Taiko Matsuri - Drums Festival at the Japanese Garden

The Japanese Garden of Buenos Aires presents "Taiko Matsuri", a colorful traditional event, with the presence of Taiko (japanese drums) groups, and the international guest Marco Lienhard (former member of the group Za Ondekoza), on Sunday, July 12, 2009.

Schedule:

1:30 to 5:30 pm IV Taiko Matsuri
1:30 to 2.00 pm Medetaiko
2:10 to 2.:50 pm EISA: Ryukyu Koku Matsuri Daiko, Córdoba Taiko, Ryushin Rosario Taiko
3:00 to 3:30 pm Recital by Shakuhachi and Shinobue by Marco Lienhard
3:45 to 4:15 pm Mukaito Taiko
4:30 to 5.00 pm Buenos Aires Taiko Dojo with the participation of Marco Lienhard
5:10 to 5:30 pm Closing with all groupd playing together

Entrance: AR$ 10.-

18th Century galleon discovered in Puerto Madero open to the public

The Government of the City of Buenos Aires has inaugurated the walkways that allow visitors to admire the 18th century Spanish galleon unearthed in Puerto Madero on December 28, 2008. The old ship will be exhibited until July 5, 2009, when it will be buried again to prevent it from being destroyed.

Argentine builders stumbled across the wreck of this 18th century Spanish galleon while digging the foundations for a riverside high-rise building in Buenos Aires.They have discovered several canons and well-preserved earthenware jars that were probably used to store olive oil.

The remains of the galleon were found on a building site and archeologists from Buenos Aires city government think the boat was probably shipwrecked some 300 years ago. This 18th-century Spanish galleon was one of thousands that carried goods across the Atlantic when Argentina was a Spanish colony.

The 35 meters long walkway in a horseshoe shape allows the public to appreciate the vessel from every angle.

Entrance is free, but visitors must register to make the visit. Click here to complete the reservation form.

Location: Rosario Vera Penaloza and Juana Manso, Puerto Madero
Hours:
Monday to Friday, 12.00 noon to 6.00 pm
Saturdays and Sundays, 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
Guided visits:
In Spanish: every day
In English: Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm
In Portuguese: Monday to Friday 11.00 am to 1.00 pm, and Saturdays 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm.

The visits are canceled in case of rain. People will have to register again in this case.
For security reasons, children under 5 are not allowed to visit.
An ID of the main applicant and his/her companion must be presented on the day of the visit, plus the confirmation email.

More information: National Geographic website (in Spanish only)

Historical exhibit on Buenos Aires daily life

An interesting exhibition about the daily life in Buenos Aires during the past centuries is taking place at UCA's Pabellon de Bellas Artes. The exhibit is made of iconography and portraits of the Buenos Aires society, maps, textiles, antique photographs, post cards, coins, bottles, medicine packs, labels, products marketed during the celebration of the Centenary in 1910, advertising billboards, etc., as well as drawings and paintings by important artists, like Prilidiano Pueyrredón, Juan León Pallière, Carlos Morel, Bernabé De María, Adolf D`Hastrel and Ramón Columba, among others.
The exhibition also features the reconstruction of an old "pulperia", a kind of convenience store from that time.

Location: Pabellón de las Bellas Artes UCA. Alicia M. de Justo 1300, Puerto Madero
Dates and Hours: Through July 25th, 2009, Monday to Saturday, 11.00 am to 7.00 pm
Free entrance

Festivales Musicales de Buenos Aires celebrates Purcell - Händel - Haydn - Mendelssohn

Festivales Musicales de Buenos Aires, the 30-year old non-profit organization with the aim of spreading music in its highest artistic expressions, presents the Festival 2009 "4 anniversaries": the birth of Henry Purcell (1659) and Felix Mendelssohn (1809), and death of George Frederic Haendel (1759), and Franz Joseph Haydn (1809), with a series of concerts that will be held at Teatro Coliseo, Teatro Avenida, Auditorio de Belgrano, and Covento de Santo Domingo throughout 2009.
Guests this year are Helmuth Rilling (Stuttgart), to conduct "The Creation" by Haydn, and Michael Seal (Birmingham), to offer the Symphony N° 4 and Mendelssohn's Concert for violin with Xavier Inchausti as a soloist. Also, pianist Carmen Piazzini, expert in Haydn, Berlin's Chamber Orchestra, and French ensembles Les Sacqueboutiers and Stanislas Quartet.
Among the local artists, Camerata Bariloche and Orfeón de Buenos Aires will offer Haendel's oratory "The Mesiah", conducted by Master Mario Videla (who will also offer an organ recital), and two groups specialized in baroque music: Les Goûts-Réunis (dir. Juan Manuel Quintana) with soprano María Cristina Kiehr, and La Barroca del Suquía (dir. Manfredo Kraemer), with trumpet player Serge Tizac.

