Countrywide events

Tips for events in Slovakia between August 7 and 16, including a lot of music - classical, opera, ethno, jazz and swing, a confectioners' festival, Roma culture, a film seminar/festival, a mountain bike marathon, a castle tournament, etc.

(Source: Courtesy of Saxophone Syncopators)

Western SLOVAKIA

Bratislava

OPERA: Slovak soprano living in the Czech Republic, Simona Houda-Šaturová, in this concert of the Viva Musica festival presents a selection of arias by Mozart and his lesser-known Czech contemporary Josef Mysliveček, which also appeared in November 2014 in her most recent album Decade: Mozart & Mysliveček. The project, with original dramaturgy, presents arias by both composers produced during the years 1771-1781 and compares their works.

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Starts: Aug 7, 20:00; St Martin’s Cathedral. Admission: €20. Tel: 02/5293-3321; www.ticketportal.sk; www.vivamusica.sk/en/saturova.html

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Bratislava

IN-LINE SKATING: Bratislava Inline – The seventh Friday inline ride of this summer starts at 21:00 behind Aupark (meeting at 20:00), to lead through the Petržalka borough. Before, at 18:00, there will be a “family ride” for parents with children, starting behind Aupark shopping centre and leading through the Sad Janka Kráľa Park. Starts: Aug 7, 21:00 (18:00); behind Aupark. Admission: free. More info: www.bratislava-inline.sk.   

Bratislava

JAZZ: Summer Dance Parties at Gamekeeper’s Lodge / Letná tančiareň v horárni – This edition of the summer series will bring Vlado Vizár Jazz Quartet playing music for dancing and a chill-out evening.

Starts: Aug 8, 17:00; Horáreň / Gamekeeper’s Lodge in Horský Park. Admission: free. More info: www.citylife.sk.   

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Bratislava

SWING: Funny Fellows – The famous band playing swing from the 1920s to the 1940s (including Slovak swing) on period instruments and in period costumes will give an open-air performance. Starts: Aug 9, 20:00; Main Square. Admission: free. More info: www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

RAGTIME/CLASSICAL MUSIC: Saxophone Syncopators – Band consisting of four sax players will play ragtime classics – as well as an original work composed for them – in unusual arrangements for four saxophones (Pavol Hoďa – soprano/alto sax, clarinet; Ján Gašpárek – alto sax; Ladislav Fančovič – tenor sax, arrangements;  Frederika Babuliaková – baritone sax). This time, they will play a rather classical repertoire, the works by Jean Baptiste Singeleé: Quartet Op.53 – Slovak premiere; Jevgenij Iršaj: Saxocracy (dedicated to Saxophone Syncopators); Alexander Glazunov: Quartet Op.109; Eugéne Bozza: Andante et Scherzo – Slovak premiere. Starts: Aug 9; Museum of Croatian Culture in Slovakia of the Slovak National Museum (MKCHS), Istrijská 68. Tel: 02/2049-3101; www.snm-mkchs.sk.

Bratislava

CLASSICAL MUSIC: The cycle of benefit concerts by big foreign orchestras at the Slovak Radio will culminate with the Turkish national Youth Orchestra – Türkiye Genҫlik Filarmoni Orkestrasi, as conducted by Cem Mansur, performing works by Claude Debussy, Antonín Dvořák, Ulvi Cemal Erkin and Igor Stravinsky. Starts: Aug 12, 19:00: big studio of the Slovak Radio, Mýtna 1. Admission: voluntary (proceeds go to the Cancer Research Foundation), booking necessary via jan@juras.sk; or text message at 0905/716-851, or through www.ticketportal.sk.

Bratislava

WORLD/LIVE MUSIC: “Oriental Fragrance & electronic sounds” - Egyptian Project – The joint project of experienced Egyptian musicians on traditional instruments and young French enthusiasts led by Jerome Ettinger (with an Egyptian Gipsy singer on this tour) combines old and new, and brings traditional music in modern, youthful arrangements for music clubs. After the release of the Ya Amar album, a European tour has started, and now, it makes a stop in Bratislava before continuing to the Sziget festival in Budapest: Sozan Moktar – singer; Ragab Sadek – percussions; Sayed Emam – singer, kawala and percussions; Salama Metwally- rababa, violin; Jérôme Ettinger – artistic director, singer, arghul, percussions;  Anthony Bondu – drum. Starts: Aug 13, Nu Spirit Club, Luxor Passage (Štúrova 3). Admission: €7 (in advance)-€12 (www.ticketportal.sk). More info: www.nuspirit.sk; www.shiraz.sk/en.      

