PICK OF THE WEEK: 30th April – 6th May

PICK OF THE WEEK: 30th April – 6th May

 

MUSIC

Spring Concert. Sunday, 6th May at 12h at the National Auditorium, Ordino (5€ pre-booked or 8€ on the day.) Els colors de l’orquestra. Directed by Albert Gumí with Andorra’s youth orchestra, El Jonca,  plus Andorra’s Schools of Music.

PART I. El Jonca: The colours of the orchestra throughout history.  Un color clàssic – Joseph Haydn . El color barroc – Henry Purcell. Un color romàntic – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Un color del segle xx – Gustav Holst.

PART II. Jonca & Escoles de música:  The colours of our orchestra. El color de les cordes/strings – Albert Gumí. El color dels vents de fusta/woodwind – Michael Praetorius. El color de les guitarres – Traditional palestinian. El color dels vents metalls/brass – Albert Gumí. El color dels metal·lòfons i el piano/Pitched percussion instruments such as the xylophone & piano  – Albert Gumí. El color de la secció rítmica moderna – Albert Gumí. El color dels acordions – TradiTional irish. 

(See also ‘Gastronomy and Music’ below)

BALLET

Manon Thursday, 3rd May at 20.15h at the Cinemes Illa Carlemany, Escaldes-Engordany. Ballet Direct from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. Kenneth McMillan’s Manon with music by Jules Massenet. Orchestrated and Conducted by Martin Yates. Starring: Sarah Lamb (American) as Manon. Vadim Muntagirov (Russian) as Des Grieux, Ryoichi Hirano (Japanese) as Lescaut. Itziar Mendizabal (Spanish) as Lescaut’s mistress and Gary Avis (British) as Monsieur G.M. The Story: Manon is beautiful and impulsive, and loves romance almost as much as she loves diamonds. She meets and falls in love with the handsome young student Des Grieux and they elope to Paris. But when the wealthy Monsieur G.M. asks Manon to be his mistress she is torn between a life with Des Grieux and one of luxury. MacMillan found new sympathy with the capricious Manon and her struggle to escape poverty. But it is Manon and Des Grieux’s impassioned pas de deux  that drive this tragic story, and make Manon one of MacMillan’s most powerful dramas and a touchstone of adult, dramatic dance.

DANCE

Creating tradition. Sunday, 6th May at 18h in the Centre de Congressos, Andorra la Vella. (5€ for both adults and children at La Llacuna – and probably at the door. All money goes to l’Associació Andorrana Contra el Càncer) Creating tradition by L’Esbart Dansaire d’Andorra folk dance group. With Creating tradition you can enjoy 14 traditional dances interpreted by all the different sections of the dance group from infants of 5-years-old to the adults of the main Cor de Dansa. In total during the evening 60 dancers will take to the stage and lend support to the Andorran Association against Cancer.

THEATRE

2018 FESTIVAL OF CLOWNS. On the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th May.

At the Teatre Comunal, Andorra la Vella

Tickets:Centre Cultural La Llacuna or Andorra la Vella Tourist Office and, one hour before, from the box offices of Teatre Comunal d’Andorra la Vella and La Fada Ignorant:

Poetic Refugee. THURSDAY, 3rd at 21.30h (10€. For those over 8) Poetic Refugee by Claire Ducreux (French) The Act: A tramp chooses a street crossing as a temporary shelter. A bridge becomes a ship, and a sculptor, her travelling companion. This roommate is a metaphor for vulnerability and persuades Ducreux to seek authenticity and humility in order to share simple emotions and true moments of theatrical magic. A poetic, visual, tender and emotional dance-theatre show. Created and interpreted by Claire Ducreux. Original music by David Moreno, Jorge Sarraute & Mayte Martín. The Sculptor by Eduardo Quadrat.

Painted Paradise. FRIDAY, 4th at 21.30h (10€ for those over 10) Painted Paradise by Pepa Plana (Catalan) THE STORY: Above a sideboard there is a painting full of angels. One angel is different. She dreams of transforming herself into a guardian angel. So she leaves the picture. But she realises that it is easier to swim than to fly and ends up being the guardian angel of the sea bed. But in this world there is no peace even at the bottom of the sea. A critical, rebellious, heart-wrenching performance and, despite being amusing, it will also connect us to our world’s most tragic face

EXIT NAPOLEON PURSUED BY RABBITS  SATURDAY, 5th at 21.30h (10€. For those over 8) by Nola Rae (Australian) An army cook who has lost his companions, takes refuge in a hut. In it there are old relics of war: boots, a coat, a banner with an imperial badge and, above all, a hat, the Napoleonic hat, which serves to build a world of fantasy in which he becomes an emperor or a dictator. A show that is dark and tender at the same time, it deals with power and the madness of power, inspired by a real episode in the life of Napoleon Bonaparte who fled from some gentle rabbits while out hunting. A show that reminds us that we all have our weak points, our phobias and our fears. Music: Ficar West

La Coeurdonnière SUNDAY, 6th May at 12.30h (5€) La Coeurdonnière by  Masha Dimitri (Switzerland). In her magical workshop, and helped by her little assistant, Cléo the puppet, the expert heart repairer will find the solution to your problem, and your heart will be joyful, open and light. Indeed, you will have wings to fly through a playful and poetic universe that mixes the art of clowns, circus and magic. Music: Oliviero Giovannoni.

