For the first time in Argentina, Star Wars fans will have the opportunity to live a unique experience: Star Wars The Exhibition, starting July 2, 2009 until September 13, 2009, at Centro Cultural Recoleta.
Star Wars The Exhibition Argentina features over 200 original objects, costumes, props, drawings, vehicles and models from the Star Wars movies. These objects give visitors a rare glimpse into the making of the epic saga.
Some of the life-sized featured items are:
Space ships: “Jedi Starfighter”; “Anakin Skywalker´s Podracer”; “Imperial Speeder Bike”; “Anakin´s Airspeeder”.
Models: "Millennium Falcon"; "Imperial Star Destroyer".
The exhibition features nine different rooms to recreate the atmosphere of each particular world, along with several interactive activities that range from Jedi training to a green screen simulation which puts visitors right into the films.
At the Jedi School, kids will be trained by Jedi Masters to learn how to use laser sabres to defeat the evil Darth Vader and Darth Sidious.

Location: Centro Cultural Recoleta. Junin 1930.
Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Friday: 9 am to 9 pm
Saturdays and Sundays: 10 am to 9 pm
Tickets: AR $ 35. Children under 3: free. On sale at Centro Cultural Recoleta or through Ticketek Argentina.
Star Wars The Exhibition Argentina official website.

On Tuesday, August 25, 2009, Ciudad Cultural Konex presents the fourteenth 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:

Bobby Flores + Pepe Monje
Vicki Otero (clothing design)
No Avestruz (cultural space)
ZKYSKY (editorial identity)
Picnic (home decor)
Jaz/Franco Fasoli (art)
Schwerpunkt (audiovisual productions)
Collage Lab (graffiti)
ZIZEK (record label)
Maldón Entertainment (board games)
Mariano Sigman (cognitive sciences)
Amartya (NGO)

“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, August 25, 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

On Sunday, August 23, 2009, the Japanese Garden of Buenos Aires (Av. Figueroa Alcorta and Casares, Palermo) presents the festival "Dondoh Matsuri - The Fire Ceremony".

This is an ancient tradition celebrated before the times of the Samurais at the Dondoh Yaki. In this ceremony, the God of Fire is invoked so the God of Earth wakes up from his winter sleep. The God of Fire warms up the Earth so the seeds germinate, and also protects the harvests.
The public will receive small wooden boards that will be hung on the iron tree and burnt, so the flames raise their prayers as they go up.
These are the steps to follow to complete the wooden boards:
1) Reflect on the past year.
2) Think on the facts or things that made you uncomfortable.
3) Write them on the board
4) Hang the board on the metallic tree.
5) During the bonfire, repeat mentally your desire that those disturbing things won't happen again and that they become energy that the soil needs for the crops to grow strong.
The main goal is to become free of the bad omen, and desire that the bad energy turns into prosperity.
The Festival of Fire will be accompanied by traditional dances and songs, Karate Do exhibitions, and a show of Japanese Drums by the group Mukaito Taiko

Program of Activities:
12.30 to 1.50 pm: ParaPara Workshop
2.45 to 3.15 pm: Taiko (Japanese Drums) by Matsuri Daiko
3.30 to 4.00 pm: Dance and Songs, by Japanese Association of Burzaco
2.45 to 3.15 pm: Karate Demonstration by Nelson Nakazato / Dojos Ken Institute
4.00 to 5.00 pm Bon Odori
5.30 pm: Closing of the Festival, with burning of boards and Taiko

BAFWeek, the most important event for the Argentine fashion industry, brings together the most established brands in the fashion world and the independent designers, for the launching of their Spring/Summer 2009-2010 collections.

The focus of this edition is on "Printing and dyeing", through the use of innovative dyeing and painting techniques in avant-garde designs.

BAFWeek 2009 will feature runways for daily fashion shows, and over 30 showrooms where designers will showcase their creations in an exclusive space, including accessories, shoes, bags, jewels, underwear, men's and women's clothes.

Some of the designers and brands who will be presenting their collections are: María Cher, Como quieres que te quiera, Cook, Cora Groppo, Kostüme, Mariana Dappiano, Paula Cahen D´Anvers, Prüne, Rapsodia, Marcelo Senra, Vicki Otero, Wanama, among others.

