The renovation of the New Synagogue in Źilina will be completed, with a festive concert expressing thanks to donor, helpers, supporters and volunteers. (source: Peter Snadík )
Western Slovakia
Bojnice Castle
GHOST FESTIVAL: The International Festival of Ghosts and Spirits / The Witch – The second part of this festival takes place between May 3 and 6, showing the tragic fate of the Polish count, Vladislaus Opolski, one of the former owners of the castle – however, in a fictitious story without historical authentication. The special programme is only in Slovak (but the plot may be understood, nevertheless) and is not meant for children. Starts: May 3-6 9:00-18:00 (breaks 12:00-12:30, 15:00-15:30); Bojnice Castle. Admission: €6.50-€10. More info: www.bojnicecastle.sk/index-EN.html.
Festival of Ghosts in Bojnice (2016) (source: TASR)
Štúrovo
ETHNO/WORLD MUSIC-DANCE: The Slovak band which plays classical, ethnic Roma and jazz fusion music, the 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 started in Humenné and is progressing to other cities and towns. Starts: May 5, 19:00; Culture House of the Municipal Culture Centre, Hasičská 25. Admission: €24. Tel: 036/751-11-08; www.kulturasturovo.sk.
Gipsy Devils / Cigánski Diabli (source: Courtesy of CD)
Bátovce
THEATRE/EVENT: Miracles – The Theatre Divadlo Potôň from Bátovce has organised an evening comprised of a multi-genre theatre work by two companies and a solo performer: The Debris Company, Honey & Dust (Med a prach) and Sláva Daubnerová. All the theatre-makers are known for body-theatre based on movement, dance, and multi-genre performances. The audience must walk three kilometres to see the premiere of this performance that reflects the views of the theatre-makers on ‘What is a Miracle, though?’ Starts: May 7, 19:00; Divadlo Potôň, Bátovce 358. Admission: €8 (in advance)-€10. Tel: 036/6308300; www.poton.sk.
Nitra
ORGAN MUSIC: The next two concerts of the 10th year of the Ars Organi Nitra festival bring Slovak organist Stanislav Šurin joining forces with Slovak violinist Miloš Valent (head of the Solamente Naturali ensemble of early music) – on May 7; and Slovak organist, founder of the festival, Mária Magyarová Plšeková, playing with the Cuore Barocco orchestra on May 14. Starts: May 7, 14, 19:00; Evangelical Church of the Holy Spirit. More info: www.organfest.sk.
Organist Stanislav Šurin (source: TASR)
Hlohovec
FOR CHILDREN: Festival of Mascots – The gathering of 22 fairy-tale characters in one place including a photo-session, a disco for children, dances with the mascots, and more. Starts: May 7, 14:00-17:00; Peterská Bašta bastion, Svatopeterská 85. Admission: €5. More info: www.svetatrakcii.sk.
Trnava
ORGAN: Trnava Musical Spring 2017 – The festival of classical music continues with the recital of baroque music by Italian organist, Christian Tarabbia, on the oldest organ in Trnava, built in 1788 by Valentin Arnold. Starts: May 13, 20:00; St Nicolas Basilica. More info: www.regiontirnavia.sk/en/events/calendar.
Central Slovakia
Žilina
CLASSICAL: A Chance for Young Artists – The Slovak Sinfonietta (ŠKO) will play with young pianist Peter Nágel, a fresh graduate of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Symphony No. 48 in C major, Maria Theresa by Joseph Haydn, Piano concerto No. 2 in A major by Franz Liszt, and Symphony in B minor, D. 759 (the Unfinished Symphony) by Franz Schubert, as conducted by Martin Leginus. Starts: May 11, 19:00; Fatra House of Arts, Dolný Val 47. Admission: €8-€12. More info: www.skozilina.sk.
Pianist Peter Nágel (source: Courtesy of Slovak Sinfonietta)
Brezno
JAZZ: Alf Carlsson/Jiří Kotača Quartet – The Swedish guitarist Alf Carlsson joins the international Jiří Kotača Quartet (with Czech trumpeter Kotača, and two Slovaks, Peter Korman on bass, and Kristián Kuruc on drums). Starts: May 11, 20:00; Bombura Club, M. R. Štefánika Square 16. Tel: 0905/347 -415; www.bombura.sk.
Žilina
BENEFIT/CONCERT: Concert for All Those Who Helped with the Synagogue Renovation, featuring a composition containing the Names of “The Immortals” The concert that celebrates the functioning of the New Synagogue in Žilina (although not fully completed yet) will offer a musical composition by Marek Piaček that includes the names of all the contributors, donors and volunteers who helped make this possible over the past six years. The male choir the Octet Singers will perform – all the 3,000 names – as conducted by Jozef Chabroň. Starts: May 12, New Synagogue, J. M. Hurbana 220/11. Admission: voluntary (bookings necessary, due to capacity, at info@novasynagoga.sk. Tel: 0907/137145; www.novasynagoga.sk.
