Slovak artist Eugen Botoš. (Source: Zuzana Kapisinska)Jay-Z selects a Slovak artist's song for his album
Slovak artist Eugen Botoš – largely unknown at home - will feature on a collection of three albums celebrating black heritage music from 1940 to the present days.
Rocnation, a company founded by Jay-Z and Kanye West, picked 'Symphony of Broken Hearts' for the record. Botoš recorded the song with the award-winning US singer Dionne Warwick.
Jay-Z learnt about the song at Warwick's birthday party. The track might also become a soundtrack to a Hollywood film, the Bratislavan told Bratislavské Noviny.
"For me, it is a satisfaction and a confirmation that it is important to make quality music," the musician said.
A few years ago, Botoš's album 'Final Definition' was released in Japan. It became one of the best-selling albums a week after its release in the country.
Dionne Warwick in 1966. (Source: Wikimedia)"I hope that one day I will also be successful at home in Slovakia," he said.
The talented Roma artist is skeptical, though. As he confessed to the local newspaper, a Slovak fund supporting minority culture did not support his project recently.
"I was told my name is not an asset to the Roma."
MUSIC NEWS
Uprising Festival: The traditional reggae music festival at Zlaté Piesky takes place on August 26 and 27. Dub Fx and Morgan Heritage are some of the acts on this year's line-up.
Opera Fest: At the Bratislava Castle, you can listen to Antonín Dvořák's 'Rusalka' and film music. Tickets are available here.
Death: Czechoslovak singer Hana Zagorová, who rose to fame in the seventies, has died at the age of 75 in Prague. One of her biggest hits was 'Maluj Zase Obrázky' (Paint Pictures Again).
Between Veľký and Malý Kriváň in Malá Fatra mountain range. (Source: NHF)Big, Italian and gray
We have chosen and tested three hikes in the northern-Slovak region of Žilina, each completely different from the others, yet each suitable for weekend hikers as well as more experienced hikers.
An old stone bridge built by Italian masters still stands in the Kysuce region.
Oborín, a village with wooden footbridges across swamps, is an unusual place for taking an Instagram picture.
BRATISLAVA EVENTS
Exhibition: A new display unveils the rich history of Bratislava's biggest central space before it changes again.
Walking tour: 'Crime and Punishment in Pressburg' is a tour that will cover violence, theft, murders, justice and the burning of witch Agáta in medieval Bratislava. Registration is required for the August 27 event.
Book market: The traditional market where you can buy old books, CDs, vinyls, magazines, posters and other things will take place at the Old Market Hall on August 27. At the same time, farmers selling their products will be there.
Walking tour: SNP Bridge celebrates 50 years since its opening. On Saturday's tour, you will learn more about Bratislava bridges and how the SNP Bridge came about. A tour for families starts at 15:00 and for others at 17:00. Do not forget to register.
Vietnam Day: The Vietnamese community will celebrate its culture at Lake Kuchajda on August 28.
Walking tour: The Secrets of Rómer's House is a tour for families with children. František Rómer initiated the establishment of the Bratislava City Museum. Registration is required for the August 28 event.
Kremnické Gagy is a European festival of humour and satire held every August in Kremnica, central Slovakia. (Source: TASR - Michal Svítok)EVENTS OUTSIDE BRATISLAVA
Humour: Edinburgh has its Fringe, Slovakia has its Kremnické Gagy festival. In Kremnica, a former mining town, you can look forward to home and international artists (a street circus from Argentina, Feet Theater Company, an interactive show with water and balloons from the US) and having a laugh. In addition, a new nose will be installed in the Alley of Famous Noses. Here is what to expect and here is a video from 2021.
Airshow: The most popular airshow in Slovakia, SIAF, has been moved from the Sliač military base in central Slovakia due to reconstruction work to the Malacky-Kuchyňa military airport near Bratislava. It will take place on August 27 and 28. Tickets are available here.
History: Slovakia will mark 78 years since the 1944 Slovak National Uprising against the Nazi regime. The official celebrations will take place at the SNP Museum in Banská Bystrica on August 29, which will also be broadcast on TV. You can enjoy different activities at the museum and in the town in the afternoon hours.
Dežo Hoffmann started off as a war photographer, documenting the Spanish Civil War. (Source: TRIGON PRODUCTION/ Dežo Hoffmann Archive)The story of Hoffmann's iconic Beatles photos starts with a pink letter
Everyone knows The Beatles, but only few know Dežo Hoffmann.
The Banská Štiavnica native, where tourists can find a museum devoted to him, had worked as a war photographer before he transformed into a London-based star photographer. He was first to photograph the unknown Beatles in Liverpool and created plenty of their iconic photos, which were different from what photographers had been used to in the sixties.
A new documentary, 'Dezo Hoffmann – Photographer of the Beatles', directed by Patrik Lančarič and produced by Patrik Pašš from Trigon Production, opened in Slovak cinemas in early summer of this year.
The legendary, though by some standards forgotten, Slovak photographer, was born 110 years ago. He died in 1986 in London.
More reads for the weekend:
One of the things that Marta Majerčík learnt in the UK is how to celebrate veterans, something that the Slovaks are not used to. She has endeavoured to change it.
Thanks to a department store, archaeologists uncovered a large settlement and graves with skeletons.
- Archaeologists want to renew a 1922 archaeological research in the west of Slovakia. They believe they can find more very old graves than archaeologists did a hundred years ago.
That's it for this week. Enjoy your last August weekend! - Peter
Do you have any tips? You can reach Peter at peter.dlhopolec@spectator.sk
