Countrywide events

Western SLOVAKIA

Bratislava

HORSE RACE: 50th anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix brings to the Slovak capital top horses and jockeys within the CSIO-W*** series the Nations’ Cup (teams) and Grand Prix (individuals) of the FEI. Starts: July 23-26; Racecourse Petržalka-Ovsište, Starohájska 29. Admission: free (except for VIP tent). More info: www.csio.sk.

Bratislava

LIVE MUSIC: Within the Bridges of Dreams / Mosty snov project, visually impaired singer Maroš Bango (SK) will join forces with singer of Slovak origin from Hungary, Levente Galda, to show Slovak-Hungarian ties. Starts: July 24, 19:00; Main Square. Admission: free. More info: www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

GASTRONOMY/PARTY: InterNations Bratislava community organises events for foreigners and expats, with the July offering specialties from grill, a DJ with live music (Tone Le Bone), a welcome drink, a special summer drinks menu including draught beer, a new exciting ice-breaker game; and raffle with great prizes (a voucher for 1 night and dinner for 2 people in hotel Lindner, 3 vouchers to a female gym by – www.expreska.sk; a voucher for a delicious cake from Zeppelin Café; and a pack of luxurious Belgian beers). Starts: July 24, 20:00; Lindner Hotel, Central, Metodova 4. Admission: €8 (basic member)-€10 (non-member), free for Albatross Member. More info: www.facebook.com/events/1067514483278409;www.internations.org/event/promotion/details/1003927?ref=nw_cl.

Bratislava

LIVE/CLASSICAL MUSIC: The second benefit concert to raise finances for the Cancer Research Foundation will bring to Bratislava two British brass orchestras, Northamptonshire County Youth Brass Band, conducted by Bradley Turnbull; and Northamptonshire County Youth Concert Band, conducted by Peter Smalley. Programme: County Youth Brass Band –Julius Fučík: Florentiner March; Andrew Lloyd Weber: Pie Jesu (arr. J. H. Pearson); (Soprano Cornet – Louise Charity, Flugelhorn – Tom Stoneman); Tom Stoneman: Serenity; Joseph Turrin: Hymn for Diana; Dean Jones: Glorifico Aeternum; County Youth Concert Band – Samuel Hazo: Exultate; Hayato Hirose: Fantasy for Marimba (Solo Marimba – Jemma Sharp); Eric Whitacre: October; Nigel Clark: Mata Hari – 3 Symphonic Scenes; Dancer in the Shadows – Deceit and Seduction – Evasion and Capture; combined bands: Richard Wagner: Elsa’s Procession to the Minster from Lohengrin. Starts: July 24, 19:00; Big studio of the Slovak Radio, Mýtna 1. Admission: free; but bookings are to be made through jan@juras.sk, text message at 0905 716 851, or www.ticketportal.sk, www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Miki Skuta – The Slovak pianist/composer will play in a rock/disco club within his project Future Symphony Orchestra: Skuta plays live (Bach, Beethoven, Debussy, Ravel, Tchaikovsky, John Adams) to computer-arranged orchestral music. The evening is part of the Viva Musica! Festival and includes a debate and an after-party. Starts: July 24, 20:00; Nu Spirit Club, Luxor Passage (Štúrova 3). More info: www.vivamusica.sk; www.nuspirit.sk.

Bratislava

GASTRONOMY/PARTY: Summer warm-up party, preceding the Vegan Feast, combines good, meat-free meals with good music – The Ugly Selectors, Rocksteady, 2-Tone, Herry, Frenky and Basha, Brigada Rakija, DJ Wychitawacs (ragga/breakbeat/dn). Afternoon event is free, evening is paid – admission will be specified later. Starts: July 25, 15:00; Fuga, Továrenská 14. Tel: 0914 /267-889; fuga.forumabsurdum.sk.

Bratislava

MUSIC FESTIVAL: BeeFree 2015 – The summer city music festival returns to its old site of its heyday (2001-2004), Incheba. However, the 17th year will play at four venues in Bratislava simultaneously, for the first time in its history. Starts: July 25, 20:00-06:00 (Incheba, Loft Club and Subclub), 12:00-02:00 – beach under the UFO café. Admission: free. More info:www.beefree.sk.