Festival "4 Anniversaries" 2009 Program:

MAY 27
MENDELSSOHN
Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Michael Seal (Birmingham)
Soloist: Xavier Inchausti, violin
Co-production with Teatro Colón
TEATRO COLISEO. Marcelo T. de Alvear 1125. 8.30 pm

JUNE 23
HÄNDEL - HAYDN - PURCELL - MOZART
Berlin's Chamber Orchestra
Conductor and soloist: Katrin Scholz, violin
AUDITORIO DE BELGRANO. Virrey Loreto 2348 & Av. Cabildo. 8.30 pm

JULY 7
HÄNDEL
Camerata Bariloche
Orfeon de Buenos Aires
Conductors: Néstor Andrenacci and Pablo Piccinni
Director: Mario Videla
Soloists: Laura Rizzo, Martín Oro, Carlos Ullán, Víctor Torres.
AUDITORIO DE BELGRANO. Virrey Loreto 2348 & Av. Cabildo. 8.30 pm

JULY 29
CANTATE E SONATE DA CAMERA
HÄNDEL
Les Gouts-Reunis with instruments from that period
Conductor: Juan Manuel Quintana
Soloist: María Cristina Kiehr, soprano (Basel)
TEATRO AVENIDA. Av. De Mayo 1212. 8.30 pm.

AUGUST 20
HAYDN - MENDELSSOHN
Stanislas Quartet (Nancy, France)
Laurent Causse, Bertrand Menut, violins
Paul Fenton, viola - Jean de Spengler, violoncello
AUDITORIO DE BELGRANO. Virrey Loreto 2348 & Av. Cabildo. 8.30 pm

SEPTEMBER 8
HAYDN - MENDELSSOHN
Soloist: Carmen Piazzini, piano (Darmstadt)
AUDITORIO DE BELGRANO. Virrey Loreto 2348 & Av. Cabildo. 8.30 pm

SEPTEMBER 16
Concert by the winners of the X Biennial Juvenile Contest 2009/2010
TEATRO AVENIDA. Av. De Mayo 1212. 8.30 pm.

OCTOBER 2
HAYDN
Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling (Stuttgart)
Soloists:
Soledad de la Rosa, soprano
Carlos Ullán, tenor
Hernán Iturralde, baritone
In co-production with Teatro Colón
TEATRO COLISEO. Marcelo T. de Alvear 1125. 8.30 pm

OCTOBER 14
Organ Recital (with video projection)
PURCELL - BACH - HÄNDEL - MENDELSSOHN
Soloist: Mario Videla
CONVENTO SANTO DOMINGO. Av. Belgrano and Defensa. 8.30 pm

OCTOBER 20
Closing of the Festival
Music in Caravaggio's Italy. Works by Monteverdi, Frescobaldi, A. Gabrieli, T. Merula
Music at the Kromeriz Court. Works by Fux, Biber, Vejvanovsky, Schmelzer, Theile
Les Sacqueboutiers (Toulouse, France), with instruments from that period.
Adriana Fernández, soprano - Manfredo Kraemer, violin
Jean-Pierre Canihac, cornetto - Jean Imbert, trompet and cornetto
Daniel Lassalle, sacabuche - Fabien Dornic, sacabuche bass
TEATRO AVENIDA. Av. De Mayo 1212. 8.30 pm.

First Buenos Aires International Circus Festival

The first Buenos Aires International Circus Festival, organized by the Ministry of Culture of the City of Buenos Aires, Culturesfrance, and the French Embassy in Argentina, will take place between June 29 and July 5, 2009. Several big tops will be put up in Combate de los Pozos 1700, in the neighborhood of Parque Patricios.

The Festival will offer the public unique experiences such as outstanding artists, creative and fun national and international shows, including eleven companies from France, Spain, Israel and Brazil, focusing in contemporary circus. The festival is dived into different areas:

Open Scene: Every day between 4.30 pm and 7.30 pm, in the central big top, circus routines, musical bands and clowns, the process of preparation of every show, with free entrance.

Galas: Shows by different artists or companies divided in Galas by amateur schools, amateur artists, and professional artists.

Short Forms: short duration shows that will allow to see two companies in the same day.

Some of the shows on June 29 and 30 are free of charge. Advanced free tickets must be picked up at Casa de la Cultura, Av. de Mayo 575, 11 am to 7 pm.

Tickets for the rest of the shows range from AR $ 10 to AR $ 25, and can be purchased at:

• Casa de la Cultura, Monday to Saturday 11 am to 7 pm
• HARD ROCK CAFE, Buenos Aires Design Shopping - Recoleta. Monday to Friday 10 am to 8 pm. Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 12 to 8 pm.
• LEE-CHI - Galería Bond Street, Av. Santa Fe 1670, Local 42-43. Monday to Saturday 12 to 9 pm.
• LEE-CHI - Galería Recamier, Cabildo 2136. Loc. B17. Monday to Saturday 11 am to 7 pm.

During the Festival tickets can be purchased at the venue: Combate de los Pozos 1700 (between Garay and Brasil), 2 pm to 9 pm.

