King of the Gypsy Dance will perform with Gipsy Devils in a tour around Slovakia, starting in Humenné on April 30. (source: Stefan Badulescu)
Western Slovakia
Pezinok
CONCERT: Funny Fellows - Swing band (Pavol Ivičič-accordion and vocals, Marek Berky-clarinet, tenor-saxophone, vocals; Daniel Valášek-saxaphone, without vocals; Milan Ruček-drums, grumbling, and Roman Féder- trumpet, violin, altophone, ukulele, vocals, and more) plays the music of the 1920s – 1940s with the original sound, period instruments and costumes. Starts: Apr 21, 16:00; Vínne Trhy / Wine Markets, House of Culture. Tel: 0948/744-771; www.funnyfellows.eu, rfeder@funnyfellows.eu.
Trnava
SPORT: Perún Fight Night II – The second martial arts tournament brings sport – K-1, thaiboxing, boxing and MMA – as well as culture and entertaintment (Torul and other performers). Starts: Apr 21, 18:30; City Sports Hall, Rybníkova 15. Admission: €10,00 (free seating, in advance); €12,00 (on site); VIP table for €5 – €300. More info: www.kamdomesta.sk.
Nitra
CONCERT: Slobodná Európa – The popular Slovak punk-rock band (Whisky – vocals, Sveťo – guitar, Jerzi – guitar, Žumo – bass and Tuleň – drums) is to perform at several concerts (including London in autumn 2017) with the programme “Pakáreň Live!” that celebrates 25 years since the eponymous tune was released and has led them to Zvolen and Trenčín, and later to Bratislava (on April 21) and Nitra. Starts: Apr 22, 21:00; Nová pekáreň, Rázusova 2. Admission: €8. Tickets: www.ticketportal.sk; more info: www.kamdomesta.sk.
Slobodná Európa band (source: TASR)
Trnava
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Trnava Musical Spring / Trnavská hudobná jar – The festival of classical music offers, in one of six concerts, the famous song cycle of Franz Schubert – Winter Journey (Winterreise) as performed by Slovak baritone Tomáš Šelc and Slovak pianist Dana Hajóssy. The concert also celebrates the 220th birthday of this master of song cycles. Starts: Apr 23, 18:00; J. Palárik Theatre, Trojičné Square 2. More info: www.vitajtevtrnave.sk.
Tomáš Šelc (source: SITA)
Nitra
CONCERT: Lucia Šoralová & La Alma – Stará láska Nerez a vy – As part of a wider Slovak tour, songstress Lucia Šoralová will perform folk, klezmer and Balkan music accompanied by two founding members of the Czech Nerez band, Zdeněk Vřešťál and Vít Sázavský. The La Alma band is composed of Martin Brunner – keyboards, Michal Mihok – accordion, Miloš Klápšte – double bass, and Juraj Kuchárek – drums. Starts: Apr 27, 18:00; Nájomná jednotka 210. More info: www.kamdomesta.sk.
Nitra
PERFORMANCE: Snenie kameňa / Reverie of a Stone – Instants of creation in space: dance – music – poetry – visuals combine in an artistic expression. Reverie of a stone is what we imagine when a stone dreams. The reconciliation of the dualities takes place in the passage, at twilight and dawn, when the intangible becomes concrete, nothing turns out to be something. A collaboration of six artists from Slovakia, Belgium and Norway coming from four different artistic disciplines with the aim to create a piece shedding a light on the specificity and wealth of each of them. A process of five months in which individual inspirations were developed into actual material preceded the piece. In this way, the dance, music, poetry and visuals come together in the performance and create a unity of new compositions and configurations. Poetry: Mila Haugová (SVK); Image: Igor Benca (SVK); Dance: Billie Hanne (BE), Roberta Štěpánková (SVK); Music: Amund Røe (NO), Romana Uhlíková (SVK). Starts: Apr 28, 20:00; Old Theatre of Karol Spišák, The 7th Infantry Regiment Street. More info: www.kamdomesta.sk.
Nitra
CLASSICAL MUSIC: The chamber concerts cycle – Gallery of Music – offers an overview of classical music; this time around, the top ensemble of contemporary classical music, the Quasars Ensemble, will perform the music of its director and conductor, Ivan Buffa, as well as that of Michael Jarrell and Gérard Grisey. Starts: May 3, 18:00; Nitra Gallery, Župné Square 3. Admission: €4-€6. Students, children, senior citizens, ZŤP: €4 in advance: Nitrianska galéria. More info: www.nitrianskagaleria.sk; (Lucia Vadelová, kultura@nitrianskagaleria.sk, 037/6579-641).