Bratislava

JAZZ: Festival Music Square – Within this series, the international band Canned Beat (Juraj Burian-SK, guitar; Ondrej Juraši-SK, trumpet; Jan Fabricky-SK/CH, – drums; Pete Simpson-UK, vocals; Yvonne Park-UK, vocals; Julian Crampton-UK, bass; Martin Wöss-AT, keyboard; Andy Ross-UK, saxophone. Starts: July 26, 20:00; Main Square. Admission: free. More info:www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

CLASSICAL-MUSIC FESTIVAL: The only music festival of youth in Slovakia fully open to all genres, presents in its second part choirs and orchestras from Hong Kong, Latvia, China, Cyprus, Israel, Russia, the USA, and Indonesia. Starts: July 26-28; various sites. More info:www.citylife.sk, www.choral-music.sk/sk/Festivaly/view/id:15.

Bratislava

LATINO: Lazaro de Jesús Hodelin Thomas, Cuba-born musician now lives and works in Slovakia; playing with his – otherwise Slovak – band, Lazaro Y Su Sabor Latino music. Starts:July 26, 18:00; Hviezdoslavovo Square. Admission: free. More info: www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

THEATRE/DANCE: Belgian dance group Aglaja will perform contemporary dance in the open air. Starts: July 26, 19:00; Eurovea Galleria. Admission: free. More info: www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Trio Impression – Three graduates of the local Academy of Performing Arts (Aneta Lednická on violin, Agneša Ujpálová on flute and Zita Slavčíková on piano will play in the unusual ambience of the Botanical Garden. Starts: July 26, 18:00; Botanical Garden, Karloveská. Admission: free. More info: www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

WORLD MUSIC: MiraMundo – The world-music band of Brazilian composer Luiz Murá (Luiz Murá – Brazil, guitar, vocals; Agostino Aragno – Italy, violin; Desirée Garcia – Spain, vocals; Martin Melendez – Cuba, cello) plays several types of music, from Brazilian, to the Japanese enka, Spanish bulería, reggae and Serbian music. Starts: July 27, 20:00; Cafe Scherz, Palisády (Partizánska 2). Admission: €7 (in advance)-€10. Tel: 0918/ 724-379; www.kafescherz.sk (rezervacie@scherz.sk), www.predpredaj.zoznam.sk. .

Bratislava

REGGAE/DANUBE CRUISE: Danube Cruises on the Bratislava route will this time be enriched with reggae by the local band Medial Banana. Starts: July 27, 19:00-21:00; Martin ship, passenger harbour. Admission: €8. More info: www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

MUSIC FESTIVAL: International Youth Music Festival – The festival concert this time offers Mesa Geitonia Philharmonic Orchestra from Cyprus and Tivon Youth Orchestra from Israel. The next day, the final Gala-concerts present the results of the festival competition. Starts: July 27 (concert), 19:00; Main Square, free admission. July 28 (Gala-concert), 18:30; Hviezdoslavovo Square, admission free. More info: www.citylife.sk; www.choral-music.sk/sk/Festivaly/view/id:15.

Bratislava

OPEN-AIR WORKOUT: Yoga, Qi-gong and some other physical activities will be trained open-air in downtown Bratislava, with various instructors. Starts: during summer, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 and 17:00, Medical garden, Špitálska Street (in case of bad weather, Old Town Education Centre, Školská 14). Admission: free. More info: www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

LIVE MUSIC: Concert of Rami Shaafi and Juraj Dura Turtev presents aliquot and guttural vocals. Starts: July 28, 19:00; C1, 2 Studio, Cvernovka, Páričkova 18. Admission: €5. More info: www.ramivana.com.

Bratislava

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Michal Sťahel, renowned Slovak cellist, play works of the composer who was born 330 years ago, on a Baroque instrument made by Antony Posch around 1728. Starts: July 28, 20:00; Klarisky / Clarissen concert hall. Admission: Free. More info: www.bkis.sk/article/michal-stahel-johann-sebastian-bach.

