Foreigners: Events around Slovakia

Tips for performances and other events in the Slovak regions between December 2 and 11, including ice-skating, Christmas music, operas, jazz, Finnish heavy metal, and more.

Bajus Jozef: Composiiton III - 1995, paper/combined technique. Ján Koniarek Gallery celebrates 40th anniversary, with a concert and a special exhibition.Bajus Jozef: Composiiton III - 1995, paper/combined technique. Ján Koniarek Gallery celebrates 40th anniversary, with a concert and a special exhibition. (Source: Courtesy of GJK)

Western Slovakia

Trnava

SPORT/RELAX: Christmas Ice-rink – Ice-skating in downtown Trnava is back again on an artificial ice-rink, one of the most up-to-date worldwide at a size of 20x10 metres, from mid-November until January 8. Ice-skates available for hire or bring your own; the ice-rink is lit and has a sound system and snacks are available. Open: daily, until Jan 8; Hlavná Street. Admission: €0.50 (skate hire €2; sharpening €1.50). More info: www.vianocnatrnava.sk.

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Nitra

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Gallery of Music / Galéria hudby – This cycle brings both chamber music from all periods and contemporary music to the local gallery. Beginning in December, the Musica Cassovia ensemble, a string orchestra from Košice (drawing talents from the local State Philharmonic Košice, ŠfK) led by Maroš Potokár plays the works of P. Hindemith, R. Berger, and D. Shostakovich. Starts: Dec 7, 18:00; Nitrianska galéria (Nitra Gallery), Župné Square 3. Admission: €4-€6. Tel: 037/6579-641; www.nitrianskagaleria.sk; kultura@nitrianskagaleria.sk.

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Trnava

CONCERT: The Ján Koniarek Gallery celebrates its 40th anniversary with a special concert, staring Zuzana Grejtáková on oboe, Katarína Zacharová on violin, Mário Gajarský on guitar and percussion, Denis Bango on piano with vocals by Silvia Bartošová and Jakub Rizman on harp. There is also an exhibition marking the anniversary, called 40 Years of GJK which offers a selection of the most important artworks acquired in the last 10 years, and the re-opening of three permanent exhibitions. Starts: Dec 8, 19:00; Synagogue – Centre of Contemporary Art, Halenárska 2. Admission: free. More info: www.gjk.sk.

Nitra

CONCERT: The Best Beatles Christmas 2016 – The Backwards – Arguably one of the best Beatles tribute bands globally, The Backwards, will bring a seasonal concert of more than two hours of popular Beatles songs, from the Beatlemania era up to the Abbey Road period. Starts: Dec 18, 19:00; Nájomná Jednotka 210, OC MAX Nitra, Chrenovská 30. Admission: €16. Tickets: www.ticketportal.sk; more info: www.beatles.sk.

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Central Slovakia

Žilina

FIGURE SKATING/SHOW: Master of Ice 2016 Evgeni Plushenko – The show presenting former world champions and top figure skaters returns to Slovakia after several years and this time, it brings not just Plushenko in person, but also Adelina Sotnikova, Tatiana Volosazhar and Maxim Trankov, Brian Joubert, Tomáš Verner and Chesnas. They will be accompanied by live music, played on the Stradivari violin by famous violinist and composer Edvin Marton, an EMI laureate. Starts: Dec 2, 18:00; Doxx Bet Arena, Športová 5. Admission: €19-€29. Tickets: http://predpredaj.zoznam.sk; more info: www.kamdomesta.sk.

Žilina

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Mucha Quartet: Vivaldi’s Seasons with Pantomime – The mime artist Vladimír Kulíšek has joined forces with the Mucha String Quartet in a unique project combining Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with the art of mime disclosing emotions, characters and moods hidden in the popular composition – apart from Vivaldi, the works of Joseph Haydn and Antonín Dvořák will also be featured. Starts: Dec 9, 19:00; Fatra House of Arts, Dolný Val 47. Admission: €12. More info: www.skozilina.sk.

Banská Bystrica

OPERA/PREMIERE: Franz Lehár – The Land of Smiles – The popular operetta by Franz Lehár premieres at the State Opera, rehearsed and conducted by Ján Procházka, directed by Jana Andělová Pletichová, with costumes by Tomáš Kypta, stage design by David Bazika, with choirmaster Iveta Popovičová and choreographer Ján Ševčík. Cast includes Štefan Šafárik as guest, Ján Haruštiak as guest, Katarína Procházková, Eva Melichaříková as guest, Anton Baculík as guest, Csaba Kotlár as guest, Juraj Kašša, Dušan Šimo, Martin Gyimesi as guest, Oľga Bezačinská as guest, Ivana Kurtulíková, etc. Starts: Dec 9-10, 18:30; State Opera, Národná 11. Admission: €12, season tickets A, C, D. More info: www.stateopera.sk.