Central Slovakia
Žilina
WORLD MUSIC: Katarína Máliková & Ansámbel – The musical newcomer of last year, Katarína Máliková, is undoubtedly the biggest discovery of 2016, as has been proven by the Radio Head Awards where she received three prizes: for the Debut of the Year, the Album of the Year – Critics’ Prize, and the Recording of the Year – World Music/Folk. Her debut album Pustvopol, released in November 2016, has already garnered much acclaim, but apart from the pieces from it, Máliková also usually plays jazz and chansons in her concerts. Starts: Apr 22, 20:00; Stanica Žilina-Záriečie, Závodská cesta 3. Admission: €5-€7 (in advance, www.predpredaj.sk), €6-€8 on the site. More info: www.stanica.sk.
Katarína Máliková (source: TASR)
Žilina
BENEFIT/FASHION: Žilinský Fashion Bazaar – In cooperation with Funky Dog Bow Ties, the Žilinský Bazár is organising a benefit event, in which people can come with their dogs, buy them a bow tie, buy themselves a second-hand garment, and the proceeds go to support dog rescue shelters. Starts: Apr 22, 9:30; Mane Caffe Horný Val 13. Admission: free. More info: http://bit.ly/fashion-bazar-udalost.
Žilina
SPORT: Big Spring Cycle Ride – The spring mood can be expressed in many ways, including cycling around the city of Žilina, with music being the main motif: cyclists are asked to accompany the sound-systems and sing, hum and whistle along. The ride will end at the local conservatory with a local music scene. Starts: Apr 22, 17:00; Hlinkovo Square. Admission: free. More info: www.mulica.sk; www.stanica.sk.
Žilina
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Easter Organ Soirée – There Is Just One Music – The concert brings Slovak organists Imrich Szabó and Simona Matyšáková (music academy student), performing the works of J.S. Bach, César Franck, Joseph Bonnet, Franz Liszt, Charles-Marie Widor, and Dezső Antalffy-Zsiross. Starts: Apr 27, 19:00; Fatra House of Arts, Dolný Val 47. Admission: €6. More info: www.skozilina.sk.
Žilina
DANCE: Katarína Brestovanská: Indigo – The evening of contemporary dance / work in progress combines the results of a group of artists whose residential stay focused on transforming the tradition, aspects of history, as well as their personal history, into a new, non-definite form. Idea and choreography – Katarína Brestovanská; performance – Zuzana Burianová, Daniel Raček; costumes – Jana Gavalcová; music – selection from Béla Bartók, in an experimental performance by Ján Kružliak. Starts: Apr 27, 19:00; Stanica Žilina-Záriečie, Závodská cesta 3. Admission: free. More info: www.stanica.sk.
Banská Bystrica
CONTEMPORARY DANCE: Milan Tomášik Solo2016 – Slovak dancer living abroad, Milan Tomášik, returns to the Štúdio Tanca theatre with his new project which strives to grasp the ungraspable, timeless, unique moment…. Starts: Apr 27, 19:00; DŠT, Komenského 12 (na Kačici). Admission: €4-€7. Tickets: 0902/672-799; organizacne@studiotanca.sk; more info: www.studiotanca.sk.
Milan Tomášik: Solo2016 (source: SITA)
Žilina
JAZZ: Spring Jazz Days in Žilina / Jarné jazzové dni v Žiline – The Bratislava Jazz Days in Žilina became so popular over the course of time that now a spring event has been added. This spring offers US saxophonist Eric Marienthal, the laureate of Berklee Distinguished Alumnus Award, as well as of the Grammy. He plays jazz, jazz fusion, smooth jazz, and pop genres. Starts: Apr 28, 19:00; City Theatre Žilina, Horný Val 3. More info: www.kamdomesta.sk.
Eric Marienthal (source: Sme)
Banská Bystrica
PERFORMANCE: Ondrej Rudavský / Slavo Solovic: Beyond Invisible – The visual, animated world of Ondrej Rudavský merges with the tone poem for string quartet and electronic track composed by Slavo Solovic, exploring the story of a thinker who conquers his inner astral worlds and explores why humanity has failed to keep peace and harmony from the very beginning of Creation. Screening/film: Ondrej Rudavský; music: Slavo Solovic – played live by the Solo Quartet (Magdaléna Izakovičová, Lucia Harvanová, František Ferienčík, Alice Karbanová). Starts: May 5, 19:00; cinema hall of the Slovak National Uprising Museum, Kapitulská 23. Admission: €5. More info: www.kamdomesta.sk.