Pecha Kucha Night Buenos Aires Vol. 13

On Tuesday, June 30, 2009, Ciudad Cultural Konex presents the thirteenth edition of Pecha Kucha Night, a “showcasing + networking” event created in Japan in 2003 by architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham, in which 12-15 creators from different disciplines have 6 minutes and 40 seconds each to show an idea or project, through 20 images screened for 20 seconds. Once the presentations are finished, the guest artists get together to exchange their opinions, and the public is invited to enjoy some music and conversation.

The participating artists confirmed for this edition are:

Nate Williams (illustration)
D.a 1 (Fabregas, Scott, Cabito & cia)
Matias Dutto (comminication)
Paco Savio (movilizer)
Federico Platener (art+design)
Juan Vellavsky (jewel maker)
Facundo Huidobro (sculpture)
Pablo Matteoda (industrial design)
Atypica (editorial)
Manifesto (design furniture)
yo leí este libro (NGO)
Leopoldo Estol (art)

Intermission and music: Army of Dub showcase.

“Pecha kucha” (which means chit-chat in Japanese), is presented in several cities around the world, including: Amsterdam, Atlanta, Auckland, Austin, Bangladore, Bangkok , Beijing, Belfast, Berlin, Bern, Bogotá , Budapest, Buenos Aires, Buffalo, Chicago, Cologne, Copenhagen, Costa Rica, Delhi, Dublin , Frankfurt, Glasgow, Gothenberg, Groningen, Hamburg, Harvard, Helsinki, Hobart, Lagos, Linz, Lisbon, Ljubljana, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Manchester, Melbourne, Mexico city, Miami, New York, Newcastle, Oslo, Perth, Portland, Porto Alegre, Prague, Riga, Rotterdam, San Francisco, Santiago, Seattle, Seoul, Seville, Shanghai, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo, Toronto, Udine, Vienna, Washington DC.

Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009. 8 PM
Location: Ciudad Cultural Konex. Sarmiento 3131. Buenos Aires.
Tickets: AR$ 20. Ticketek Argentina or Ciudad Cultural Konex ticket office: Monday to Thursday 5 PM to 10 PM, Friday and Saturday 5 PM to 11.30 PM, Sunday 5 Pm to 9:30 PM.
More information: www.pechakucha.com.ar

Rugby: Los Pumas vs French Barbarians

The Argentine national Rugby team, Los Pumas, will meet the French team Barbarians on a friendly match on June 20, 2009, 4.00 pm, at Velez Sarsfield Stadium (Av. Juan B. Justo & ALvarez Jonte, Buenos Aires).

This match has been organized by the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) as a tribute to the Argentine team for obtaining the bronze medal at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, as well as a farewell match for some of the players who participated in the past world cup, like Agustín Pichot, Mario Ledesma, Gonzalo Longo, Martín Scelzo, Rodrigo Roncero y Manuel Contepomi, among others.
The French team will be comprised of some of the best players in the French rugby league.
Tickets are on sale through www.tuentrada.com

Free Argentine music concerts by Orchestra "Juan de Dios Filiberto"

The Argentine Music National Orchestra "Juan de Dios Filiberto" offers free concerts entirely dedicated to Argentine composers.

On Friday, June 19, 2009, conducted by its Sub director Oscar De Elia, the Orchestra presents "Tango en Concierto", with singer Esteban Riera as special guest, at Palacio Nacional de las Artes (Palais de Glace), Posadas 1725. 5.00 pm.
On Wednesday, June 24, 2009, with Lito Vitale as guest conductor and Rodolfo Mederos as guest soloist, the Orchestra presents "Noche Argentina", at Teatro Nacional Cervantes, Av. Cordoba 1155. 8.30 pm.

Free tickets must be picked up on the same day of the performances, from 10.00 am, at the theater's box office.

Violin concert by maestro Shlomo Mintz

Comunidad Amijai presents the great violinist Shlomo Mintz, who will offer this single presentation in Argentina, on Thursday, July 16, 2009, 8.30 PM.
The program includes "Las cuatro estaciones porteñas", by Astor Piazzolla, and Vivaldi's "Four Seasons". With the participation of chamber music group "Estacion Buenos Aires", directed by Rafael Gintoli.
Comunidad Amijai is located in Arribeños 2355, Belgrano. Tickets on sale at the venue, Monday to Thursday 11.30 am to 3 pm, and 4 pm to 7.30 pm.