Bratislava

JAZZ: The concert of Slovak jazz pianist and keyboard player – and composer – Eugen Vizváry presents his works from last year’s debut, Part One. Starts: July 28, 20:00; San Marten Bar & Restaurant; Rudnay Square. Admission: free. More info: www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

DANCE: Danza Mea Gala - The Gala-programme of the international summer dance school Danza Mea will present the results of workshops and courses by ballet instructors Rafael Avnikjan, Angelo Parisi, Dino Verga, Eva Sklyarová, Boris Nebyla, Nikoleta Rafaelisová, Andrej Sukhanov, Jana Šimkovicová, Kristián Kohút and Andrea Veneri. Starts: July 29, 19:00; Heineken Tower Stage, Pribinova 23. More info: www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

ORGAN MUSIC: Cathedral Organ Festival Bratislava brings to St Martin’s Cathedral Slovak and world-renowned organists in Thursday concerts. The opening concert features soprano Jana Pastorková and Marius Monczak on violin performing with organist Stanislav Šurin works of Bach, G.B. Pergolesi, H. Gorecki, J. Strejc and Slovaks Mikuláš Schneider-Trnavský, Vladimír Godár and S. Šurin. Starts: July 30, 19:00; St Martin’s Cathedral. Admission: €8-€12. More info: www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

ROMA CULTURE: Gypsy Fest / World Roma Festival - In its eighth year, this festival expands into a series of events spread over three days, from a closed workshop and a Roma/Non-Roma wedding for public on July 29, through a presentation event in the Main Square of Bratislava, through a musical show Gipsy Baron (with 12 performers from 6 countries), to a colourful parade across the downtown capital, and to the Gala-evening, with Polish Richard Kwiek, Sare Roma (Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Germany and Sweden) grouping, Imperio (Czech Republic), LeRom (Hungary), and Jana and Vladimír Sendreis from Slovakia. Starts: July 29 (wedding at Nová Scéna theatre-Olympia café at 19:00), July 30 (13:00 presentation; 20:00 show), July 31 (13:00 parade; 20:00 Gala-evening); Main and Hviezdoslavovo Squares. Admission. free. More info: www.bkis.sk.

Bratislava

JAZZ: Latino and mainstream jazz are well-matched in the music of baritone-saxophonist Erik Rothenstein. Starts: July 31, 20:00; Eurovea Galleria. Admission: free. More info: www.citylife.sk.

Bratislava

LIVE MUSIC: A Cappella Dreams – The 3rd year of the international music project brings a cappella singing by choirs from Slovakia (Kruhy), Slovenia (Baseless) and Hungary (Jazzation) on three consecutive evenings. Starts: July 31-Aug 2; Liszt Garden (In case of bad weather Baroque Courtyard) of University Library. Admission: free, tickets must be, however, obtained July 27-29 between 15:00-19:00 in Exhibition Hall, Michalská 1. More info: www.ulib.sk/english/events.

Bratislava

CLASSICAL/BENEFIT CONCERT: In the third benefit concert in the Slovak Radio, the Suffolk Youth Orchestra (UK), with 90 musicians aged 13 to 21, will play the works of Mussorgsky, Khachaturian, John Adams and Antonín Dvořák. Starts: Aug 1, 19:00; concert studio of the Slovak Radio, Mýtna 1. Admission: voluntary. More info, booking of tickets: short message at 0905/716-851; jan@juras.sk; or at www.ticketportal.sk.

Bratislava

JAZZ/TANGO: Festival Music Square – Within this festival, Slovak jazz group the Peter Lipa Band will perform on August 2; and the Beltango from Serbia will play tango Nuevo/modern tango on August 4. Starts: Aug 2, 4, 20:00; Main Square. Admission: free. More info: www.bkis.sk.

Nové Zámky

RELIGIOUS FEAST/MARKET: Porciunkula – The feast named after the Church of Angelic Virgin Mary (Portiuncula) in Spoleti near Assissi, which is connected – just as is the date August 2 – with St Francis of Assissi and the Franciscan Order. In Nové Zámky, it take place on the preceding weekend, featuring folklore, performances of various musical genres, a competition on goulash cooking, and a traditional market. Starts: July 23-25; various sites. Admission: free. More info: www.novezamky.sk.

Central SLOVAKIA

Banská Bystrica

HIP-HOP FESTIVAL: Outbreak Europe is the biggest hip-hop contest; and its 6th year will be part of the Legits Blast Festival. A host of competitions (by participants from 70 countries), events, bboys and bgirls battles (Slovaks vs foreigners) will take place; also Catch the Flava summer camp, and performances of Kontrafakt (SK) and M.O.P aka Mash Out Posse, from Brooklyn) – as part of the Legits Blast Concert on July 25. Starts: July 19-26; Banská Bystrica. Admission: various. More information can be found at www.thebboyspot.com/outbreak.