Žilina

CONCERT/CHILDREN: Uspávanky zo Slovenska/ Lullabies from Slovakia – The Lullabies is the project of five musicians, and it comprises of popular folk music from all over Slovakia, including the Ruthenian tradition. There are also some Moldovan and even one Croatian tune. Jozef Lupták on cello, Boris Lenko on accordion and bandoneon, Štefan Bugala on vibraphone, Marcel Comendant on cimbalom and Branislav Dugovič on clarinet – all fathers of older or younger children – selected simple but impressive tunes especially apt for the youngest visitors. Starts: Dec 11, 17:00. Stanica Žilina-Záriečie, Závodská cesta 3. Admission: €4-€6. Tickets: www.predpredaj.sk; more info: www.stanica.sk.

Banská Bystrica

JAZZ: Soft Jazz Society & The Carpenter Ants – The Slovak group Soft Jazz Society (Vlado Vizár on trombone, Pavol Pondelík on tenor-saxophone, Erik Rothenstein on baritone-saxophone, Andrej Šebo on double bass, Samuel Juráš on drums and Patrícia Páleníčková – guitar/vocals) have joined forces with US band The Carpenter Ants who play original old style rhythm and blues and country funk, to present their new perception and arrangement of jazz classics with the soft tones of wind instruments. Starts: Dec 12, 19:00; Záhrada - Centre of Independent Culture (CNK) in SNP Square 16 (Beniczkého Passage). Admission: €5. More info: www.zahradacnk.sk.

Eastern Slovakia

Košice

OPERA: Rimsky-Korsakov: Mozart and Salieri / Marián Lejava: God’s Love (Bohom milovaný) – These two one-act operas combine a romantic chamber opera by Rimsky-Korsakov and a modern piece by contemporary Slovak composer, Marián Lejava, explaining the story of Mozart and his arch-rival from two differing views – one confirming and one disproving the popular myth that a jealous Salieri killed the talented Mozart. This staging was rehearsed and is conducted by Igor Dohovič (first piece), and Marián Lejava, and directed by Michal Spišák. Cast includes Maksym Kutsenko, Ivan Zvarík, Tatiana Paľovčíková, Viera Kállayová, Zdenko Vislocký, Anton Baculík, Marián Lukáč, and others. Starts: Dec 2, 19:00; State Theatre Košice (SDKE), Hlavná 58. Admission: €4-€12. More info: www.sdke.sk.

Košice

HISTORICAL TRAIN/ST NICOLAUS: The historical railway has prepared two rides on December 3, marking the upcoming St Nicolaus' Day (December 6), brining children and their parents from Čermeľ suburb of Košice to Alpinka. Starts: Dec 3, 9:00, 12:00; Čermeľ station. Admission: €3-€5. More info: www.detskazeleznica.sk.

Prešov

JAZZ: Sisa Fehér & Fehero Rocher – The group oscillates between jazz, blues and alternative music remakes and re-arranges evergreens to suit them and their solo vocalist, Sisa Fehér. Starts: Dec 2, 20:30; Club Christiania, Hlavná 105. Admission: €4-€6. Tel: 051/7722-907, www.christiania.eu.sk.

Košice

CONCERT: Tarja and Guests – The Finnish metal queen (ex-Nightwish) has recorded a new albim, The Shadow Self, and embarked on a tour making a stop in Košice (and in Bratislava). The Shadow Shows 2016 members: Kevin Chown – bass, Christian Kretschmar – keyboards, Max Lilja – cello, Alex Scholpp – guitar, and Timm Schreiner – drums. In Košice, there will be two support bands, SinHeresY, and The Shiver. Starts: Dec 2, 20:00; Angels Aréna,

Košice

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Quasars Ensemble – The seventh year of the traditional Quasars Ensemble & the Košice concert offers the works of J. Podprocký, J. Malovec, Tadeáš Salva, Petra Bachratá, and Dušan Martinček. Starts: Dec 4, 18:00; Vojtech Löffler Museum, Alžbetina 20. Admission: free. More info: www.kamdomesta.sk, www.lofflermuzeum.sk.

Košice

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Gergely Bogányi: Advent Piano Concert – The Hungarian piano virtuoso is one of the youngest pianists to receive the K. Kossúth Award and apart from being among the top musicians of his generation, he is renowned for his revolutionary adaptations for the piano. He will play Bartók, Debussy, and Liszt. Starts: Dec 6, 19:00; House of Art, Moyzesova 66. Admission: €4-€8.

Košice

CONCERT: Demonically Good Christmas – The famous Slovak Roma band Cigánski diabli, singer Katarína Knechtová and the world-famous Hungarian 100-mebmer Gipsy band will play as part of their Christmas tour a unique mixture of folklore, pop and ethno music. Starts: Dec 9, 19:00; Angels Aréna, Pri Jazdiarni 1. Admission: €28-€66. Tickets: www.ticketportal.sk; more info: www.kamdomesta.sk.

Košice

PHOTO EXHIBITION: Nova po Nove / Nova after Nova – The Photo-club Nova Košice organises a retrospect exhibition showing its 40 years of activities, with the works of 30 past and present members exhibited and confronting various styles, art trends and creative eras. Open: 8:00-18:00 on weekdays until December 31; Foto-galéria NOVA, Verejná knižnica Jána Bocatia, Hlavná 48. Admission: free. Tel: 055/6223-291; www.fotoklubnova.sk.

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