National Symphonic Orchestra 2009 Season

The National Symphonic Orchestra, directed by master Pedro Ignacio Calderón, starts its 2009 season on Friday, March 13th, with a concert at Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires. The program includes works by Ludwig Van Beethoven, Camille Saint-Saëns and Felix Mendelssohn.
The concerts offered this year will feature several guest artists, like directors Enrique Barrios (Mexico), and David Handel (USA), and Italian pianist Alessandro Césaro
Some of the singers will be Susanna Moncayo, Víctor Torres, Susana Caligaris, Gabriela Cipriani Zec, among others. The instrumental soloists: Denisse Richard, Marcelo Balat, Fernando Pérez and Eduardo Hubert (piano); Lucrecia Jancsa (harp), Isabel Siewers (guitar), Roberto Rutkauskas and Luis Roggero (violin), and Sebastián Bru, a 17 year old Argentine chelist, with an outstanding European career.
The Argentine guest directors are Alejo Pérez, José María Sciutto, Adrián Avila, Daniel Mazza, Carlos Vieu, Luis Gorelik, Mario Perusso, Guillermo Scarabino, Pablo Boggiano and Guillermo Becerra.
This year the Orchestra will join the world celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Felix Mendelssohn. Other notable concerts will be the ones dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the death of Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and the choral-symphonic concerts: Stabat Mater, by Karol Szimanovsky; the rare Réquiem Mass, by Gaetano Donizetti; and Solemn Mass, by Franz Liszt, with the participation of the National Poliphonic Choir and vocal soloists.

During the current year, the Orchestra will offer 21 concerts at the Auditorium of Bolsa de Comercio (Sarmiento 229), and 7 at the Aula Magna of Facultad de Derecho, UBA (Av. Figueroa Alcorta 2263), all of them with free entrance to the general public:

March
Friday 13, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 20, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires

April
Friday 3, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 17, 8 PM: Facultad de Derecho
Friday 24, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires

May
Friday 9, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 15, 8 PM: Facultad de Derecho
Friday 22, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires

June
Friday 5, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 12, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 19, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 26, 8 PM: Facultad de Derecho

July
Friday 10, 8 PM: Facultad de Derecho
Friday 17, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 24, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires

August
Friday 14, 8 PM: Facultad de Derecho de Buenos Aires
Friday 21, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 28, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires

September
Friday 4, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 11, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 25, 8 PM: Facultad de Derecho

October
Friday 2, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 9, 9 PM:
Friday 16, 8 PM: Facultad de Derecho
Friday 23: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 30: Contemporary Music Festival. Teatro General San Martín, Buenos Aires

November
Friday 13, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 20, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires
Friday 27, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires

December
Friday 4, 7 PM: Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires

To see the complete program of concerts, click here.

Gallery Nights June 2008 - Special Edition in Palermo

On Wednesday, June 10th, 2009, from 7 PM, Gallery Nights, the original circuit for art lovers around more than 35 art galleries, antique shops, museums and cultural centers, presents this special edition that will take place in the neighborhood of Palermo Viejo. Gallery Nights is organized by the art magazine Arte al Día, the last Friday of every month.

As always, there will be live music and free shows, and guests will be welcomed with a complimentary glass of Chandon champagne. A “LAN Audio Guide Tour” is available (in Spanish only). Those who wish to participate in this virtual experience can get to the LAN stand at Pabellon 4, Uriarte 1332, from 7 PM to 10 PM, and, with an ID, will be able to pick up an MP3 with the information about the galleries and exhibits chosen. This information can also be downloaded from www.artealdia.com to make the visit with your own MP3.

A new addition to Gallery Nights this year is the presentation of “Iluminarte by Arnet”, featuring Argentine video art on a large screen, that will be set at Pasaje Russell and Thames.

The recommended exhibitions at this edition are: “Partitura de mar: somos agua” curated by Estela Pereda at Objeto a…(Niceto Vega 5181); individual exhibit from Proyecto Cubo by Pabellon 4 (Uriarte 1332), by Monica Potenza; and collective exhibitions at several floors in Aguirre 1153, with the participation of VVVgallery, Nicola Costantino, Galería Ira de Dios, "TRECE" and ambiente 3.

The Palermo Viejo circuit of Gallery Nights covers the streets of Arévalo, Aguirre, F. Acuña de Figueroa y Santa Fé. There is also a free transportation service with fixed stops and a constant route to get to all of the spots in the circuit.

This event is totally free of charge.
Maps and more information: Gallery Nights website.

Youth Culture Festival "Ciudad Emergente"

The second edition of Ciudad Emergente, the Festival of the youth culture, will take place from Thursday 11 to Monday 15 June, 2009 at Centro Cultural Recoleta.

This Festival, organised by the Ministry of Culture of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, presents the new expressions of the youth culture: rock, pop, street art, animation, poetry, cinema and digital art.

The activities in the festival include: fashion shows by the winners of the contest "Moda Emergente" (Emerging Fashion); events that combine poetry and music; street art (two murals that will be painted during the festival); hip hop and other dance style shows; movie screenings with a program related to national and international rock and roll; fashion and digital art exhibitions; chill out lounges.

Admission is free of charge for all the activities.

Location: Centro Cultural Recoleta. Junin 1930
Dates and Hours: June 11-15, 2009. 3.00 pm to 9.00 pm.

Engravings exhibiton at National Museum of Decorative Arts, from Dürer to Picasso

The National Academy of Fine Arts and the National Museum of Decorative Arts present the exhibition "De Durero a Picasso. Cinco siglos de grabado" (From Dürer to Picasso. Five Centuries of engravings), composed of fifty engravings belonging to a private collection.