Žilina

THEATRE/DANCE FESTIVAL: The 8th year of the KIOSK festival of independent culture, focused on new Slovak theatre and dance, this time explores the contradiction/harmony of Personal vs Political in the modern performing art. Participants include Miroslav Tóth and Marek Kundlák; ME-SA; František Kowolowski, Jiří Stanislav Dobák, Jamie Lee; Zuzana Juhásová ExBurianová, Kristína Chmelíková, Maja Danadová; filmmaker Zuzana Piussi; Milan Tomášik; Divadlo koňa a motora; Pominuteľné divadlo; Adam Hanuljak; and Debris Company. Starts: July 23-26; Stanica Žilina – Záriečie, Závodská cesta 3. Admission: €3-€5 (one performance); €13-€17 (for all performances, in advance) - €15-€20. More info:www.kioskfestival.sk.

Jasná

FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT: The Cultural Summer in Jasná offers weekends full of shows, education and entertainment, with the Saturday of July 25 being an “Adrenaline Day of Family”, including a tour, competitions, making of a ghost at a workshop, and a night parade of ghosts. Starts: July 25, 11:00; Vrbické pleso, Jasná. Admission: free. More info:www.kamdomesta.

Banská Bystrica/Donovaly

CHILDREN/MAGICIANS’ PROGRAMME: Čárymáryfuk – This event brings to the special site, Habakuky / Dobšinský’s “fairy-tale world”, magic tricks, spells, and charms – including, workshops, competitions, theatre performances, mini-zoo, games, and more.

Starts: July 25, 10:00-18:00; Habakuky-Dobšinského rozprávkový svet, Donovaly resort. More info: www.habakuky.eu.

Terchová

FOLKLORE FESTIVAL: Jánošík, the outlaw-turned-national hero in Slovakia, came from the region around the municipality of Terchová which has been organising Jánošík Days, folklore festival, for 53 years. This year, the programme includes 1,200 performers from four countries, folklore, world music, exhibitions, film screening, crafts presentation and fireworks. Starts: July 30-Aug 2; Terchová and vicinity. More info (in Slovak): www.janosikovedni.sk.

Jánošík Days, older edition (source: TASR)

Eastern SLOVAKIA

Poprad

SWING: Fats Jazz Band – The concert within the Poprad Cultural Summer festival brings a swing/traditional jazz band of 9 members, playing the music of the 1930s and 1940s, both in the USA and in Slovakia. Starts: July 24, 19:00; Námestie sv Egídia / St Aegid Square. Admission: free. More info: www.kamdomesta.sk.

Košice

MUSIC FESTIVAL: Hevhetia – The Košice edition of classical-music festival offers, in its later part, the Hautzinger–Sörés–Fujak trio (AT, HU, SK) on July 24 at 18:00, playing freely improvised music; guitarist Attila Tverďák (SK) at 20:00; The Czech band E Converso on July 30 at 18:00 with European jazz and free improvisation; and Polish Krzystof Kobylinski Band – Pearls at 20:00 (Rivka Shabi – vocals, Dima Gorelik - guitar, Tom Dayan – percussions, and Edi Sanchez bass. Starts: July 24, 18:00 (Hautzinger–Sörés–Fujak), 20:00 (Attila Tverďák); Tabačka Kulturfabrik, Gorkého 2. July 30, 18:00 (E Converso), 20:00 (Krzystof Kobylinski Band – Pearls); Kasárne Kulturpark barracks, Kukučínova 2. More info: www.hevhetiafest.sk.

Ľubovňa Castle

HISTORY/MUSEUM: The Mediaeval Castle Festivities will bring a re-enactment of a historical event, in which Polish crown jewels were hidden from Swedish plunderers at this Slovak castle – marking the 360th anniversary. After six years, in 1661, the jewels were returned to the Wawel Castle in Krakow. Starts: July 24-26; Ľubovňa castle. Admission: €3-€5. More info: www.staralubovna.sk/podujatie.

Košice

DANCE IMPROVISATION: HEEB.SHE: Deskripcia – This structured improvised performance takes its material from the current time of presentation. Starts: July 29, 19:00; big hall, Tabačka Kulturfabrik, Gorkého 2. Admission: €1. More info: www.tabacka.sk.