Oravská Lesná
TOURISM: Orava Forest Railway, the unique switchback railway that was used for transporting logged wood, opens on May 14, with an opening ceremony (13:00), a ride on the renovated Gontkulák train (13:40), with accompanying programme including the Jazzgot band, the Ťažká Muzika folk troupe from Terchová, a crafts market, attractions for children and more. Starts: May 14, 13:00; the Tanečník Station at the Orava Forest Railway 3.5 miles from Oravská Lesná. Admission: €4. Tel: 0905/500-646, 043/5524-891; www.oravamuzeum.sk.
Historical engine at the Orava Forest Railway (source: TASR)
Martin
MODERN DANCE: Očista/ Purgation – The topic of this dance performance concerns human decisions, external and internal influences and actions which determine our way of life, thinking and feelings. It is choreographed by Zuzana Ďuricová Hájková to the music of Claude Debussy and Matej Háasz. Cast: Tibor Trulik, Lenka Rajchmanová, Jakub Jeňo, Julia Kannewischer, Michaela Mirtová, Ján Jamrich as guest. Starts: May 5, 18:030; Divadlo Štúdio tanca theatre, Komenského 12 (na Kačici). Admission: €4 - €7. More info: www.studiotanca.sk.
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
Prešov
CONCERT: Fallgrapp Tour 2017 – In March, the Slovak band Fallgrapp issued its second album, “In the Mist” / “v hmle”, and has embarked on a tour around the country to present live versions of the pieces from both their albums. Starts: May 5, 20:00; Christiania club, Hlavná 105. Amdission: €7. Tickets: www.ticketportal.sk. More info: www.christiania.eu.sk.
Fallgrapp receives Radio_Head awards. (source: TASR)
Poprad
CONCERT: Slovak composer/musician living in Canada, Peter Breiner, gives a concert of piano improvisations in the famous gallery in Poprad. Starts: May 5, 19:00; Tatra Gallery – Elektáreň, Hviezdoslavova 12. Admission: €15. More info: www.tatragaleria.sk.
Peter Breiner (source: TASR)
Košice
CLASSICAL MUSIC: In Cordis – The United String Historical; Nicola Matteis and the Music between Naples and London in the 2nd Half of the 17th Century – The historically true interpretation of baroque music at this concert – part of the Košice Musical Spring 2017 – will be led by Slovak Miloš Valent and Czech Marek Štryncl. The performers include Lucie Rozsnyó – vocals, Miloš Valent – baroque violin, Marek Štryncl – baroque cello, Kateřina Ghannudi – baroque harp, Miloslav Študent, arch-lute. Starts: May 9, 19:00; Seminar Church, Hlavná 81. Admission: €4-€8. More info: www.sfk.sk.
Miloš Valent (source: TASR)
Košice
OPERA: Georg Friedrich Handel – Alcina – The opera by Handel (1735) represents the pinnacle of Baroque operas, while offering, in Italian, the story of the witch Alcina and musings on Good and Evil. The team includes music training/conducting by Marek Štryncl, direction and stage design by Linda Keprtová, costumes by Danica Hanáková, and choirmaster Lukáš Kozubík. Cast includes Michaela Várady / Lucie Kašpárková; Mariana Hochelová / Aneta Hollá; Maxim Kutsenko / Davide Maggioni; Viera Kállayová / Anna Manske; Myroslava Havryliuk / Markéta Cukrová; Viktória Norko-Marková / Maria Taytakova; Marián Lukáč / Marek Gurbaľ. Starts: May 11, 19:00; State Theatre Košice, Hlavná 58. Admission: €4-€10. Tel: 055/2452-269 (daytime), 055/2452-260 (evenings); www.sdke.sk.; tickets www.navstevnik.sk.
Alcina in SDKE (source: Joseph Marčinský)
Prešov
BENEFIT CONCERT: The Benefit Concert for Joy – This concert supports the oncology ward of the Teaching Hospital and the clinic of J.A. Reiman in Prešov, presenting the local bands Mloci (rock), Prešovčan (folk), Edith; and Swing Time Four. People can support the oncology ward by buying a ticket, making donations throughout the concert, or sending it to a special bank account. Starts: May 11, 19:00; historical hall of PKO Čierny orol. Hlavná 50. Admission: €6. Tickets pkovstupenkypo@gmail.com. Tel: 051/77 237 41-2, www.pkopresov.
Prešov
SPORT: VSE City Run – The charity event VSE City Run meant to help the visually impaired, will take place on May 11 in Prešov, with the starting fee meant to support the disabled with the full sum collected. For those who do not mind running in the centre, a treadmill will be placed, with the Eastern-Slovak Energy Company (VSE) donating €33 for each kilometre run on it. Starts: May 3 (Košice); May 11 (Prešov). Admission: €3-adults, €1-children registration fee, free for onlookers. More info: www.cityrun.sk.
Košice
CONCERT: The second anniversary of the renovation of the Tabačka KulturFabfrik brings a concert with two guests, Polish band Hańba (punk-rock) and Slovak Cascabel (folk-punk); as well as disco, a barbecue, competitions, a karaoke show and more. Starts: May 13, 16:00; big hall, Fabricafe, courtyard of the Tabačka KulturFabrik, Gorkého 2. Admission: free. More info: www.tabacka.sk.