For the fourth year, BAFWeek will serve as an introduction of two new young designers selected from the contest "UBA-BAFWeek Hotbed", among all the students of Clothing and Textile Design of Universidad de Buenos Aires.

Dates: August 19, 20, and 21, 2009
Location: La Rural Exhibition Center, Pabellón Azul. Av. Sarmiento 2704
Opening times: from 2 pm to 10 pm
Entry fee: $ 20 Argentine Pesos. Tickets on sale at the venue 2 pm to 8 pm
Entrance to runway shows limited to the room's capacity

BAFWeek official website.

The Association of Friends of Fine Arts Museum Eduardo Sívori presents its tenth Annual Auction, which is intended to raise funds for the museum.

Almost 100 works by Argentine contemporary artists will be auctioned, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, engravings, and digitalized works by artists like Luis Felipe Noé, Clorindo Testa, Eduardo Stupía, Luis Wells, Eduardo Sivori, Ricardo Roux, Antonio Pujia, Leopoldo Presas, Eduardo Pla, Rogelio Polesello, Marta Minujin, Milo Lockett, León Ferrari, Ernesto de la Carcova, Victor Chab, Juan Battle Planas, among many others.

This is an excellent opportunity to acquire works by outstanding Argentine artists and starting or expanding your own collection.

The works will be on exhibition at the Museum from August 21st until August 26th, 10 am to 8 pm. The auction, that will be conducted by Enrique Scheinsohn, will take place on August 27th, 2009, at 7 pm.

Eduardo Sívori Museum. Av. Infanta Isabel 555 (opposite the Rose Garden).
Click to see the Online Catalogue of works.

This is the 5th edition of "Caminos y Sabores" (Roads and Flavors), an exhibition that features, during 4 days, the offers in typical food, tourism and handicrafts from all the regions in the country.

The Argentine provinces will be represented in the exhibition through their native foods. The Fair includes nine thematic roads, which are the show´s trademark, organized in an itinerary that links food, beverages and flavors with the landscapes and traditions of every province: Traditions Road; Tea and Yerba Mate Road; Beverages Road; Meats Road; Oil and Spices Road; Fruits from the Earth Road; Cheese Road; Sweets Road; and Tourism Road.
As every year from the first edition in 2005, visitors will be able to sample and buy olive oil; home made salamis; cow, sheep and goat cheeses; wines from family owned wineries; homemade jellies, just to mention some of the products. There will also be tourist offers of all kinds at the Tourism Road, and a variety of handicrafts made with the typical materials and features of every region.
In the Cooking Room (Sala de Cocinas), at every moment, different chefs will be preparing dishes based in Argentine typical ingredients; and at the Conference Room, specialists in every topic will talk about tourism, regional food, territorial development, and other subjects related to the Argentine culture.
One of the main features this year is the visit of the president of Slow Food International movement, Carlo Petrini, to inaugurate Terra Madre Argentina 2009. Terra Madre Network brings together food communities, cooks, academics and youth delegates for four days to work towards increasing small-scale, traditional, and sustainable food production.

Dates: August 13th to August 16th, 2009
Location: La Rural Exhibition Center. Yellow Pavilion. Av. Santa Fe & Av. Sarmiento.
Opening hours: 12 to 9 pm
Entry fee:
General: AR$ 20
Children under 12: AR $ 10
Children under 5: free

The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by its great musical director for life, Maestro Zubin Mehta returns to Argentina after 4 years, to present two charity concerts at Teatro Gran Rex (Av. Corrientes 857), on Wednesday, August 19 and Thursday, August 20, 2009.
This event is organized by “Unidos y Solidarios”, a group of non profit organization devoted to public welfare, which will be benefited by the concerts offered by the Orchestra in Buenos Aires: Fundación Nuevo Hogar LeDor VaDor; Fundación Tzedaká, and OSFA – WIZO Argentina.
Tickets are already on sale by phone at: (54 11) 4556-2222; 5237-4000; 4821-6352
Or you can contact me if you need help getting your tickets in advance.