Eastern Slovakia
Košice
TRAIN RIDE/HISTORICAL RE-ENACTMENT: Engine Parade 2017 / Rušňoparáda 2017 – The already traditional event, Rušňoparáda, at the depot of the Slovak state railway company (ZSSK) offers special rides on historical trains and buses but also a simulated train- and air ambush this time. The attraction is undoubtedly the InterCity connecting Bratislava and Košice in a record period of time (4 hours and 42 minutes) but also railway engines, machinery, technology and more. From Košice, dozens of historical and special trains will be dispatched to various places in eastern Slovakia. Starts: Apr 22 (8.15)-23 (8:45), starting from the Košice railway station engine depot. Admission: €1-€3. More info: www.rusnoparada.sk.
Prešov
CLASSICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL: Prešov Musical Spring / Prešovská hudobná jar – The festival of classical music offers several concerts, with one of them being the evening of commercial-gospel music with Veronika Haluzová and her guests – Peter Bažík, and Dominika Gurbaľová. Starts: Apr 26, 19:00; KO Čierny Orol, Hlavná 50. Admission: €2. Tickets: pkovstupenkypo@gmail.com. Tel: 051/77 237 41-2; www.pkopresov.sk.
Prešov
CONCERT: Igor Kucer & the Emotion Group: Andy Warhol – Songs of My Mother Júlia – Opera singer Igor Kucer and instrumental band Emotion Group connect Ruthenian folk culture (from where Andy Warhol originated) with opera and world music. Starts: Apr 27, 18:30; Artscena SKDK, M. Benku 7. Admission: €2. More info: www.kamdomesta.sk.
Košice
CLASSICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL: Košice Musical Spring / Košická hudobná jar – The opening concert of the 62nd year of this festival presents the host, the Slovak State Philharmonic (ŠfK), conducted by Czech Zbyněk Müller, with Slovaks Jana Karšková on violin and Igor Karško on viola, playing Alexander Moyzes: Partita – Homage á Master Pavol of Levoča, op. 67; W.A. Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante, KV 364, and Josef Suk: Asrael, Symphony for a Big Orchestra in C Minor, op. 27. Starts: Apr 27, 19:00; ŠfK House of Arts, Moyzesova 66. Admission: €5-€12. Tickets: vstupenky@sfk.sk, www.navstevnik.sk; tel: 055/2453-123; www.sfk.sk.
The Slovak State Philharmonic Košice (ŠfK) (source: TASR)
Humenné
ETHNO/WORLD MUSIC-DANCE: Slovak band playing classical, ethnic Roma and jazz fusion music, Gipsy Devils (Cigánski diabli), have joined forces with the “fastest body-tap dancer in the world”, Romanian Totti Ovidio & his Gypsy Dance troupe, for a Slovak-wide tour that starts in Humenné at the end of April and leads them – in May – to ten other cities and towns. Starts: Apr 30, 19:00; theatre hall of the Town Cultural Centre. Admission: € 22-€24. More info: http://www.mskshe.sk/index.php/program.
Gipsy Devils / Cigánski Diabli (source: Courtesy of CD)
Prešov
EXHIBITION: The Golden Keg / Zlatý Súdok – The 23rd year of international competition in cartoon humour revolving around the theme of beer is organised – as in previous years- by its founder, cartoonist and caricaturist Fedor Vico, representative of the Beer Gallery in Prešov. Open: Tue-Fri 9:00-17:00; Sun 13:00-17:00 until April 30; Šariš Gallery, Hlavná 51. Admission: €0.50-€1.50. Tel: 051/7725-423; www.sgpresov.sk.
Košice
BOTANICAL GARDEN: Cacti and Succulents / Thorny beauty of Plants – The Botanical Garden of the P.J. Šafárik University (UPJŠ) has organised the eighth year of the exhibition showing the plants stemming from deserts and semi-deserts and also informing on their existence, importance for the habitats, etc. Open: daily, 9:00-17:00 until May 1; Botanical garden of P. J. Šafárik University, Mánesova 23. Admission: €1-€2. Tel: 055/2341-667; www.upjs.sk/pracoviska/botanicka-zahrada.
Cacti and succulents, illustrative stock photo (source: Sme - Ján Krošlák)
Botanical Garden in Košice (source: TASR)
