Ice-skating marathon is planned for Košice (source: TASR)
Western Slovakia
Nitra
CONCERT: The Best Beatles Christmas 2016 – The Backwards – Arguably one of the best Beatles tribute bands globally, The Backwards, will bring a seasonal concert of more than two hours of popular Beatles songs, from the Beatlemania era up to the Abbey Road period. Starts: Dec 18, 19:00; Nájomná Jednotka 210, OC MAX Nitra, Chrenovská 30. Admission: €16. Tickets: www.ticketportal.sk; more info: www.beatles.sk.
The Backwards perform songs of The Beatles. (source: TASR)
Trnava
CHRISTMAS MARKET: The fifth year of the Medieval Christmas Markets in downtown Trnava offers traditional crafts, live animals, a wooden merry-go-round, a live Nativity scene and Medieval delicacies. Starts: Dec 16 (12:00)-18 (10:00-18:00); Sv. Mikuláša Square. More info: www.regiontirnavia.sk.
Trnava
CONCERT: Christmas with Gemini – The Christmas concert of Trnava-based band Gemini offers mostly Irish and Celtic music on classical instruments. Starts: Dec 21, 18:00; Ján Palárik Theatre, Trojičné Square 2. More info: www.kamdomesta.sk.
Červený Kameň Castle
MUSEUM/EVENT: Cinderella – Annual performances marking the end of the year offer different stories – in the Slovak language but often understandable for non-speakers. The tale of Cinderella will be performed in the authentic environment of the Medieval Castle as special Christmas tours between December 27 and 30. Starts: Dec 27-30; each full hour between 10:00 and 16:00; Červený Kameň Castle, Častá village. Admission: €4-€8. More info: http://hradcervenykamen.sk.
Čunovo
EXHIBITION: Jiří Georg Dokoupil – Oxymoron – The Czech artist living mainly in Germany is mostly known for his innovative techniques, like the bubble images but also for his recent project, Furniture for Fotos – 3D installations with 3D people. His Danubiana exhibition – following the Prague DSC Gallery exhibition – is curated by Vladimír Beskid. Open: Tues- Sun, 10:00-18:00 until March 5; Danubiana Gallery near Vodné dielo/ Waterworks Čunovo. Admission: €10. More info: www.danubiana.sk.
Central Slovakia
Žilina
CLASSICAL MUSIC: Christmas Concert – This special seasonal concert by the Slovak Sinfonietta presents main guest conductor Simon Chalk, who will also play violin – as will Lukáš Szentkereszty and also soprano Mária Rychlová, trumpeter Stanislav Masaryk, the Žilinský miešaný zbor choir with choirmaster Štefan Sedlický. They will perform Yuletide works by Arcangelo Corelli, Giuseppe Tartini, J.S. Bach, Leroy Anderson, Wiliam Gomez, A. Vivaldi, Cesar Franck, Ola Gjeilo, Giacomo Puccini, Pavol Krška and Giuseppe Verdi. Starts: Dec 14-18, 19:00; Fatra House of Arts, Dolný Val 47. Admission: €16-€20. More info: www.skozilina.sk.
Žilina
CONCERT: The Best Beatles Christmas 2016 – A series of concerts by the established Beatles revival band, The Backwards, offers more than two hours of the most popular songs by the legendary band, from their very beginnings all the way to the Abbey Road era. Starts: Dec 19, 19:00; Big Hall of the House of Unions, Antona Bernoláka 51. Admission: €17. Tickets: www.ticketportal.sk; more info: www.beatles.sk.
Banská Bystrica
CONCERT: Christmas Concert – The seasonal-themed concert of the State Opera Banská Bystrica presents works of famous composers – Ivan Hrušovský, Ariel Ramirez, Juraj Zrunek, František Prášil – as performed by Martin Popovič, Marián Hadraba, Michaela Kraus, Adriana Známová as guest, with the Orchestra, Choir and Ballet of the State Opera. Starts: Dec 20,-21, 19:00; State Opera Banská Bystrica, Národná 11. Admission: €10: More info: www.stateopera.sk.
Banská Bystrica
MODERN DANCE/PERFORMANCE: Uhozené květinou – Hit by a Flower – The dance performance exploring the inner world of three women was created by Petra Tejnorová, Jaro Viňarský, Jiří Konvalinka, Lucia Kašiarová, Tereza Ondrová, and Vanda Hybnerová. Starts: Dec 20, 19:00; Záhrada - Centre of Independent Culture (CNK) in SNP Square 16 (Beniczkého Passage). Admission: €3-€5. More info: www.zahradacnk.sk.