The exhibition is made of works from the XVth century, by Albrecht Dürer and Lucas Cranach, among others; from the XVIth century plates by Lucas Vorsterman, Teodoro Bry, etc; from the XVIIth century, Wenzel Hollar, Claude Gellée Le Lorrain; from the XVIIIth, works by German artist Georges Schmidt; Japanese Utamaro, and Spanish Francisco de Goya; and from the XIXth century, works by Honoré Daumier, Henri Toulouse- Lautrec, and Pablo Picasso.

Engraving is a handicraft process. This exhibition is an homage to these artists and their world, allowing the visitor to see the evolution of the images and techniques of engraving between the XVth and XXth centuries.

Location: National Museum of Decorative Arts. Av. Libertador 1902
Dates: May 6th - June 14ht, 2009.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 2 pm to 7 pm
Entry fees:
General AR $ 2.-
Students and pensioners: AR $ 1.-
Tuesdays free

Opera: Buenos Aires Lirica 2009 Season

The 2009 Season of the Opera Association Buenos Aires Lirica starts on March 27th with La Traviata, and continues throughout the year with great titles and outstanding productions:

MARCH 27, 29, 31
APRIL 2, 4
GIUSEPPE VERDI: LA TRAVIATA
Cast: Ivanna Speranza, Arnaldo Quiroga, Omar Carrión.
Buenos Aires Lírica Chorus and Orchestra
Musical direction: Carlos Vieu
Regie: Pablo Maritano
A different approach to the all time classical favorite.

MAY 8, 10, 12, 14, 16
IGOR STRAVINSKY: THE RAKE'S PROGRESS (El progreso del libertino)
Cast: Gustavo Gibert, Jeffrey Lentz, Ana Laura Menéndez, Evelyn Ramírez, Christian Peregrino.
Buenos Aires Lírica Chorus
Camerata Bariloche
Musical Direction: Alejo Pérez
Regie: Marcelo Lombardero
Inspired by a famous series of engravings by Hogarth, Stravinsky, one of the most brilliant musical genius of the XXth century, composed this opera in a neoclassical language, paying homage to figures like Pergolesi, Händel, Scarlatti, and over all Mozart.

JULY 17, 19, 21, 23, 25
CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI: IL RITORNO D'ULISSE IN PATRIA
Cast: Víctor Torres, Evelyn Ramírez, Franco Fagioli, María Cristina Kiehr.
Ensamble I febiarmonici
Musical direction: Juan Manuel Quintana
Buenos Aires Lírica offers the South American debut of this Monteverde's title, great example of the XVIIth century Venetian opera.

SEPTEMBER 11, 13, 15, 17, 19
GIAN CARLO MENOTTI: THE CONSUL (El cónsul)
Cast: Carla Filipcic Holm, Hernán Iturralde, Elisabeth Canis, Virginia Correa Dupuy, Leonardo Estévez, Osvaldo Peroni.
Musical direction: Javier Logioia Orbe
Regie: Fabian von Matt

NOVEMBER 13, 15, 17, 19
VINCENZO BELLINI: I PURITANI
Cast: Laura Rizzo, Carlos Ullán, Omar Carrión, Christian Peregrino y elenco
Buenos Aires Lírica Chorus and Orchestra
Musical direction: Guillermo Brizzio
regie: Marcelo Perusso
Buenos Aires Lírica ends the 2009 season with its first Bellini.

All performances at Teatro Avenida, Av. de Mayo 1222

"Por la calle" Textile design tour - Recoleta

"Por la Calle" is an urban self-guided tour, to discover the keys for the identity of design in Argentina. Por la Calle invites visitors to stroll around those shops where textile and clothing design is present, and to enjoy the talent and creations of Argentine designers in their own spaces.

This edition of Por la Calle 2009 will take place in Recoleta, on Friday, June 5, 2009, from 2.00 pm to 8.00 pm. The routes are self guided, and visitors will be able to pick up free printed material that will guide them through the circuits, at 3 meeting points:

• Av. Quintana & Callao
• Santa Fe & Rodriguez Pena
• Av. Santa Fe & Suipacha

There will be 3 different thematic routes: Form, Texture, and Ensemble Every participating shop will be signaled with yellow balloons for their easy identification. This event is totally free of charge.

Recoleta is a design circuit that combines the creativity of Argentine designers with renowned international brands.

Foundation ProTejer and INTI textiles are the promoters of this event, in the belief that Argentina is generating new trends, and with the aim of helping people understand the personal and original vision of Argentine designers.

For detailed information about the participating designers and route maps, visit Por la Calle website (in Spanish only).
In case of rain, the event is suspended until the following Saturday.

Good news on Aerolinas Argentinas: better prices for tourists

There´s great news for tourists visiting Argentina. Aerolineas Argentinas has modified its pricing policy, and has put back the rates of its domestic flights in Argentina for foreign visitors at the same level as the rates for residents.
Now non-resident tourists can get tickets for the Economy Class B at the same prices as those for Argentine residents. This is from now on the only valid rate, eliminating the exiting higher rates that foreign visitors where obliged to pay.
This has been a long awaited measure by tourists and tour operators alike, providing better conditions for visiting all the destinations in our beautiful country.

