Countrywide Events

Western SLOVAKIA

Bratislava
CONCERT:FANFARE Ciocarlia, a Romanian ensemble of Roma-Balkan brass musicians comprising 12 members and based in the village of Zece Prajini, come to give concert at Bratislava’s KC Dunaj culture club on Tuesday, April 17. Their music resembles that heard in Emir Kusturica’s cult movies. The band is also famous from their ‘musical battle’ with Boban & Marko Markovic Orkestar (another famous Balkan brass band); they previously performed in Slovakia, at the Pohoda music festival in Trenčín, last summer. Tickets cost €15 (in advance) or €20 (on the door) and can be purchased through www.kcdunaj.sk. Gadjo.CZ and Malalata Soundsystem will play at the after-party.

Bratislava
LIVE MUSIC: Aleksander Jazztone & Romano Stilo Ensemble - Gipsy World – The world-famous violin virtuoso Aleksander Jazztone has joined the Gipsy cembalo band Romano Stilo Ensemble to present a joint musical project, Gipsy World, based on their recently released album of the same name.
Starts: April 19, 19:00; Kostol Najsvätejšieho Spasi-teľa / Church of the Holy Saviour, Františkánske Square 4. Admission: €10-€15. Tel: 02/ 5293-3321;www.ticketportal.sk.

Bratislava
BLUES: Lightnin’ Guy and The Mighty Gators – Within the Rock v múzeu (Rock in Museum) series, Belgian blues comes to Bratislava. Band frontman Guy Verlinde is regarded as a sensation in this genre.
Starts: April 18, 19:30; Múzeum obchodu / Museum of Trade, Linzbothova 16. Admission: €14. Tel: 02/4524 -3167; www.rockvmuzeu.sk.

Bratislava
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Concert of classical singing – Yelena Shatokhina (mezzo-soprano), a winner of several international singing competitions, performs works by Hlinka, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Bizet, and others.
Starts: April 19, 17:00; Russian Centre of Science and Culture, Fraňa Kráľa 2. Admission: free. Tel: 02/5262-5981; www.rcvkba.sk.

Bratislava
LIVE MUSIC: Music Club – Within the Music Club, two bands present their music: ZET 4 from Banská Bystrica plays jazz-rock; and Reconcern from Zvolen plays progressive rock.
Starts: April 20, 19:00; CC Centrum, Jiráskova 3. Admission: €2.50. Tel: 02/6382-4390; www.kzp.sk.

Bratislava
MUSEUM: Franz Liszt a jeho bratislavskí priatelia / Franz Liszt and his Bratislava Friends – This exhibition showcases the vivid relationship between the world-renowned composer and the city where he gave his first concert (aged 9), and to which he returned in later life.
Open: Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00 until May 31; Exhibition pavilion Podhradie of the Slovak National Museum, Žižkova 16. Admission: €1.50-€3. Tel: 02/2049-1281; www.snm.sk.

Central SLOVAKIA

Žilina
CLASSICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL: Stredoeurópsky festival koncertného umenia / Central European Music Festival – The 22nd year of the SFKU brings top young artists to Slovakia; this year, there will be ten soloists, three conductors and a piano trio, representing ten European countries. The best performances will be awarded the Music Critics’ Prize by an expert jury.
Starts: April 16 to 21, Fatra House of Arts, Dolný Val 47. Tel: 041/5620-979, 041/2451-111; (Information Office of the ŠKO Žilina); www.hc.sk, www. skozilina.sk.

Martin
LIVE MUSIC: Chris Norman (ex-Smokie) tours Slovakia and plays, among other cities and towns, in Martin. The singer, who has a unique, husky voice, offers hits from his whole career (such as Smokie hit Living Next Door to Alice, and solo track Midnight Lady), which spans several decades.
Starts: April 18, 19:00; Podháj sports hall, Čsl. Armády Street 10. Admission: €16-€18. Tel: 02/5941-9111; www.tiposticket.sk.

Eastern SLOVAKIA

Košice
OPERA:IN MARCH the Košice State Theatre, Hlavná 58, premiered ¬– after a gap of 35 years – the famous opera by Leoš Janáček Jej pastorkyňa / Her Stepdaughter, in the version adapted by Karel Kovařovic. One of Janáček’s most played and most popular works, the Košice production is directed by Michael Tarant and conducted by Robert Jindra, both from the Czech Republic. Singers include Jolana Fogašová, Maida Hundeling, Magda Málková as guests, and also Jaroslav Dvorský, Marek Gurbaľ and Michaela Várady. For the performance on Wednesday, April 18, tickets cost €3.50 to €7 and can be bought though www.sdke.sk and www.navstevnik.sk.

Prešov
HISTORICAL RE-ENACTMENT: The siege of Šariš Castle will be re-enacted on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the event. The Army of Hungary’s King Charles Robert of Anjou took some time to conquer this castle first time around; this time round it will take only one Sunday afternoon.
Starts: April 22, 14:00; Šariš Castle. Admission: voluntary. More info: www. hrad.wbl.sk.

Starý Smokovec
PHOTO EXHIBITION: Ta-transkí gorali / Tatra Gorals - Bartolomiej Obrochta a Jan Krzeptowski Sabala – Dozens of photographs reflect the era in which these two Tatra Gorals (i.e. ‘highlanders’ living in southern Poland, northern Slovakia and the Silesian part of the Czech Republic) lived. The pair hailed from the Polish side of the Tatras and became famous as guides, musicians, newspaper publishers, hunters, and even bandits (Krzeptowski Sabala).
Open: 9:00-19:00 until April 30; lobby of the Grand Hotel. Admission: free. More info: www.slovakia.travel.sk.