PICK OF THE WEEK: Monday, 27th January – Sunday, 2nd Febuary, 2020

PICK OF THE WEEK: Andorra (Pyrenees)

Main places:

Andorra la Vella, Escaldes-Engordany, San Julia de Loria, La Massana, Ordino, Encamp, Canillo, Pas de la Casa

OPERA

v Wednesday, 29th January at 20.45 at Cinemes Illa Carlemany, Escaldes-Engordany. Streamed from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Puccini’s La Bohème. Directed by Richard Jones, Conducted by Emmanuel Villaume. Starring: Sonya Yoncheva as Mimì, Charles Castronovo as Rodolfo, Andrezej Filonczyk as Marcello and Aida Garifullina as Musetta. The Story: When Rodolfo, a penniless poet, meets Mimì, a seamstress, they fall instantly in love. But their happiness is threatened when Rodolfo learns that Mimì is gravely ill. Rodolfo is painfully aware that he cannot afford the medicine and care Mimì needs, and so separates from her. As her sickness takes hold Mimì returns to Rodolfo’s garret. They are joyfully reunited – but, despite the care of Rodolfo and his friends, Mimì dies.

The Background: Puccini’s music and Richard Jones’ production capture the joy and heartache of young love in Paris and perfectly blend the tragedy and comedy in La Bohème, providing an acute analysis of Puccini’s young would-be artists and their lovers, the soulful Mimì and spirited Musetta. Spectacular designs by Stewart Laing evoke both the poverty of the bohemians’ attic home and the splendour of Paris’s shopping arcades on Christmas Eve. Puccini’s score is one of his most beautiful. La bohème received its world premiere at the Teatro Regio, Turin, on 1 February 1896, and its Covent Garden premiere the following year. It is currently one of the best-loved operas worldwide, and the opera most performed at the Royal Opera House.

MUSIC

v Monday, 27th January at 21.30h at the Hotel Màgic, La Massana. (Free) Magic Mondays with Vibrand in Clau de Soul. Every Monday you have an appointment with the best live music. Start the week enjoying the ‘Magic Mondays’ and the best atmosphere! The band will play the songs you like most by artists such as Sting, Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Bruno Mars, among many others, and in an unusual way. Come and dance while we sing funk, soul, reggae, swing and jazz.

v Thursday, 30th January at 20.30h at the Hotel Piolets Centre Soldeu. (Free) Vibrand Concert in Clau de Soul. Every Thursday you can enjoy live music and the best atmosphere in Soldeu! The band will play the songs you like most from artists such as Sting, Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Bruno Mars in an unusual way. Come and dance while we sing funk, soul, reggae, swing and jazz!

v Friday, 31st January at 21.30h at the Hard Rock Café, Andorra la Vella. (Free) Bound To Concert. The Bound To group in trio format will offer an animated repertoire of songs of different genres and styles!

v Friday, 31st January at 21.30h at The Hotel Magic, Andorra la Vella (Free). Vibrand concert in Clau de Soul. Start the weekend with the best live music and the best atmosphere! Come and dance to the rhythm of funk, soul, reggae, swing, jazz and soul with us! The band will perform the songs you like most from Sting, Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Bruno Mars and many more.

v Friday, 31st January probably around 23h at the cafè-teatre La Fada Ignorant. Concerts a La Fada: Raul Parra and Daniel Felices

v Saturday, 1st February at 21.30h at the National Auditorium of Andorra, Ordino. (General admission: 8€, Restricted view tickets. The National Auditorium’s Season 2020. Madretomasa. In 2010, Fano Pallarés, Oriol Vilella, Alex Moldes and Josu Adanez formed the band Madretomasa with the main purpose of composing songs and sharing them with the public. And they have been doing it ever since! To coincide with the band’s tenth anniversary, in 2020 their new album, the second full length album, will be released after 8 Tracks, was released in 2015. Therefore, the performance of Madretomasa in the National Auditorium will be very special. They prefer to focus on song writing and recording, which is why they set up their own recording studio and record label. In 2017, their friend Albert Duat joined the band, picking up the bass left by Moldes. The arrival of Duat did not alter the dynamics of the group or the style of their songs, the spirit of authentic rock sung in English. Musicians: Fano Pallarés (guitar and vocals). Oriol Vilella (guitar and vocals); Josu Adanez (percussion); Albert Duat (bass).

v Saturday, 1st February at 21h at the Hotel Parador Canaro, Canillo. (Free) Shuffle Express in concert. The band will entertain you with the best versions of traditional and contemporary artists such as BB King, Eric Clapton,. Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Joe Bonamassa, Jr.Watson and Little Walter, Elmore Jame, and with their original songs. Musicians: Pablo Villar (vocals and guitar); Virginia Yañez, (keyboard and vocals); Marc Milian (bass and double bass); Dante Falótico (percussion).

v Sunday, 2nd February at 19h at the Sport Hotel Village, Canillo Shuffle Express in concert. (Free) After a good skiing session, load your batteries with a pure blues concert! The band will entertain you with the best versions of traditional and contemporary artists such as BB King, Eric Clapton,. Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Joe Bonamassa, Jr.Watson and Little Walter, Elmore Jame, and with their original songs. Musicians: Pablo Villar (vocals and guitar); Virginia Yañez, (keyboard and vocals); Marc Milian (bass and double bass); Dante Falótico (percussion).