Note:
To clarify on the subject, these fares are not available at their website. They only apply to a certain category (Economy Class B), only available through a travel agency. This is the same category that customers arriving from abroad on Aerolineas Argentinas were entitled to in the past, and is now available to any foreign customer arriving in Argentina with any other airline. This category does not apply to every flight either, so these tickets are not so easy to get, and there are still promotional fares for Argentines that don't apply to foreign residents.

Free open air tango shows

Two events featuring free open air tango and music shows will take place this Sunday, May 31, 2009 in Buenos Aires.

At 2.00 pm a charity event to support two NGOs will be held at Plaza de Mayo (Bolívar and Av. de Mayo), with a "milonga" around the May Pyramid until 5.00 pm, and then the musical show “El tango viste a la Moda”, with 140 artists on stage.
Entrance is free of charge, but donations of school materials are welcomed (pencils, copybooks, folders, etc).

At 3.00 pm, a show celebrating the 203rd anniversary of the neighborhood of San Telmo will take place at the amphitheater of Parque Lezama (Brasil between Defensa and Balcarce), featuring music, dance and tango.

Gallery Nights May 2009 Edition

On Friday, May 29th, 2009, from 7 PM, a new edition of Gallery Nights 2009, the original circuit for art lovers around more than 60 art galleries, antique shops, museums and cultural centers, will take place in the neighborhoods of Retiro and Barrio Norte in Buenos Aires. Gallery Nights is organized by the art magazine Arte al Día, AdnCultura (La Nacion newspaper), and the Ministry of Culture of the City of Buenos Aires, the last Friday of every month.

As always, there will be live music and free shows, and guests will be welcomed with a complimentary glass of Chandon champagne. A free “LAN Audio Guide Tour”, is available (in Spanish only). Those who wish to participate in this virtual experience can get to the LAN stand at the British Arts Centre (Suipacha 1333), from 7 PM to 10 PM, and, with an ID, will be able to pick up an MP3 with the information about the galleries and exhibits chosen. This information can also be downloaded from www.artealdia.com to make the visit with your own MP3.

A new addition to Gallery Nights this year is the presentation of “Iluminarte by Arnet”, featuring Argentine video art at the Auditorium of British Arts Centre (Suipacha 1333, Buenos Aires), and on a large screen in the corner of Arroyo and Esmeralda. Rodrigo Alonso, a permanent collaborator of Arte al Dia, is in charge of the selection of the artists presenting their works.

Sofitel Buenos Aires Arroyo, along with Galería Holz, present an Art Lottery, with the possibility of winning important art works from artists like María Ester Joao, Jorge Álvaro, Pablo Bernasconi, Gabriel Sainz, Esteban Rivero, Andrés D’Arcangelo, Germán Wendel, Agustín Viñas, Darío Zana, Alicia Carletti, Febe Defelipe, Pablo Zel, among others. The price of the lottery tickets range from 20 to 500 pesos, according to the lots of works on which the bids are placed. Part of the money raised will be destined to "Red de Comunidades Rurales" (Rural Communities Network).

The traditional circuit of Gallery Nights covers from Plaza San Martín to Callao and from Tucumán to Libertador. There is also a free transportation service with fixed stops and a constant route to get to all of the spots in the circuit.

This event is totally free of charge.

Maps and more information: Gallery Nights website.

"Viñetas Sueltas 2009" - 2nd International Comics Festival in Buenos Aires

The Festival "Viñetas Sueltas", the first of its kind in the South American and European comic world, will take place for the second year in Buenos Aires. Throughout the festival, authors, editors and the general public will share a space to exchange experiences from all the latitudes about the "ninth art".
"Viñetas Sueltas" will open on Monday, May 25, 2009, with a street intervention, when 16 authors will draw 16 billboards in downtown Buenos Aires (microcenter), in the open view of people passing by.
The festival will feature exhibitions by national and international authors, coming from France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Brazil, Colombia. There will also be workshops for professionals and the general public, talks and artistic activities for adults and children.
Guest artists are: Carlos Trillo, Etienne Davodeau, Xavier Lowenthal, Leif Tande, Andrea Bruno, Paolo Parisi, Ibn al rabin, Alex Baladi, Mauro Entrialgo, Fabio Zimbres, Alvaro Velez, Frank Arbelo, Rodolfo Santullo, Matias Bergara, Gabriel Ciccariello, Max Aguirre, Liliana Cupido, Edo Chieregato, Thomas Luis Cote, among others.
"Viñetas Sueltas" is organized by the Embassy of Canada, CCEBA- AECID, the Embassy of France and the Alliance Francaise, the Embassy of Switzerland, the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, Malba, and Centro Cultural Recoleta, with the support of the Embassy of Belgium, and Wallonie Bruxelles International, the city of Geneva, and SEACEX, Spain.

