Rehearsing Alcina, the baroque opera by F.G. Handel in State Theatre Košice (SDKE) (source: Svjatoslav Dohovič)
Western Slovakia
Trnava
EXHIBITION: Tets Ohnari Reflexia / Reflection – The re-opened synagogue in Trnava hosts the exhibition of Japanese visual artist Tets Ohnari conceived as site-specific installation reacting sensitively to local stimuli and inspirations, as curated by Peter Megyeši. Open: Tue-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 13:00-18:00 until May 15; Synagogue - Ján Koniarek Gallery, Halenárska 2. Admission: €2. Tel: 033/5514-657; www.gjk.sk.
Central Slovakia
Banská Bystrica
LIVE MUSIC: Divozel – Slovak-Czech band of musicians who started their career in 2004. Since then, they have played agreeable and easeful music bordering on folklore and chanson. The band plays various genres with strong undertones. They compose their own songs. Starts: Feb 19, 19:00; KlubHaD (Hudby a divadla/Music and theatre), Horná 95. Tel: 0917/101-363. Admission: €5. More info: www.klubhad.sk.
Banská Bystrica
LIVE MUSIC: Róbert Mikla – A former concert Superstar (Slovakia has Talent) singer, Robo Mikla, who – with his friends – show their music skills. The concert is a part of his winter tour Pocity / Feelings around Slovakia. Poetical breaks for presenting his poems are part of the programme. Starts: Feb 20, 20:00; KlubHaD (Hudby a divadla/Music and theatre), Horná 95. Tel: 0917/101-363. Admission: free. More info: www.klubhad.sk.
Žilina
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Violin Workshop / Husľová dielňa – Slovak Sinfonietta (ŠKO) Žilina plays with conductor Maroš Potokár, violin soloists Jindřich Pazdera, Jakub Girašek, Viktor Janoštín, and Martin Pavlík, works of Mozart, Camille Saint-Saëns, Charles de Beriot and Antonín Dvořák. Starts: Feb 25, 19:00; House of Art Fatran, Dolný Val 47. Admission: €6-€10. More info: www.skozilina.sk.
Banská Bystrica
OPERA: Ján Cikker – Juro Jánošík – The opera of Slovak composer Cikker about national hero (Jánošík) premieres in the State Opera, as rehearsed and conducted by Marián Vach, stage by Jaroslav Valek, costumes by Peter Čanecký, directed by Roman Polák. Cast includes Michal Hýrošš / Robert Smiščík, Ján Galla, Slavomír Macák, Patrícia Macák Solotruková, and others. Starts: March 5, 18:30; State Opera Banská Bystrica, Národná 11. Admission: €8. Tel: 048/2457-123 or www.stateopera.sk.
Banská Štiavnica
EXHIBITION: Rich, chocolaty goodness - Graphic design by Japanese artist Shinji Takine can help deepen the interest in Japanese culture among Slovaks. This exhibition will visit three cities: Banská Štiavnica, Ružomberok and Bratislava. The artist tries to show original patterns. The name of the exhibition "Rich, chocolaty goodness" refers to the joy of the black ink imprinted on Japanese paper Ganpati, and it originates from the novelette of Thomas Pynchon The Crying of Lot 49 (1966). Starts: Wed-Fri 11:00-16:00, Sat 13:00-16:00 until Mar 18; Centre of Culture, Kammerhofská 1. Admission: free. More info: http://www.sk.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/00_000070.html.
Eastern Slovakia
Košice
GASTRONOMY: Restaurant Day – Within a multicultural setting, people from Košice, but also others regions, are welcomed to international cuisine presenting meals – and cultures – from different corners of he world. Organisers hope that via food, other nationalities will present their own culture. Starts: Feb 21, 15:00; Tabačka KulturFabrik, Gorkého 2. Admission: free. More info: www.tabacka.sk.
Košice
DANCE/DRAMA: Anna Karenina – Kirill Simonov, Lev Tolstoy, Rodion Shchedrin – One of the most successful Russian and even world dramas is performed also in Košice, in the form of a neoclassical dance-drama theatre piece. Directors, film-makers and theatre-makers explore the inner world of human relationships through such stories, as does also young Russian director/choreographer Kirill Simonov. The main characters have to lose something before they get wiser. Starts: Feb 23, 19:00; Košice State Theatre (Štátne divadlo Košice, SDKE), Hlavná 58. Admission: €4-€10. Tickets: www.navstevnik.sk; tel: 055/2452-269 (daytime), 055/2452-260 (evenings); www.sdke.sk.
Košice
OPERA: State Theatre Košice (SDKE) opens the baroque opera of Georg Friedrich Handel, Alcina, as rehearsed and conducted by Marek Štryncl (also by Jan Novobilský), and directed by Linda Keprtová (who also made the stage), costumes by Danica Hanáková; with cast including Lucie Kašpárková, Michaela Várady, Mariana Hochelová, Aneta Hollá, Maksim Kutsenko, Davide Maggioni, Viera Kállayová, Anna Manske, Andrea Nemcová, Markéta Cukrová, Myroslava Havryliuk, and others. Starts: February 26, 19:00; Košice State Theatre (Štátne divadlo Košice, SDKE), Hlavná 58. Admission: €4-€15 (premiere), €4-€10. Tickets: www.navstevnik.sk; tel: 055/2452-269 (daytime), 055/2452-260 (evenings); www.sdke.sk.
Košice
EXHIBITION: Materialising the Surreal / Zmotnenie surreálneho – The Eastern-Slovak Museum exhibits a production of the famous Spanish painter, sculptor, filmmaker and writer Salvador Dalí which should help visitors see and understand how Dalí expressed his views through the language of art. Open: Tue-Sat 09:00-17:00 and Sun 13:00-17:00 until Mar 21; Eastern-Slovak Museum Košice, Peace Marathon/Námestie Maratónu mieru 2. Admission: €6-€8. More info:www.kamdomesta.sk.
By Michal Hlúbik