CONFERENCES/TALKS (In Catalan unless otherwise stated. A chance to improve your language skills.)

v Wednesday, 29th January at 19h in the auditorium of the main, Morabanc building, Andorra la Vella. Lecture: (in French) ‘Anton Fiter et Rossell et le Manual Digest’ by Albert Villaró, director of the Center for Historical and Political Studies of the Institute for Andorran Studies. (The Manual Digest is one of the most important books in the history of Andorra and known popularly as the Andorran Bible. Here, in 1748, Antoni Fiter i Rossell collected together for the first time in a single book, the history, government and customs of Andorra. C.A.)

v Wednesday, 29th January at 21h at Les Fontetes Theatre, La Massana. EXPLORE: Mountain and cycle trips. An annual film series organised by Ordino and La Massana. Nacho Dean is a naturalist, professional adventurer and educator. He is the first person in history to have walked the world on foot and to have united the five continents by swimming. But beyond the record, the most important thing is why he began his expeditions: the conservation of the planet. From 2013 to 2016 he travelled on 4 continents, 31 countries and walking 33,000 kilometres alone without assistance and without interruption, for the protection of the environment. As a result of this adventure he also published the book Libre y Salvaje, which has already reached a sixth edition. Between 2018 and 2019 he completed the Nemo Expedition, a challenge that enabled him to swim across the five continents to launch a message about ocean conservation. In 2015 he was nominated for the Princess of Asturias Awards, in 2016 he received the Commemorative Medal of the City of Málaga and in 2019 he received the Talentia Prize for culture and sport. nachodean.com .

FESTIVALS

v Friday, 31st January at 18.30h at the Camp del Som, the field right next to the Socioesportiu Perecaus, Canillo (Free) ‘La crema de gener/ The Burning of January’ followed by coca sweet cake and hot chocolate. This tradition is now only followed in Canillo. A large pine tree is felled, taken to the meeting place and replanted. It is then ceremoniously burnt on the last evening of January to leave behind what is often a very long, cold month. The ceremony is also known as ‘burning the tail of January’. In the old days it was only performed if January had been particularly bitter. Certainly not relevant this year!

CINEMA

v Monday 27th – Thursday, 30th January at 20.15h at the Cinemes Illa Carlemany, Escaldes–Engordany. JoJo Rabbit. Directed by Taika Waititi Starring: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson. The Story: A young boy in Hitler’s army finds out his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home.

v Saturday, 1st February at 18h in the auditorium of the Palau de gel ice rink in Canillo. A sample of mountain and adventure cinema. Mansalu by Berg der Seelen (Probably in German. C.A.) Winner of the Gran Premi 2019 and the Boreal Award for best screenplay. A biography of Hans Kammerlander, one of the greatest mountaineers of our time. Filmed with archive images and with the support of actors in the reconstructed sequences. Kammerlander became famous in 1996 for the fastest climb up Everest and the first descent on skis. On the other side is the loss of his best friend to the Manaslu in 1991. In 2017, he faced the mountain again. http://www.manaslu-film.com

CHILDREN (All children’s activities are in Catalan unless otherwise stated.).

v Tuesday, 28th January at 18h at the Pas de la Casa Community Library. Children’s workshop: Let’s make a story with Carolina Caubet, which is aimed at children from 6 years upwards. The activity is divided into two parts. In the first, the participating children will create a story. Once they have the story and have illustrated it, the workshop participants will focus on reading the story aloud. Finally, each child will receive a copy of the printed story.

v Saturday, 1st February at 10.30h at the University Communal Library, Sant Julià de Lòria. (Pre-booking required: Tel. 744 044 or E-mail: [email protected] ) Music therapy for parents and children aged from 4 to 18 months old. What is music therapy? Music Therapy is the use of music to facilitate communication and learning. What are we working on? We work on concentration, sound research, channelling ability and emotional expression – all in a playful way. Targets: To strengthen the affective bond between parents and children – To increase the motor and artistic-creative abilities –

Encourage the development of visual and auditory memory – Work on emotional expressions. Fun sessions full of music!

v Saturday, 1st February at 18h at the Hotel Tulip Inn Andorra Delfos, Escaldes-Engordany. Third edition of the ‘Yoga Kids solidarity’. A session designed to strengthen ties and enjoy the family, at the Hotel Tulip Inn Andorra Delfos 4 *. International teacher Mireia Canudas will teach yoga-based techniques and games so parents can apply them later at home with their children. In this way, Lolë Atelier, Andorra’s ambassador will help inspire minors to build healthy habits. Mireia Canudas has a degree in Physical Education from the UAB, a yoga teacher with a degree in mindfulness. She has years of experience as a teacher in schools in Catalonia. Currently working as a YOMU (Yoga Music) teacher in a number of children’s schools, she combines it with Vinaysa Flow’s adult classes at international yoga centres. All the collection from the tickets, with a minimum contribution of 10 euros (for 1 adult + 1 child), will go to the “Young volunteer readers”, project of the Bomosa Foundation, which aims to foster the relationship of young people with seniors. Students between the ages of 15 and 18 periodically visit the residences where they interact with the elderly through reading and music and dance activities.