Bratislava

ORGAN: Within the 6th Cathedral Organ Festival, the third concert brings to the Bratislava cathedral Gunnar Petersen of Norway playing the works of Bach, K. Nystedt, E. Hovland, C. Franck, J. Alain, and L. Vierne. Starts: Aug 13, 19:00; St Martin’s Cathedral. Admission: €1-€8. More info: www.citylife.sk.  

Bratislava

LIVE MUSIC: Trio Impression – Three female graduates of the Bratislava Academy of Performing Arts play various genres and styles from different periods, with classics to modern and jazz music.

Starts: Aug 14, 19:00-20:00; Bratislava city walls across from St Martin’s Cathedral. Admission: free. More info: www.bkis.sk.

Bratislava

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Summer Night’s Meditation – The Hong-Kong Children’s Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Jimmy Chang (Hong-Kong) will perform with Anna Baxter (soprano, USA) and Chryso Makariou (soprano, Cyprus). Starts: Aug 14, 19:00; St Martin’s Cathedral. Admission: free. More info: www.citylife.sk

Bratislava

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Jánoška Ensemble is a musical body founded by famous Slovak brothers – František (piano), Ondrej (violin), Roman (violin) and Arpád (vocals) with their brother-in-law Júlis Darvaš; they play classical music combined with Latino, jazz and pop. This concert is part of the Viva Musica! summer festival. Starts: Aug 14, 20:00; Old Market-hall, SNP Square 25. Admission: €20. More info: www.vivamusica.sk.   

Bratislava

GASTRONOMY: The 8th year of celebrations of St Lawrence’s day (Sv. Vavrinec), the patron saint of cooks and confectioners offers a demonstration of the work of culinary professionals, this time outdoors, as organised by the Bratislava Club and Slovak Association of Cooks and Confectioners. Starts: Aug 15, 10:00; Main Square. Admission: free. More info: www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

LATINO/DANCE PARTY: Latino Dance Party offers an afternoon with the La Portella dance school. Starts: Aug 15, 16:00; Eurovea Galleria. Admission: free. More info: www.bkis.sk.  

Bratislava

ROMA FEAST: Bašavel – Gipsy Bashavel, the typical Roma feast which also displays the results of a summer workshop for young talented Roma, has moved indoors in its 10th year, but still offers an attractive programme: from a cooking show, concerts of classical and traditional Roma music, a dance workshop, a theatre performance, screenings of movies about and featuring Roma, art, puppetry, a circus and craft workshops, readings of works by Roma authors and more. Performers and lecturers include chef Zdenka Mahajová,  Laco Cmorej and Credance;  director Naďa Uherová; Barbora Botošová & Gypsy Queen Project; Agata Siemaszko; Eddy Portella; Terne Čhave (CZ), band Para ft. Sendreiovci; and the children from Fové Maky / Wild Poppies programme. Starts: Aug 16; 12:00; Old Market-hall, SNP Square 25. Admission: €7 (children under 10 free). More info: www.divemaky.sk

Bratislava

PHOTO EXHIBITION: I Saw All the Churches of Slovakia – The photo exhibition by Zdenko Dzurjanin, comprising photos of 4,124 churches in 2,927 Slovak cities and villages, has been prolonged due to enormous interest of visitors, until the end of August. It took the photographer, aged 28, eight years to complete the project. Open: Tue-Sun 10:00 – 17:00 until Aug 31; Clarissen Church / Concert Hall, Klariská 1. Admission: free. More info: www.bkis.sk.

Trnava

JAZZ: Trnavský jazzyk – The 12th year of popular local jazz festival will include genres varying from classical jazz and mainstream through blues, funk, soul, RnB and fusion, to world music and performers including Polish Anna Maria Jopek; co-organiser Michal Bugala with Slovenian Jure Pukl, Austrian Raphael Wressnig & The Soul Gift Band. Saturday will feature Slovak Lukáš Oravec & his quartet, US singer Vivian Sessoms with Slovak Valihora Unit; and New York-based Lost Tribe – Adam Rogers, David Binney, Fima Ephron and Ben Perowsky. Starts: Aug 7-8, 19:00; city amphitheatre (Hviezda cinema in case of bad weather). Admission: €14-one day; €24-both days. Tel: 02/5293-3321; www.ticketportal.skwww.jazz.sk.