NEW DATE:
The Orchestra will offer a special performance on Agust 23, 8.00 pm, at Luna Park Stadium (Corrientes and Bouchard), in benefit of COAS (Cooperadora de Accion Social). Tickets on sale from June 8 at the Stadium's ticket office, or through www.ticketportal.com.ar

The traveling exhibition "Dali, los ojos del surrealismo" (Dali, the eyes of surrealism) opens on June 13, 2009, at Abasto Shopping mall, featuring works made by Salvador Dalí between 1950 and 1980, in a variety of techniques and materials.
The exhibition features the series “Tarot”, which Dalí made for his wife Gala in large size. Also religious and mystic series like “Los Diez Mandamientos” (The Ten Commadments), and “Siete Días de la Creación” (Seven days of creation), made in silver, “Los Doce Apóstoles” (The Twelve Apostles), with Gala as lookout of the rest of the apostles, and "El Muro de los Lamentos” (The Wailing Wall).
The collection also includes the erotic series "Casanova”, as well as scientific and futuristic series like "Time”, “La Conquista del Cosmos” (The Conquer of Cosmos), and “Objetos e Imaginaciones del Futuro”, (Objects and Imaginations of the Future) in which Dalí, like Da Vinci and Jules Verne, produces elements and machines that will become reality with the future technological evolution.
The series “El Quijote” pays homage to Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra with modern Quixotes, including a miniature that the public must observe with a magnifying glass.
The variety of techniques mastered by the Catalan artist becomes evident with the silver series like “Las Profesiones” (The Professions), serigraphs on silver depicting The Doctor, The Lawyer, The Architect, and the Fashion Designer, in up to 12 colors. The series "Placas de Plata” includes an homage to Pablo Picasso. “Los Deportes” (The Sports) is composed of the official medals from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, made by Dalí specially for this event.
The series of original lithographs “Daliniana” includes "Torso de Venus Surrealista", "Elefante Celestial", "El Caballero Leonardesco", "Ascensión de Gala", and "Los Jinetes del Apocalipsis".
Another technique probably unknown by the public is sculpture. The series of casts in bronze includes his famous Reloj Blando (Soft Clock), "San Jorge and the Dragon", "Terpsícora", "The Unicorn Horse with Clock", and "Alice in Wonderland".
Dali as a portrait artist is represented by the series of etchings “Españoles Inmortales” (Immortal Spaniards) and “Álbum”, showing the faces of Rembrant, Velásquez, Van Gogh, Michelangelo, El Greco, Toulouse Lautrec and Leonardo Da Vinci.
Amazing visual 3D effects can be seen on "Los Cristos de Gala" and "Los Anamorfos Cónicos". "Gala de Espaldas Mirando en mar Mediterráneo" seen from a distance of 10 meters becomes the portrait of Abraham Lincoln, an example of optical art from the 60’s and 70’s.

Location: Abasto Shopping Mall - Av. Corrientes 3247
Salon: Plaza Zorzal - 1st Floor
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday, 3.00 pm to 10.00 pm
Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays, 10.00 am to 10.00 pm
Tickets:
General: AR$ 35
Pensioners and students: AR$ 15
Group of 4 people: AR$ 110
On sale through www.ticketek.com.ar, or at the Ticketek office located at the Abasto Shopping Mall food court.

There's a special gift for children visiting the Pink House (Casa Rosada) on Sunday 9, 2009, when Argentine children celebrate their day: at the end of the tour, every kid will be presented with an interactive CD with a visual tour of the Pink House, and a story with images about the history of Argentina (in Spanish of course). The CD also features, among other things, an explanation of the national symbols, and a recount of one day in the life of the President. This information is also available at www.chicos.gov.ar
Apart from this special event, the Pink House can be visited every Saturday, Sunday and Holiday, from 10 am to 6 pm, every 30 minutes. This program is called "The Pink House Opens its Doors". Visits are led by the "Granaderos" and no ID is needed to attend. During the tour, that lasts around 20 minutes, visitors can see the Hall of Busts, the Patios, the Presidential Elevator, and the Rooms in the first floor.
The entrance is on Balcarce 50, free of charge.

The Culture Week of Saudi Arabia in Argentina will take place from August 7th to August 11th, 2009, to promote the diverse cultural activities from that country such as fine arts, dance, music, fashion, crafts, and gastronomy.
The event is organized but the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Argentina, with the support of the Argentine Secretary of Culture and the Ministry of Culture of the City of Buenos Aires.
The programmed activities will feature dance and music shows on Avenida de Mayo, a live recital at the Rose Garden, and artistic presentations at Cultural Centers. All these events will be free of charge.