Banská Bystrica
CONCERT: Hrana Live – The concert composed of music by the late Slovak Musician Marek Brezovský will be played by Oskar Rózsa, Marek Minárik, Martin Valihora, and Adam Mičinec. Starts: Dec 21, 20; Záhrada – Centrum nezávislej kultúry, SNP Square 16 (Beniczkého pasáž). Admission: €18-€25- More info: www.zahradacnk.sk.
Banská Bystrica
OPERETTA: Franz Lehár – The Land of Smiles – The special performance of the popular operetta by Franz Lehár – as rehearsed and conducted by Ján Procházka, directed by Jana Andělová Pletichová, with costumes by Tomáš Kypta, stage design by David Bazika, with choirmaster Iveta Popovičová and choreographer Ján Ševčík – will mark the end of the year. Starts: Dec 30, 18:00; State Opera, Národná 11. Admission: €12. More info: www.stateopera.sk.
Franz Lehár: The Land of Smiles (source: Jozef Lomnický)
Žilina
EXHIBITION: Stano Filko in Žilina – This exhibition is, rather than a compact curatorial programme, a presentation of works by avant-garde Slovak conceptual artist Stano Filko – some never exhibited before, from his US visit – as well as selected works by younger artists, e.g. Martin Vongrej, András Csefalvay, František Demeter, Ján Gašparovič, and others) as curated by Fedor Blaščák and Christian Kobald. Open: weekdays 12:00-17:00 until Dec 31 (possibly also longer); New Synagogue, Kuzmányho 1. More info: www.novasynagoga.sk.
Eastern Slovakia
Košice
CLASSICAL MUSIC/CHRISTMAS: Two Christmas Concerts – The Slovak State Philharmonic Košice (ŠfK) has prepared two Christmas concerts for Advent, with the first meant for children/families and offering the works of Ph. E. Bach, Petr Hapka / Adrián Harvan (from the movie Prinbaba) and N. Bodnár performed by ŠfK conducted by Maroš Potokár, with Iris Maass (AT), on flute and bass Boris Prýgl, as well as the Pro Musica children's choir – Magnólia, starting at 15:00. The second one starting at 1900, brings Christmas masses by N. Bodnár and J. J. Ryba, performed by ŠfK with Maroš Potokár as conductor, soprano Janette Zsigová, alto Andrea Nemcová, tenor Michal Lehotský, and bass Boris Prýgl, with Pro Musica – Magnólia, and the Košický spevácky zbor učiteľov choir. Starts: Dec 18, 15:00, 19:00; House of Arts, Moyzesova 66. Admission: €6 (first concert), €10-€14 (the second one). Tel: 055/2453-123; vstupenky@sfk.sk; www.sfk.sk.
The Slovak State Philharmonic Košice (ŠfK) (source: TASR)
Poprad
CONCERT: Christmas Concert by Katka Koščová – The popular Slovak performer will sing original arrangements of traditional Slovak Christmas carols, as well as several global Xmas hits. Starts: Dec 19, 18:00; Evangelical Church. Sv. Egídia Square. Admission: €15. Tickets: www.ticketportal.sk; more info: www.kamdomesta.sk.
Košice
CLASSICAL MUSIC: 2nd Christmas Concert – The second special concert brings the Slovak State Philharmonic Košice (ŠfK) conducted by Maroš Potokár with Iris Maass, on flute and solo tenors Michal Lehotský and Boris Prýgl performing with the Collegium technicum, C. Ph. E. Bach’s Concert for flute and Stirngs D minor and P. Mascagni’s Messa di Gloria in Fa Maggiore. Starts: Dec 19, 19:00; House of Arts, Moyzesova 66. Admission: €10-€14. Tickets: 055-2453 123; vstupenky@sfk.sk, www.navstevnik.sk. More info: www.sfk.sk.
Košice
CONCERT: John Paul II – The Memory of the 1st Slavonic Pope – The multi-media performance which premiered last December will, again, commemorate the late pope, with 56 musicians, 40 choral singers, a 30-member children's choir and four soloists. Starts: Dec 19, 19:00; Steel Arena Košice, Nerudova 12. Admission: €15.70 and more. Tel: 02/5293-3321; www.ticketportal.sk.
Košice
CONCERT: Christmas Concert: Michal Smetanka and his guests – The less traditional Xmas concert hails the already forgotten ancient Christmas tunes of our ancestors. Starts: Dec 22, 19:00; HalmiCaffe, Hlavná 21. Admission: €4 (in advance)-€5 (on the site). More info: https://halmicaffe.sk.
Košice
ICE SKATING: Non-stop 24-hours of Ice Skating – The European Capital of Sport 2016, Košice, tries to repeat last year’s Slovak record in a non-stop ice-skating marathon, as well as attempting to establish a new world record for the Guiness Book of Records. Starts: Dec 28, 16:00; Sport-entertainment Complex, Alejová 2. Booking, more info: 0905/424-038; www.kk-sporttiming.sk.