Of all the fine ones, the most beautiful. Attic Nights at 23.30h at La Fada Ignorant, Andorra la Vella. THURSDAY 3rd and SATURDAY, 5th (5€. In Spanish)) by the Cía. Aérea teatro. Three women, three clowns: Claudia Zucheratto (Brasil), Elena Donzel (València) and Jimena Cavalletti (Argentina) arrive in Andorra to express, through their music, all that worries them about life and death. They offer a great party, a get-together where the driving motor is music, the vehicle is laughter and the fuel is humour; transforming people both inside and out. Awarded Best street show at the Entrepayasos 2016 Festival in Zaragoza and the Circuito Café Teatro Valencia 2015.

Mecha Show You. FRIDAY, 4th (5€) Mecha Show You by the Cía Jimena Cavalletti (Argentina) A television entertainment programme. Mecha is here to help us. An antidepressive woman, extreme, a rocker but tender, a diva of a different epoch. Unfazed, she lives with her companions: a drum, a telephone and success. Mecha Show You speaks to us through humour and the absurd, through success and failure, and the weight that constant external approval carries in our lives. Original Music: Daniel Maldonado.

CINEMA

Avengers: Infinity War Monday 30th, Wednesday 2nd and Thursday, 3rd May at 19.45h and Tuesday, 1st May at 20h at the Cinemes Illa Carelamny, Escaldes-Engordany. Directed  by  Anthony Russo &  Joe Russo. Starring:  Robert Downey Jr.,  Chris Hemsworth,  Mark Ruffalo. The Story: As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artefacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.

Loving Vincent Wednesday, 2nd May at 21.30h at the Teatre Comunal, Andorra la Vella. (5€) Loving Vincent (In English with subtitles) Directed by  Dorota Kobiela &  Hugh Welchman. Starring:  Douglas Booth,  Jerome Flynn,  Robert Gulaczyk. The Story: In a story depicted in oil painted animation, a young man comes to the last hometown of painter Vincent van Gogh to deliver the troubled artist’s final letter and ends up investigating his final days there. What makes this film exceptional is how it has been produced. It’s 80 minutes are made up of 56,800 paintings each one of which has been painted á la Van Gogh by a group of 50 excellent painters. It took several years to complete. It’s an extraordinary concept. “Everything was a painting on canvas,” says Welchman. “No tracing, no nothing. The opening shot, where we come down from Starry Night, took six hours per frame to paint. So you’re talking about two weeks to do one second. It might have taken 20 weeks to paint that 10-second shot – you’re looking at half a year of someone’s life.” In the end the team produced more than 65,000 frames in oil paints on more than 850 canvases using 3,000 litres of paint.

GASTRONOMY – PLUS MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT.

SANT JULIÀ DE LÒRIA’s 10th RUTA DE LA TAPA

Thursday 3rd to Sunday, 6th May.

You can either just wander down to Sant Julià, enjoy the street music (see below) and visit any of their restaurants and bars and sample the special tapas they will have prepared for this traditional gastronomic treat. Or you can enter the competition with the possibility of winning a trip for two to New York.

If so, first collect your ‘passport’ and a map from the Tourist Office. It will contain the names of the 16 places taking part. Your job is to visit each one, buy their special tapa and then get them to stamp your passport. All those who get stamps from every hostelry over the four days can then enter the raffle. If you also vote for your preferred tapa, your voting slip will be put in another draw with further prizes. The establishment with the most popular tapa will win a cash prize.

STREET MUSIC ACCOMPANIMENT TO YOUR TAPAS.

THURSDAY 3rd 21h Magicians Felix Brunet & Marc Ferrer will be visiting different bars and restaurants performing tricks.

FRIDAY 4th. 19h. Parade through the streets with the Laurèdia batucada drum band, Toca-te’ls, and the Batukaseu Urgellenca band. 21h Theatre performances at various participating bars. 22h in the Plaça del Molí  a concert of bossa nova and folk music by the group Odara Tria. Also at 22h in the Plaça Laurèdia  a concert of cover versions of pop, rock, funk and jazz by Mademoiselle & II. Also at 22h in the Plaça Fransesc Cairat a concert of blues, ragtime, and Gospel with the group The Laguards.

SATURDAY 5th 11h – 14h & 17h – 20h Games for children and young people  in the Plaça de la Germandat. Also from 11h – 14h & 17h – 20h  in the c/Bonaventura Reia  a collection of outsize board games. 13.30h in the Plaça del Molí  a concert of pop, rock and the group Jamp’s own music. 13.30h in the Plaça Laurèdia a concert cover versions of Catalan pop and rock songs by the group Néktum. 14h  in the Plaça Fransesc Cairat a concert of bossa nova and folk music by the group Odara Tria. 22h in the Plaça del Molí a concert of blues, ragtime, and Gospel with the group The Laguards. 22h in the Plaça Laurèdia a concert of cover versions of pop and rock by the Lizard. 22h in the Plaça Franscec Cairat a concert of cover versions of pop, rock, funk and jazz by Mademoiselle & II.

SUNDAY 6th 11h – 14h & 17h – 20h in the c/Bonaventura Reia  a collection of outsize board games. 11h – 14h & 17h – 20h in the Plaça de la Germandat  games, breakfast, afternoon snacks and a fun workshop for making biscuits/cookies. 12h  in the Plaça de la Germandat folk dancing by the Esbart Laurèdia. 18h (5€) Flamenco Spectacular  by the artists Francisco Amat, Ramoni Garcia and the dance group Alendoi. (No place given)

TAST MUSIC: THEMED EVENINGS OF MUSIC + GASTRONOMY at 21.30h every Thursday throughout May at selected restaurants in La Massana with the menus inspired by the live music. Reservation obligatory.

Thursday, 3rd May at 21.30h at La Borda Secreta, (23.90€ Confirm on 822 240) New York 1950s with B Sharp.

Culturally yours,

Clare.

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Look for about the author of the blog Clare Allcard

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Look here for the whole blog “Cultural events in Andorra with Clare Allcard”

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