, 19:00; SND new building, Pribinova 17. Admission: €10. Tel: 02/2047-2299; www.snd.sk.
Bratislava
CLASSICAL MUSIC: The last concert of the cycle of contemporary classical music in the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) combines human voice (Helga Varga Bach, soprano) with the cimbalom (Enikö Ginzery), performing the works of Juraj Beneš, György Kurtág, John Cage, Daniel Matej, and Karheinz Stockhausen.
Starts: Dec 17, 18:00; SNG, Esterházy Palace – atrium, Ľ. Štúra Square 4. Admission: €2-€4. More info: www.sng.sk; www.citylife.sk.
Bratislava
CHRISTMAS MUSIC: Czech Christmas Mass / Česká mše vánoční – The traditional Czech musical piece by Jan Jakub Ryba has become a constant part of the Christmas season, perhaps also thanks to its naive nature inspired by folklore. It will be performed by the Solamente Naturali ensemble, led by Miloš Valenta and conducted by Róbert Hugo who will also play the organ.
Starts: Dec 16, 19:00; Reduta concert hall, E. Suchoňa Square 1. Admission: €8. Tel: 02/2047-5233; www.filharmonia.sk.
Bratislava
LIVE MUSIC: Olympic – The legendary Czech rock band whose older songs are all-time smash hits, comes to present its two recent albums which are quite different, yet displaying the musical development of the group started in the 1960s and led by Petr Janda ever since.
Starts: Dec 19, 19:00; Istropolis, Trnavské Mýto 1. Admission: €15-€238. Tel: 02/5293-3321; www.ticketportal.sk.
Bratislava
FOLKLORE/CHRISTMAS: SĽUK, the folk music and dance ensemble, gives a concert offering a selection of traditional Slovak carols, Christmas songs and pastorals with solo musicians and singers.
Starts: Dec 18, 20:00; St Martin’s Cathedral. Admission: €1-€7. More info: www.citylife.sk.
Bratislava
MODERN DANCE: Paved Life / Vydláždený život – Five dancers comment on life at the beginning of the 21st century, from the point of view of physicality and physical communications. Written, choreographed and directed by Rotem Tashach (Israel), performed by the Elledanse company.
Starts: Dec 20, 20:00; Elledanse theatre, T & D, Miletičova 17/B. Admission: €5-€10. Tel: 0905/969-105; www.elledanse.sk.
Bratislava
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Christmas Concert of the Bratislava City Choir brings compositions by Mozart, Vladimír Godár (SK) and Camil Saint-Saens, performed by the choir, Cappella Istropolitana and by solo singers Jana Bernáthová, Eva Šušková, Jitka Sapara Fischerová, Martin Gyimesi, Ján Ďurčo, with Peter Mikula on organ; conducted by Ladislav Holásek.
Starts: Dec 18, 19:00; DPOH City Theatre, Laurinská 19. Admission: €7. Tel: 02/5910-3107; www.mestskedivadlo.sk; www.szmb.sk.
Bratislava
BENEFIT/LIVE MUSIC: Christmas Singing for Life is an event for the Cancer Research Foundation / Nadácia Výskum rakoviny with the Big Choir of Don Cossacks singing Orthodox Christmas songs, Russian and Ukrainian folklore, as well as typical Christmas songs. The proceeds will go towards cancer research.
Starts: Dec 20, 16:00; Big Evangelical Church, Panenská Street. Admission: €11-€15 (in advance); €13-€17. Tel: 02/5293-3321; www.ticketportal.sk.
Bratislava
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Christmas concert in the Nedbalka Gallery offers songs for the festive season (by Bach, Gabriel Fauré and Enio Morricone), performed by oboe (Zuzana Grejtáková) and harp (Michal Matejčík).
Starts: Dec 18, 20:00; Nedbalka Gallery, Nedbalova 17. More info: www.nedbalka.sk.
Bratislava
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Mozart on Snowboard – Under the motto Classical is COOL, Classical is In, the Classical Music Maniacs Projects Slovakia offer a less traditional perception of what is accepted as classical music (Vivaldi, Piazzolla, Mozart, Corelli, Bach…).