Schedule:
Saturday 8 - 3.00 pm: Live music at the Rosedal, Palermo
Sunday 9 - 3.00 pm: Dance, folk and music on Avenida de Mayo
Sunday 9 - 5.00 pm: Dance, folk and music at the stairs of Facultad de Derecho

The 1st International Record Fair of Buenos Aires (1ra Feria Internacional de Coleccionismo Discografico) will take place on August 7, 8 and 9, 2009, at the Pavilion 4 of Costa Salguero Exhibition Center. Collectors, big or small, will have the opportunity to buy, sell, or exchange recorded material that is virtually impossible to find on the market, including vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, posters, photographs, autographs, manuscripts, concert programs, slides, magazines, trading cards, videos, cinema guides, books, concert tickets, t-shirts, and all kinds of music merchandising.

On Saturday 8, at 8 pm, some of the best pieces and records displayed at the fair will be sold at a large auction. Among these objects there's a postcard sent by John Lennon to Paul McCartney, valuated in 30.000 pesos.

Location: Centro Costa Salguero. Av. Costanera and Salguero
Opening Hours:
Friday 7: 12 noon to 10 pm
Saturday 8: 12 noon to 10 pm
Sunday 9: 12 noon to 8 pm
Tickets: $ 20 Pesos, on sale at www.tuentrada.com

More information: www.feriadediscosdebuenosaires.com.

Puma Urban Art 2009 is the meeting point for the best national and international urban artists. An original event, dedicated to contemporary art and the new trends on street art around the world.
This second edition of the Festival will feature the presence of national and international artists, like Alberto Cerriteño (Mexico), Alto Contraste (Brazil), Nate Williams (USA) and Víctor Castillo (Chile), among others.
One of the new features this year will be the projection of films and documentaries related to the Urban Art movement, including “Banksy’s Coming for Dinner”, featuring the number one graffiti artist, Bansky; “The Universe Of Keith Haring”, with appearances by Yoko Ono, Madonna, Grace Jones and David Lachapelle, among others; “Milton Glaser: to inform & delight”, by the great designer and creator of the logo "I LOVE NY"; and “Conversations whit Jean-Michel Basquiat”, about the first rupturist artist to paint in the streets.
Another new feature is a skate and bike championship, where professional riders will show their skills in a skate park inside the premises.
Puma will dedicate a special place to its model 917, inspired in pop art, and mainly in the work of Roy Lichtenstein.
Live painting, conferences, live dj sets featuring Dj.Saga and “The Champion Soundsystem”, and live music shows, are some of the activities programmed for the event.

Location: Auditorio Buenos Aires. Av Pueyrredón 2501.
Dates and Hours: August, Saturday 1 and Sunday 2, 2009 - 1 pm till midnight.
Free entrance

Puma Urban Art Festival official website.

The Teatro Colón Foundation, a non-profit organization that contributes with the development of artistic and cultural events to support the Teatro Colón since 1978, organizes the series of concerts “Domingos con la Camerata” (Sundays with the Camerata), at Hotel Panamericano Buenos Aires.
The Camerata Bariloche is the first Argentine chamber music group in achieving an international renown. Its first director was Alberto Lysy, followed by Rubén González, Elías Khayat, and, from 1993, maestro Fernando Hasaj.
The closing concert, dedicated to Astor Piazzolla, will feature the young and talented Russian pianist Anna Fedorova, playing “Estaciones Porteñas”.