Trnava

ORGAN MUSIC: Trnava Organ Days – The international organ festival will present, in 2015, Norwegian musicians on August 9 (Vegard Lan Daas –saxophone; Anders Aidsten Dahl-organ); Spanish/Slovak on August 16 (Carlos Mena- countertenor; Monika Melcová-organ) and organists: Italian Giulio Mercati on August 23; Jean-Pierre Griveau on August 30; Polish Adam Klarecki on September 6; Italian Franceso Bongiorno on September 13 and a festive final gala-concert on September 17, with Enricco Zanovello (IT), the local Trnava Chamber Orchestra, Consortium Bratislava choir with soloists Hilda Gulyásová and Peter Kollár. Starts: Aug 9, 16 (23, 30, Sep 6, 13, 17), 20:00; St Nicolas’ Basilica. Admission:  €5 (tickets can be bought on site, 30 minutes before the concert starts). More info: www.regiontirnavia.sk.  

 

Central SLOVAKIA

 

Banská Štiavnica

FILM SEMINAR: 4živly – Zmysly / Senses – The leitmotif of this year’s summer international film seminar Senses, with guests including Hungarian director of Taxidermia, György Pálfi, Slovaks – sound engineer Dušan Kozák, editor Alexandra Gojdičová, composer Marek Piaček and light designer Laura Murguía Sanchez. Starts: Aug 5-9; various sites in Banská Štiavnica. More info: www.4zivly.sk/en/2015_summer_en/introduction_summer_2015_en

Martin

ROMA CULTURE/MUSEUM: Te Prindžaras Amen Spoznajme sa / Let Us Get to Know Each Other – The 13th year of this event tries to present the traditional aspects of Romani lifestyle and culture, as presented by the Slovak Village Museum (of the Slovak National Museum) in Martin. From folklore (including Flamenco), through pottery and smithery, cooking and horse-riding, to more modern genres like film-making or education incubators, the event will offer an interesting overall image and demonstrations. Starts: Aug 9, 10:30-16:00; SNM Martin-Jahodícke háje. Admission: €1-€2. Tel: 0908/902-650; www.snm.sk/?events-19&clanok=calendar-of-events-2015.

Ružomberok

PHOTO EXHIBITION: The competition of the Association of Slovak photographers (ZSF) evaluating 797 photos by 126 photographers (including from the Czech Republic, Austria and Ukraine who are also members of ZSF) selected one fourth of them in two categories to be exhibited in Ružomberok until the end of August and then to tour Sliač, Košice, Žilina, Považská Bystrica, Senica, Prague and Krakow. Open: weekdays 8:00-17:00; weekends 11:00-17:00 until Aug 30; Liptov Museum, Štefana Nikolaja Hýroša. Admission: €1.50. More info: www.liptovskemuzeum.sk

 

Eastern SLOVAKIA

 

Poprad

GASTRONOMY/SLOVAK CULTURE: Made in Slovakia – Theatre improvisation, typical Slovak meals, events for children, traditional crafts, hand-made products and a lot of (Slovak) music will mark this event which has become a part of the Poprad Cultural Summer. Starts: Aug 5-8; downtown Poprad. Admission: free. More info:  premesto.sk/made-in-slovakia-2.    

Krásnohorské Podhradie

CASTLE TOURNAMENT: Krásnohorské hradné hry / Krásna Hôrka Castle Tournaments – The already established event offers historical fencing, tournaments (this time round with knights from France, Italy and Israel) and also period dances, falconry, comedians, cooks, craftsmen, etc. Starts: Aug 8, 10:00; Krásnohorské Podhradie. More info: kosiceregion.com/event/krasnohorske-hradne-hry-2015.  

Poprad/High Tatras

CYCLING MARATHON: Horal Tour is a three-day mountain biking marathon, offering five stages in three days, from medium- to very difficult, leading through the High Tatras, Low Tatras, and Kozie chrbty mountains near the town of Svit. Starts: Aug 14-Aug 16; Svit/Tatras More info: (registration can be done) at www.horal.sk

Košice

LIVE MUSIC: Zaz – Famous French songstress Zaz (aka Isabelle Geffroy) will play for the second time in Slovakia, now in a Košice club, as supported by Slovak musical project Malalata. Starts: Aug 9, 18:30; Kasárne Kulturpark barracks, Kukučínova 2. More info: www.k13.sk/francuzska-hudobna-ikona-zaz-bude-headlinerom-leta-v-parku.

Košice

WORLD MUSIC/DANCE: La Noche del Tango – Both students of Miguel’s dance school and professionals will dance at this event, dedicated to tango.  Starts: Aug 13, 21:00; Jazz Club, Kováčska 39. More info: www.kamdomesta.sk.

 

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