Dates: May 25th to May 31st, 2009
Locations:
Alianza Francesa: Av. Cordoba 946
Centro Cultural Recoleta: Junin 1930
Malba: Av. Figueroa Alcorta 3415

For more information, visit "Viñetas Sueltas" official website (in Spanish only), or see the complete program of activities.

Concert at the Obelisk to mark the start of the Bicentenary celebrations

On Sunday, May 24, 2009, 8.00 PM, city residents and visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy a great show at the Obelisk that will mark the start of the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the May Revolution, an important step in history that lead to the Argentine independence.
With drums and a musical explosion, La Bomba de Tiempo will open the event.
Renowned artists will present new versions of the National songs: Kevin Johansen will sing with Pablo Lescano the Hymn to Sarmiento; Juan Carlos Baglietto with No lo Soporto will sing Mi Bandera (My Flag). EMME with Mike Amigorena will present the Hymn to San Martín; Hilda Lizarazu with Diego Frenkel will sing together Saludo a la Bandera (Salute to the Flag), and Alejandro Lerner along with Los Tipitos and Andrea Álvarez will interpret La Marcha de San Lorenzo. Patricia Sosa and Palo Pandolfo will present a new version of Aurora.
Within the recital, the theme and video of the Bicentenary will be presented.
Bajofondo and Gustavo Santaolalla will close the show presenting their latest production, Mar Dulce.

The national songs that will be presented at the festival can be downloaded from the Bicentenary website.

Free screening of "Home" on World Environment Day 2009

On the occasion of WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY on June 5th 2009, HOME (The earth from above) will be the first movie ever to be released simultaneously on all media (Theatre, TV, DVD, and internet) across the 5 Continents.
World Environment Day aims to promote worldwide environmental awareness. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.
Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a passionate artist and photographer, and an advocate of nature protection and sustainable development. His “Earth Seen from Above” series, an exhibit of large-scale aerial photography, went on to travel to cities around the world, including Buenos Aires; Presently, he has completed the full-length feature film, HOME, produced by Luc Besson. The global premier will be on World Environment Day, 5 June.
HOME was shot entirely from the sky in high definition, showing landscapes captured from a bird’s eye view above. This film calls for a new awareness, inviting the viewer to stop for a moment in order to look at our planet and realize how we treat her treasures and her beauty.
The Global Premiere on 5 June 2009 for World Environment Day features major screenings in exceptional metropolitan sites.
The free of charge outdoor screening in Buenos Aires will take place at 9.00 PM on a large screen set in Plaza Naciones Unidas, Figueroa Alcorta & Austria.

Expotrastiendas presents "Fase 1", 1st Meeting on Current New Art Trends

This event, organized jointly by Expotrastiendas and the Ministry of Culture of the City of Buenos Aires, will be held at Centro de Exposiciones de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires from 29 to 31 May.
The objective of Fase 1 is to develop a platform for promoting new artistic supports in order to broaden the existing market, to explore, distinguish, discuss, exhibit and reflect on the different trends of modern art, which interrelates with science and technology.
Museums, Cultural Centers, Foundations, Universities and private research centers will show works promoted or financed by them. Present artists will be confronted with pioneers like Gyula Kosice, Lucio Fontana, Marta Minujin, David Lamelas, Margarita Paksa, Luis Benedit, Victor Grippo, through talks, photographic or video documents, or installations.

Dates and hours: May 29-31, 2009. 5.00 pm to 10.00 pm
Location: Centro de Expociciones de Buenos Aires (Av. Figueroa Alcorta and Pueyrredón)
Free entrance

7th Buenos Aires Tango Dance Championship

The seventh edition of the Buenos Aires City Tango Dance Championship will start on April 30, 2009. For a whole month, until May 30, it will be possible to visit the "milongas" in the city, where couples will be competing to qualify for the next "World Tango Dance Championship".

The tournament will include the traditional categories of “Tango Salón” and “Milonga”, with the new addition of the “Vals” (waltz) category.

The city's neighborhoods will offer their traditional "milongas", providing the tango dancers of Buenos Aires with their natural and daily dancing scenario.

Anyone can participate in this event. Couples can enroll, free of charge, between 30 April and 24 May 2009 up until one hour before the beginning of the competitions, at the venues (milongas) established by the Organizers. The enrolling couple must be made up of amateur dancers of both sexes, 18 years of age or older, and at least one of them must be a native or a resident of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Both participants must show their ID (DNI, CI, LE or Passport) at the time of enrollment.

For visitors, tickets can be purchased on the same day of each performance at the established venues and their prices will range between $10 and $ 20 Argentine pesos, except for those milongas with free admission.

For further information check the schedule of the 7th Buenos Aires Tango Dance Championship.

Buenos Aires, Sports City

The Subsecretary of Sports of the City of Buenos Aires organizes the the event “Buenos Aires Ciudad Deportiva y Aeróbica” (Buenos Aires, Sports and Aerobics City) that will take place on Sunday, June 14, 2009, from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm, on Av. 9 de Julio, between Lavalle and Viamonte.