Schedule and program of concerts “Domingos con la Camerata 2009”

Sunday, June 21, 6.00 pm
Bach: Conciert for two violins
Mozart: Adagio and Fugue
Suk: Choral San Wenceslao
Dvorak: Serenade

Sunday, July 26, 6.00 pm
Vivaldi: Conciert for 4 violins in B minor
Rossini: Sonata Nº 1
Bottesini: Gran Dúo
Puccini: Crisantemi
Respighi: Third Suite

Sunday, August 23, 6.00 pm
Händel: Concerto Grosso Nº 10
Corelli: Concerto Grosso Nº 8 from Christmas
Vivaldi: Concert for oboe in D minor
Purcell: Suite Abdelazar
Bach: Conciert for oboe and violin

Sunday, September 20
Festival Piazzolla
Soloist: Anna Fedorova, piano
Fuga y Misterio
Decarissimo
Oblivion
La Muerte del Ángel
Escualo
Calambre
Adiós Nonino
Las Estaciones Porteñas

Location: Gran Salón del Hotel Panamericano Buenos Aires, Carlos Pellegrini 551
Tickets: AR $ 150, can be purchased at the Teatro Colon Foundation stand, Patio Bullrich (Posadas 1245), firts level, 15 days prior to every concert (cash, credit or debit card), or Hotel Panamericano, 45 minutes before the start of the concert.

The Teatro Colon de Buenos Aires will remain closed for renovations during 2009. However, the program of activities of the theater's companies continues at an alternative venue, the Teatro Coliseo, Marcelo T. de Alvear 1125. Tickets can only be purchased at the theater's box office, 9 am to 5 pm, two days prior to every performance.

I'm republishing this post since there have been some changes to the original schedule. The ballet Don Quixote has been replaced by Giselle.

This is the announced program for 2009:

Opera:

May 19, 22, 26
Jean D'Arc au Boucher (Juana de Arco en la Hoguera), by Arthur Honegger and Paul Claudel.
Orchestra conductor: John Neschling
Stage director: Roberto Plate

NOTICE: The performances of "The Abduction from the Seraglio" originally programmed for July have been rescheduled and will take place in September.

August 25, 28, 30
Orpheus and Eurydice (Orfeo y Eurídice), by Christoph W. Gluck and Raniero da Calzabigi
Orchestra conductor: Arnold Östman
Stage director: Roberto Oswald

September 27, 29, 30
The Abduction from the Seraglio (El rapto en el Serrallo), by Wolfgang A. Mozart and Gottlieb Stephanie.
Orchestra conductor: Michael Güttler
Stage director: Willy Landin

November 29, December 1, 5
The Two Foscaris (I due Foscari), by Giuseppe Verdi and Francesco Maria Piave.
Orchestra conductor: Carlos Vieu
Stage director: Mario Pontiggia

Ballet:

June 17, 18, 19Giselle
Music: Adolph Adam
Choreography: Lidia Segni after Marius Petipa

October 17, 27, 31. November 1
Don Quixote
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Choreography: Zarko Prebil, from the original by Marius Petipa

December 22, 23, 26
The Nutcracker (El Cascanueces)
Music: Piotr I. Tchaicovsky
Choreography: Rudolph Nureyev, from the original by Marius Petipa
Luna Park Stadium.

Concerts:

The Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra, under musical direction by Maestro Arturo Diemecke, will offer a series of concerts throughout the year. On this season, the orchestra will pay homage to the following composers:
Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759) on 250 years of his death
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) on 200 years of his death
Félix Mendelssohn (1809-1977) on 200 years of his birth
Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909) on 100 years of his death
Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) on 50 years of his death

The concerts will all take place at Teatro Coliseo, on the following dates:
May 14, 21, 28
June 4, 25
July 2
August 6, 13
September 10
October 1, 8, 29
November 5, 12
December 3

Visit Teatro Colon official website to see the full programs.

The Anne Frank House in Argentina was inaugurated on June 12, 2009, the day of her 80th birthday. It is located in Superi 2647, in the neighborhood of Belgrano, being the first institution member of the Anne Frank House in Latin America.

The house features an exact reproduction of the rooms in the original hiding place in Amsterdam where Anne Frank and other seven people went into hiding from the Nazis for more than two years, including the movable bookcase that served as entrance to the Secret Annex of the house, the kitchen, the bathroom, the living room, and Anne's complete bedroom, as well as a reproduction of her famous diary.
There's also a "Free2Choose" room, with an interactive film screening, made by the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, in which film clips are used to invite visitors to think about issues concerning human rights and freedoms.
The House offers guided visits, workshops and seminars aimed to educators, students and members of defense institutions.

Opening hours:  Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 2 PM to 6 PM.

Students and Seniors: AR$8,000.-

For more information on present and future exhibitions, visit Centro Ana Frank official website.