photo: SITA
BRATISLAVA Castle is once again the venue of an exceptional music event. On September 1, its courtyard will host the 55-member Golden Violin orchestra and Slovak opera stars in a programme called Golden Violin at the Castle. Soprano Ľubica Vargicová, tenor Miroslav Dvorský and baritone Dalibor Jenis - who have performed on some of the world's greatest stages, including La Scala, Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Staatsoper Wien - will sing beloved arias, duets, and hits from musicals and operettas. Accompanying them will be the Golden Violin orchestra, conducted by Martin Sleziak and consisting of former players from the orchestra of the Lúčnica folk music ensemble. The orchestra features 30 violins, six double basses, six cellos, eight violas, and five dulcimers. The concert starts at 20:00 and tickets cost from Sk290 to Sk990. For more information, go to www.zlatehusle.sk or call 02/5249-1378.
Western SLOVAKIA
Bratislava
ORGAN MUSIC: Slovak Historical Organs - Czech organist Pavel Kohout opens this six-day festival with works by Dietrich Buxtehude, Johan Kaspar Kerll, and many others. The next set of concerts take place in Horné Saliby, Pezinok, Zlaté Klasy, Leopoldov, and Gbely and feature organists from France, Italy, and Slovakia.
Starts: Aug 27, 19:00. St Martin's Cathedral. Tel: 02/5935-6650.
Bratislava
LIVE MUSIC: Marco V - The Dutch tech trance DJ headlines the evening.
Starts: Aug 28, 21:00. Admission: Sk400, Sk600. Dopler club, Prievozská 18. www.dopler.sk.
Bratislava
PARLIAMENT: Open House - Parliament holds an open house accompanied by a rich cultural programme to mark the 15th anniversary of the passage of the first democratic Constitution of the Slovak Republic.
Runs: Sept 1, 10:00-16:00. Admission: free. The Slovak Parliament, at A. Dubček Square, Bratislava Castle, the historical building of the Slovak Parliament at Župné Square.
Bratislava
FASHION: Charitates Fashion Show - This charity fashion show gives a glimpse into the creative workshops of designers from Paris, Milan, the United States, and Slovakia to raise money for the Children's Oncology Hospital in Bratislava.
Starts: Sep 1, 19:00. Admission: Sk750. Crowne Plaza Hotel, Hodžovo Square 2. Tel: 02/5293-3321.
Bratislava
EXHIBITION: Made in Germany - Graduates and students of the University of Art and Design Burg Giebichenstein in Halle show their works in fashion, jewellery, photography and graphic art an exhibition prepared in cooperation with the Slovak Centre of Design.
Open: Tue-Sun 13:00-18:00 until September 2. Admission: free. Satelit, exhibition and information premises of the Slovak Centre of Design, Dobrovičova 3. Tel: 0907/744 852, www.sdc.sk.
Levice
EXHIBITION: Ladislav Bielik August 68 - An exhibition of photos by Levice native Ladislav Bielik that depict the invasion of Bratislava by Warsaw Pact armies.
Open: Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00 until October 21. Admission: Sk12, Sk6. Tekov Museum, Sv. Michala 40. Tel: 036/6312-112.
Piešťany
FESTIVAL: Lodenica (Shipyard) - This music festival focusing on country and folk music closes out the summer season of large open-air festivals in Slovakia.
Runs: Aug 30-Sept 1. Admission: Sk650 (festival pass bought at the door), Sk320 (daily ticket bought at the door). Autocamping Lodenica. Tel: 032/7773-057, www.lodenica.sk.
Central SLOVAKIA
Zvolen
LIVE MUSIC: Rednex - The Swedish pop music icon headlines the Slovak Musical Uprising Festival.
Starts: Aug 31, 16:00. Admission: Sk290. MFK Stadium. Tel: 0915/844-154.
Svätý Anton
FESTIVAL: St. Hubert Day - Hunters celebrate their patron saint's name day with festivities, contests, and attractions, including competi-tions for the nicest hat and the longest beard.
Runs: Sept 1-2. St Anton Museum. Tel: 045/6913-932.
Eastern SLOVAKIA
Košice
AERO: Aerovíkend - This event offers a presentation of Slovak Army aircrafts and facilities, historical military artifacts, and a concert by Nocadeň.
Starts: Sept 1, 9:00. Admission: Sk150, flights by Linusov Li Planes Sk1,500. Airport Košice. Tel: 0911/903-756.
Poprad
EXHIBITION: Dream and Andersen - Due to large interest, the Tatra Gallery has extended this series of exhibitions held within the 12th edition of the Plays with Art, which is devoted to Hans Christian Andersen this year. The displays include illustrations of Andersen's fairy tales by Dušan Kállay and Kamila Štanclová, an exhibition about Andersen called The Flying Suitcase, and paintings by František Lipták.
Open: Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00 until September 5. Elektráreň TG, Hviezdoslavova 12. Tel: 052/ 7722-617.
photo: Courtesy of Menház
KOMÁRNO has put together a rich programme for the European Day of Jewish Culture on September 2. The event's organiser, the Jewish Centre of Society and Culture Menház, will hold an open house from 10:00 to 18:00 that includes discusssions, lectures, and a klezmer concert in the local synagogue at 16:30. The Museum of Jewish Culture in Bratislava has also prepared something for this day - a ceremony to launch the Slovak Path of Jewish Cultural Heritage project and a presentation of a monograph connected to the Architecture of Synagogues in Slovakia presented by Maroš Borovský. For more information about the programme in Komárno, call 035/7731-224.