The public will have the opportunity to enjoy many free activities, like aerobox, fitness, aerobics, Latin dance and reggaeton, as well as sports and aerobic exhibitions and activities for disabled people.

Japan pays tribute to Argentina

On May 25th, an historical and significant national holiday in Argentina (the celebration of May Revolution), the Federation of Nikkei Associations in Argentina (FANA), together with the Argentine-Japanese Cultural Foundation (FCAJ), want to pay tribute to Argentina organizing an event featuring the most important Japanese disciplines to promote the Japanese Culture, the Toru Mizutani Cultural Day.
The event will take place at the Japanese Garden of Buenos Aires, where the audience will enjoy demonstrations of Japanese cooking; stands with typical plants and vegetables, and traditional food as Sushi and Ramen; games for children; exhibition of books; and a series of outstanding shows for the whole family in a beautiful environment.

Program of Activities:
12:30 pm: Demonstration of Japonese cooking by Nikkai Restaurant
2.00 pm: Recreative Japanese Gym by Hatanaka Takane- Junior volunteer from JICA
2.00 pm to 5.00 pm: Participative Workshop of GO by Argentine GO Association.
3.00 pm: Japanese songs by Miss Yumi Miyai
4.00 pm: Demonstration of Kyu Do (Japanese Archery) by Japonese Kyu Do Association.
5.00 pm: Japonese Drums by Mukaito Taiko Group
5:30 pm: Raffle

Date: May 25, 2009
Location: Japanese Garden. Av. Casares & Av.Figueroa Alcorta
Entry fee: Adults AR $ 10. Children 6 to 10 years of age: AR $ 3.

arteba'09 Contemporary Art Fair

arteBA Contemporary Art Fair, that will take place on May 22-26, 2009, is the most popular cultural event in the city of Buenos Aires and the most important one of its kind in Latin America. arteBA is an art exhibition where art galleries display their best Latin American artworks and collector's pieces, offering the general public the chance to come face to face with truly unique collectors’ pieces. It is also an opportunity for the newer art centers from all over the region to present their younger artists and reveal the very latest trends, which are simply absent from other art fairs.
Over 800 Latin American artists present their works at this great cultural event. Galleries from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Spain and United States will be participating of arteBA 09.
arteBA Foundation called for the sixth edition of arteBA-Petrobras Prize for the Visual Arts. Each one of the eight selected projects will be awarded the amount of $ 10,000 pesos to be used for its realization and exhibition at arteBA `09.
On this new edition of arteBA`09 Contemporary Art Fair the Chandon Young Quarter will consist of 20 stands, sponsored by Chandon for the third consecutive year. There's a series of conferences that will take place every day at 6.00 at the auditorium.

Location: La Rural Exhibition Center. Blue and Green Pavillions. Av. Sarmiento 2704, Buenos Aires
Dates and hours: May 22 - 26, 2009. 1 pm to 10 pm
Entry fees:
General: AR $25
Students and pensioners: AR $15
Children under 12: Free
American Express card holders: 2 x 1
For more information, visit arteBA 09 official website.

European Cinema Film Series at Alliance Francaise

Organized by the European Comission Delegation and Alliance Francaise, with the collaboration of the embassies of the member states of the European Union, the 6th European Cinema Film Series (6a Muestra de Cine Europeo) will feature 16 movies from 17 countries: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Lituania, Italy, Nederland, Poland, Rumania, Czech Republic, Sweden, from May, Monday 18th to Friday 22nd, 2009.

Program:

Monday, May 18
4.00 pm: Risto Rapero (Risto Räppääjä) - Finland
5.00 pm: Working man´s death - Austria
9.00 pm: Lednice - Czech Republic
Štestí - Czech Republic

Tuesday, May 19
4.00 pm: Ekko - Denmark
5.30 pm: Caravaggio - Italy
9.00 pm:Wer früher stirbt ist länger tot - Germany

Wednesday, May 20
3.00 pm: Kolekcioniere - Lithuania
4.30 pm: Binecuvântată fii, închisoare! - Rumania
6.30 pm: All is love - Nederland
9.00 pm: La France - France

Thursday, May 21
4.30 pm: S.O.S. Szerelem! - Hungary
6.30 pm:Νύφες, Nyfes - Greece
9.00 pm: 7 Mesas (De billar francès) - Spain

Friday, May 22
3.00 pm: Petelinji zajtrk - Slovenia
5.15 pm: Ogród Luizy - Poland
7.15 pm: Si le vent soulève les sables - Belgium
9.15 pm: Darling - Sweden

All films will be presented in their original version with Spanish subtitles, except S.O.S. Szerelem! from Hungary which will be dubbed to Spanish.

Location: Alliance Francaise Buenos Aires. Av. Cordoba 946
Free entrance: free tickets must be picked up 30 minutes before the performance. Limited to the auditorium's capacity.