BRATISLAVA
PAINTED Sheepcotes is an exhibition of a relatively little known but interesting side of Slovak folk art. These Christmas-related artworks, on paper and cloth, were painted mostly by miners from Slovakia's two principal mining towns, Banská Štiavnica and Banská Bystrica, in the second half of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century. The Folk-Art Production Centre (ÚĽUV) in Bratislava, at Obchodná 64, is displaying these paintings loaned by Banská Štiavnica's Slovak Museum of Mining until February 5. It is open Tue to Fri, from 12:00 to 18:00, and Sat from 10:00 to 14:00. Tel: 02/5273-1343.photo: ÚĽUV
OPERA: Un Ballo in Maschera - Giuseppe Verdi's melodrama premieres in Italian.
Starts: December 19, 20, 21 at 19:00. Slovak National Theatre, Hviezdoslavovo námestie 1, Bratislava. Tickets: Sk80, Sk300, Sk600, Sk1,150. Tel: 02/5443-3764.
PERFORMANCE: Chinese National Circus - Acrobats from China perform.
Starts: Dec 20 at 18:00. Admission: Sk400, Sk200. Športová hala Pasienky-Bratislava (Pasienky Sports Hall), Trnavská cesta 29. Tel: 02/5249-1378.
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Christmas Concert - Cantus, a mixed male-female choir, and the Trnava Chamber Orchestra, perform works by Händel, Mozart, Franck, Brixi, as well as Christmas carols.
Starts: Dec 23 at 19:00. Admission: Sk100. Zrkadlová sieň Primaciálneho paláca (Mirror Hall of the Primate's Palace), Primaciálne námestie 1. Tel: 02/5935 6111.
EXHIBITION: Rudolf Fila - Slovak artist presents a selection of his works.
Open: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 until January 9. Admission: free. SPP Gallery, Drevená 4. Tel:02/5413-1251.
WESTERN SLOVAKIA
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Epiphany Concert - Czech ensemble Moravskí madrigalisti performs.
Starts: Jan 6 at 19:00. St Ladislav's Piarist Church, Nitra. Tel: 037/161-86.
CENTRAL SLOVAKIA
RETURN of the Forgotten Son is an exhibition of works by Czech artist Otakar Štáfl, who loved the High Tatras in Slovakia. The display presents him as a painter as well as an initiator of the symbolic cemetery for mountaineering victims in the High Tatras. Štáfl's works are on exhibition at the Tatra Gallery in Vila Flóra in Starý Smokovec (open Tue-Sun 10:00-16:00) and at Alžbetina 30 in Poprad (Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00), and in Podtatranské múzeum in Poprad (Tue-Sun 9:00-16:00) until February 13. Tel: 052/7721-968.photo: Tatra Gallery
PERFORMANCE: Christmas at Orava Castle - The traditional event includes Christmas concerts, carol singing and an exhibition of Christmas decorations.
Open: Dec 27-30 and Jan 2-6 10:00-15:00. Admission: Sk150, Sk90. Orava Castle, Oravský Podzámok. Tel: 043/5816-111.
CAR SHOW: Autoslide 2005 - Car competition at the speedway stadium triggers a new motor season.
Starts: Jan 9 at 11:00. Admission: Sk120. Plochá dráha (Speedway stadium), Žarnovica. Tel: 033/7720-891.
EXHIBITION: Christmas Today and Yesterday - The exhibition compares traditional Christmas celebrations from the beginning of the last century with the ostentatious decorations of Christmas today, symbolized by an artificial Christmas tree and a huge number of presents.
Open: Tue-Fri and Sun 9:00-17:00 until January 10. Admission: Sk10, Sk5. Lesnícke a drevárske múzeum (Forest and Wood Museum), Námestie SNP 31, Zvolen. Tel: 045/5321886.
EASTERN SLOVAKIA
PERFORMANCE: Latino Party - The original Latino disco includes lessons in Latino-American dances.
Starts: Dec 26 at 20:00. Admission: Sk50. GES, L Novomeského 13, Košice. Tel: 055/6224-303.
EXHIBITION: Christmas in the Museum - The exhibition presents traditional decorations of the Christmas tree and wooden nativity scenes carved by artists from the Šariš region.
Open: Tue 9:00-18:00, Wed-Fri 9:00-17:00, Sun 13:00-18:00 until January 14. Admission: Sk40, Sk20. Krajské múzeum (Regional museum), Hlavná 86, Prešov. Tel: 051/7734-708.
Prepared by Jana Liptáková