Starts: Dec 21, 16:00; Mirror Hall of the Primate’s Palace, Primate’s Square. Admisison: €5-€15 (VIP). More info: www.music-maniacs.sk; www.citylife.sk.
Komárno
ETHNIC CULTURE: Hanukkah – The Hanukkah festival of lights, organised by the Jewish Community in Komárno, will include a performance of the Pressburger Klezmer Band, along with the lighting of the Hanukkah candelabrum by Mihály Riszovannij.
Starts: Dec 21, 14:30; Great Hall of the Officers’ Pavillion. Admission: free. More info: kehreg.com/english.
Central SLOVAKIA
Žilina
GOSPEL: The Golden Voices of Gospel – Christmas gala gospel show from New York is led by its founder Dwight Robinson; and on its tour around Europe, it will make a stop in Žilina, offering a journey through centuries and across various musical traditions.
Starts: Dec 15, 19:00; House of Unions, Ľ. Štúra Square 1. Admission: €29. Tel: 0908/942-506; 02/5293-3321; www.ticketportal.sk.
Žilina
CHOIR MUSIC: Christmas Concert – Superar Slovakia – The Superar project is a global network of children’s choirs that unites children from different social and ethnic environments, with different musical backgrounds, teaching them local folklore, classical as well as international songs in their original languages.
Starts: Dec 21, 16:00; Stanica Žilina – Záriečie, Závodská cesta 3. Admission: €3 (from 3 years of age on). Tel: 041/5005-064; www.stanica.sk.
Banská Bystrica
MODERN DANCE: Les Sujets Supposés Savoir – Theatrical-physical performance explores the mental and bodily aspects of the works by Chekhov, Alexander Ostrovsky, Lacan, and others. Performed by Benedetta Zaccare-llo, Tomáš Kladný, Jaro Viňarský and Lukáš Homola.
Starts: Dec 17, 19:00; Záhrada Centre of Independent Culture (CNK) in SNP Square 16 (Beniczkého Passage). Admission: €3-€5. More info: www.zahradacnk.sk.
Banská Bystrica
CLASSICAL/CHRISTMAS MUSIC: State Opera with its choir and Helmut Zsaitsits and Karol Štofira (both trumpet) will perform works by I. Hrušovský, and Vivaldi; as well as Czech Christmas Mass by J. J. Ryba with soloists - Katarína Procházková (soprán); Eva Lucká (mezzosoprano); Dušan Šimo (tenor); Ivan Zvarík (bass); and I. Berlin: White Christmas, Bach – Charles Gounod: Ave Maria with choirmaster Iveta Popovičová and conductor Marián Vach.
Starts: Dec 20, 19:00; State Opera, Národná 11. Admission: €10. Tel: 048/2457-123; www.stateopera.sk.
Eastern SLOVAKIA
Košice
CONCERT:WITHIN its Juh! / South! project, the band playing traditional music of central European Jews, Pressburger Klezmer Band, gives a concert in the Kasárne Kulturpark culture hub in Kukučínova 2 in Košice on December 18, at 20:00. More information can be found at www.k13.sk and www.klezmer.sk.
Košice
LIVE MUSIC: American Divas – Three renowned divas (Natascha Wright, Dellenor Miles, Esther Stevens) offer not only their unique voices, but also light design, a dance performance, symphonic orchestra and a great show.
Starts: Dec 21, 19:00; Steel Aréna, Nerudova 12. Admission: €20-€30. Tel: 02/5293-3321; www.ticketportal.sk.
Košice
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Pre-Christmas Concert, Christmas Concerts for Youth – State Philharmonics Košice (ŠfK) have organised a series of festive season concerts, playing carols arranged by Adrián Harvan and works of Oscar Böhme and Mikuláš Schneider Trnavský on December 15 with Harvan’s arrangements of carols and Mozart’s Concert for Piano and Orchestra, played by 12-year-old pianist Martin Chudada on December 16.
Starts: Dec 15 (19:00); Dec 16 (10:00, 12:00); ŠfK, House of Arts, Moyezsova 66. Admission: €8-10 (Dec 15), €2 (Dec 16). Tel: 055 /6220 -763; www.sfk.sk.
