Countrywide Events

Western SLOVAKIA

Bratislava FESTIVAL: FOR THE FIRST time ever, Bratislava will host the annual meeting of the International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts (IETM), which should be attended by around 500 theatre festival organisers, producers and artists. In parallel, the Slovak Theatre and Dance Festival will be offering performances in various Bratislava theatres. The organisers have chosen 25 plays of different genres to present foreign guests with “the most interesting works that have been produced in Slovakia in recent years”. The IETM meeting is a unique opportunity to see renowned theatre ensembles from all around the country, with translation into English. Tickets range from €3 to €8. More information at 0904/342-831 or www.ietmba09.sk

Bratislava
LIVE MUSIC: Lenny White & Present Tense – Lenny White, an American jazz drummer who “has played with virtually everyone in the music business”, as organisers say, gigs in the capital.
Starts: April 20, 20:00. Admission: €15. Hlava XXII (Catch XXII), Bazová 9. Tel: 0903/725-557, www.hlavaxxii.sk.

Bratislava
OPERA: A Clash with Opera – Students of the Academy of Performing Arts have prepared a mosaic of extracts from various operas.
Starts: April 23, 18:00; April 26, 15:00, 18:00. Admission: €3. Loď - Divadlo v podpalubí (Theatre in the Underdeck), Tyršovo Nábrežie. Tel: 0903/449-650, www.adylod.sk.

Bratislava
LIVE MUSIC: Spring Jazz Days – The forerunner of the popular Bratislava Jazz Days festival, which will be held in October this year, features performances by such stars as Maceo Parker and Jamaaladeen Tacuma. The same concert is held on April 23 in Košice and on April 25 in Komárno.
Starts: April 24, 19:00. Admission: €26.50. PKO (Culture and Leisure Park), Nábrežie L. Svobodu 3. Tel: 02/5935-6650, www.bjd.sk.

Bratislava
EXHIBITION: Sculptures, Objects, Drawings – Slovak-American artist Zuzana Rudavská presents her latest works made of wood, metal and stone.
Open: Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, until April 30. Admission: free. French Institute Gallery, Hlavné Square 7. Tel: 02/5934-7111, www.france.sk.

Trenčín
FESTIVAL: Czechoslovak Beer Festival – Hectolitres of beer will probably go down the throats of the participants of this festival. To drown out the clatter of glasses, a number of Slovak and Czech musicians play.
Runs: April 22-25. Admission: €6.50 (one-day ticket), €16.50 (festival pass). City Sports Hall, Mládežnícka 1. www.cspf.sk.

Topoľčany
DANCE: Top Dancing – “The body is not a tool, it is something more,” is the motto of the Novum dance club, which organises the 17th edition of this modern dance competition.
Runs: April 24-25. Admission: free. City Culture Centre, Námestie Ľudovíta Štúra 2357. Tel: 0903/238-576, www.novumdance.sk.

Central SLOVAKIA

Martin
LIVE MUSIC: Dan Bárta & Illustratosphere Tour – After five years, the famous Czech singer again tours Slovakia to offer his fans his greatest hits.
Starts: April 23, 20:00. Admission: €10. Museum Bar, Malá Hora 2. Tel: 0905/566-505, www.barmuseum.sk.

Banská Bystrica
FESTIVAL: Choir Singing Festival – Choirs from all around Europe meet in the heart of the country to present their art just as they have for the last 31 years.
Runs: April 23-26. Admission: free. PKO (Culture and Leisure Park), Lazovná 19. Tel: 048/4142-472, www.pkobb.sk.

Žilina
FESTIVAL: 19th Central European Classical Music Festival – A six-day classical music marathon featuring award-winning musicians from nine different European countries. The festival will bring to Žilina compositions by famous authors as well as works by contemporary composers relatively unknown to the Slovak audience.
Runs: April 20-25. Admission: €3-€6 (one concert); €15 (festival pass). The Fatra Palace of Art, Jozefa Vuruma Street. Tel: 041/5620-952, www.slovaksinfonietta.sk.

Eastern SLOVAKIA

Košice
CONCERT:ONE OF THE best-known German bands, the legendary Scorpions, will again visit Slovakia after two years' absence to give a present to Košice’s Steel Arena (Nerudova 12), the venue of the performance, as it celebrates its third birthday. All rock music fans can look forward to an unforgettable show full of well-known hits. The Scorpions, authors of singles such as “Wind of Change” and “Rock You Like a Hurricane”, will not arrive alone. The Hungarian band Omega, Czech singer Petr Kolář and Brazilian musician Andre Matos have promised to come and “warm up” the audience. The concert will be held on April 23 at 19:30, with tickets costing between €22.90 and €44.99. For more information, call 055/6258-888 or visit www.steelarena.sk

Prešov
LIVE MUSIC: Homage to Zuzana Navarová – Former members of the well-known Czech folk band Neřez remember its singer, who died five years ago, with this tour around Slovakia. The Sanyland ensemble will be supporting.
Starts: April 20, 19:00. Admission: €5. PKO Čierny Orol (Culture and Leisure Park), Hlavná 50. Tel: 051/7723-741, www.pkopresov.sk.

Košice
FESTIVAL: Waking Up Katka – Katka, a 125-year-old steam train, wakes up into another season. Many younger trains and engines pay her tribute and invite all families to join them in a rich programme of accompanying events.
Runs: April 25-26. Admission: free. Košice Train Yard, Pri bitúnku 2. www.slovakrail.sk.

Spišská Nová Ves
EXHIBITION: Spiš Photo Salon – Works by several amateur photographers from the Spiš region are on show.
Open: Mon: 08:00-16:00, Tue-Fri 08:00-17:00, Sat 08:00-12:00, until April 27. Admission: €1. Spiš Art Gallery, Zimná 46. Tel: 053/4464-710, www.gus.sk.