Carmen to Doha in June
Inspired by the work of Prosper Merimee Plot, Choreography and lighting by Antonio Gades and Carlos Saura. After great success that film CARMEN had, Antonio Gades decides to produce it’s version for theater, which premiere in Paris was popular and critical success, revealing Gades to be not only one of the best dancers in the world but also one of the greatest choreographers. Creating CARMEN , Gades had his own vision and reasons. This he explained in press conference, showing Carmen in new light, not men-eater, neither frivolous, but an honest woman, when saying she loves she does, when she says she doesn’t love, she means it, a free woman. She doesn’t treat her feelings as her private property too. Continue Reading
Doha Capital of Arab Culture 2010 – May update
After successful performance that Shaman Dance Theater had on the stages of Qatar National Theater, cultural activities of Doha – Capital of Arab culture for month of April were closed. Month of May is also rich of events,during first week of the month were held Iraqi days, with various events, from folk dance performances, theater, traditional music, songs, to modern arts and finally fashion show, which had great success among Dohans and other visitors. Then there was performance of Cuban dance group The Lizt Alfonso Ballet on 6 and 7th of May. Continue Reading
Read about Shaman Dance Theater in Qatari Newspapers
Carthage Jazz Festival
Der Austro-Tunesier Dhafer Youssef begeisterte am Dienstag, den 13. April 2010 beim 6. Internationalen Jazzfestival von Carthage mit seinem internationalen Ensemble das Publikum. Im ausverkauften Saal presentierte der sympathische K?nstler Eigenkompositionen, die Einfl?sse aus den Stilrichtungen Funk und Soufi erkennen lie?en. Die einnehmende B?hnenpr?senz von Dhafer Youssef, seine au?ergew?hnliche Stimme und die zum Teil orientalischen Kl?nge und Rhythmen erzielten eine gro?e Wirkung auf das Publikum, das dem K?nstler mit anhaltendem Applaus dankte. Das Jazzensemble teilte sich die B?hne mit Stars wie John Lee Hooker Jr., Axelle Red, Milow, Hans und Candy Dulfer oder Vaya Con Dios, um nur einige zu nennen. Das zehnt?tige Jazzfestival lockt allj?hrlich Tausende Besucher nach Tunis. Insgesamt treten heuer 15 Jazzgruppen bzw. Einzelk?nstler auf. Mehr: http://www.jazzacarthage.com/
To Brazil in September
If you still didn’t make up your mind and chose yet a festival for your group, then you could have wonderful possibility to go to Brazil to Festival Internacional de Folclore do Mato Grosso. The festival will be held in Caceres/ Mato Grosso in the Pantanal region in Brazil from 21 to 25 September, groups are requested to arrive at 20 September and leave at 26 September from the Cuiaba Airport. Continue Reading
Istanbul in August
Istanbul’s Harmanfolk invites all folk dance groups interested in visiting Turkey to INTERNATIONAL ISTCUP ISTANBUL folk festival, which will be held 27-31 AUGUST 2010. The conditions are: I- Most programs are held in the evenings, however some day time programs are also scheduled. Performances are approximately 10-15 minutes. The time of the performance allowed will be strictly limited. All groups will show their performance max 3 nights. Each group can perform max 15 minutes. Five countries will be invited to the 27-31 AUGUST 2010 festival. Continue Reading
Call for 2010 ‘Dr. Erhard Busek SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe’
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is pleased to announce the 2010 Dr. Erhard Busek – SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe. Sponsored by Dr. Erhard Busek – Jean Monet Professor ad personam, President of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, Coordinator of the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), Former Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe and President of the European Forum Alpbach – the EUR 3,000 award will be presented to a journalist, editor, media executive, media expert, writer or journalism trainer in South Eastern Europe, who has promoted better understanding amongst peoples in the region and worked towards ending minority-related problems, ethnic division, racism, xenophobia, or who has helped in any other form to foster understanding in South East Europe. Continue Reading
“The Power of Love” world premiere in London
Today at London’s Courtyard Theatre will be held the world premiere of the play “The Power of Love” by New Zealand author Tony J. Williams in a production by Hollywood director Ilmar Taska from Estonia. The main role in this gripping play, which explores the depths of modern interpersonal relations, embodied by the Austrian actor Christoph Dostal, on the side of Anna Winslet (sister of Kate Winslet). It is Dostal’s first leading role in English on a London stage. Beside Christoph Dostal another Austrian artist is involved in this production: the aspiring fashion designer Maria Oberfrank (Pitour fashion label), a student of Vivienne Westwood and Helmut Lang, is responsible for the costumes. “The Power of Love” will be playing till 25 April 2010 except Mondays at the Courtyard Theatre in London’s Old Stree (www.thecourtyard.org.uk).
Bahrain
My next stop in Arabian Gulf , after trendy Doha, is Bahrain. Getting into the plane, which is just taking up to land in some 15-20 min, I can barely drink my champaign, served by Qatar airways smiling crew members. My trip coincided with Formula 1 and Bahrain was in news all around the globe. It is good to be there when such famous event is covered by the whole world, at the same time, is good to see also different Bahrain, to find something particular and not just cliche descriptions, known to all. 
Bahrain is more oriental then Doha, it is more ancient, this what one can notice immediately, upon arrival. It is the paradise on the Earth – Dilmun.. In Doha you feel everything is new, trendy, just built or being built. Bahrain is different, it is mixed, old and new, it is even more oriental then Doha. But it’s oriental style also different from the one you feel visiting Levant. Here the winds of Arabia cross with those from Iran, Pakistan, India and China. Even markets are as mixed, as the winds upon Bahrain itself. Continue Reading
Music cooperation from Brams to Einem in Syrian National Opera House
A concert in the Syrian National Opera Dar al-Assad comes as culmination of four years successful Austrian-Syrian cooperation in the field of modern music and composition. On 18 March, Damascus Conservatory Orchestra will present a concert program, which includes works by Hassan Taha, Zaed Jabri, Johannes Brahms, and Gottfried von Einem. Already in February the younger generation of Syrian musicians under the direction of Austrian conductor Ewald Donhoffer and chief conductor of the Syrian National Orchestra Missak Baghboudarian were engaged in intensive rehearsals of contemporary Austrian and Syrian music and its roots. Continue Reading