One of the most important classics of the year, the "Gran Premio Republica Argentina" (GI), will take place on Sunday, May 1st, 2011, at Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo, Av. Libertador & Dorrego.

In this outstanding 2000-meter race compete the best 3 years old and older pure thoroughbred horses of the national and foreign equestrian activity. The Great Prize "Gran Premio Republica Argentina", at 5:30pm, will be the center of a spectacular journey that will start at 1:00 pm.

Other five big prizes (GI) are included: Great International Prize of the Americas, Breeders' Prize, Great International Prize of Buenos Aires City,  Great Prize Jorge de Atucha, and the Great Award Montevideo.

The Expo of the Provinces will be located in the center of the court.
A 3D mapping projection will be on display on the facade of the main entrance building from April 26th until the night of May 1st, featuring turf images, lights and special effects.
Free entrance.

A solidarity event to help the victims of the earthquake in Japan, organizered by the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, the Nikkei Federation in Argentina (FANA) and the Okinawan Center in Argentina, will be held on Avenida de Mayo 500 (between Bolivar and Chacabuco), on Sunday April 17th, 2011, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Artists from Argentina and the Japanese community will share an artistic encounter in a big stage with other diverse communities. There will be chairs for the audience to better appreciate the show. During the meeting FANA will receive voluntary donations in support of victims of the earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Japan last March 11, 2011.

The event will consist of:

• Japanese Dance, Dance of Okinawa
• Musical groups and choirs from the Japanese community.
• Groups of Japanese drums (Taiko)
• Artists from other communities

Schedule:
2:00 pm: Minute of Silence
2:26 pm: Ryukyukoku Matsuridaiko (Japanese Drums)
2:36 pm: ​​Spanish community
2:41 pm: Anzu no Kai (Japanese Dance)
2:51 pm: Jewish community
2:59 pm: Group Uchima Sensei (Okinawan Dance)
3:09 pm: Peruvian community
3:19 pm: Ryukyu Sapukai (Sanshin)
3:32 pm: Ukranian community
3:42 pm: Sensei Yamamoto (Okinawan dance, girls)
3:47 pm: Group Varela (Dance Japanese girls)
3:57 pm: Italian community
4:05 pm: Group Oniwa Sensei
4:25 pm: The Parraleños
4:35 pm: Greek community
4:45 pm: Shirayurikai (Japanese dance)
5:30 pm: Tango
5:33 pm: Closing ceremony

Source: Hostnews Contenidos

The Buenos Aires International Book Fair is the largest of its kind in the Spanish speaking world. It is considered one of the most important cultural and editorial events in Latin America, and a meeting point for authors, editors, book sellers, distributors, teachers, librarians, scientists, and over 1,200,000 readers from around the world. The Fair will take place from April 20th to May 9th, 2011, occupying the "Azul", "Verde", "Amarillo", "Rojo", "Ocre", "Blanco", and Nº 9 pavilions of La Rural exhibition complex, and Palacio Frers.  As every year, it will feature conferences, round-tables, talks with prestigious national and international intellectuals, book presentations, shows, activities for children and teenagers, events for specialists and publishing professionals, and book sales of literature in all languages.

This year the Fair has a special importance since Buenos Aires has been chosen as World's Book Capital of 2011.

One of the outstanding features of the Fair is the participation of internationally renowned authors. Some of the intellectuals that have confirmed their presence this year are: Nobel prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa; Wilbur Smith; Carlos Páez Vilaró; François Dubet, Rosa Montero; Antonio Muñoz Molina, among others.

The special activities this year include: a Book Reading Marathon; the 6th International Poetry Festival; a Story-telling meeting; free courses and workshops; theater, dance, and music shows; kids and youth sectors.

On Saturday, April 23rd, the fair will join the celebrations of "The Day of the City", with shows, contests, special activities, games, raffles, book signings, and many surprises for visitors. On that day the Book Fair will remain open until 1 am, with free entrance after 9.00 pm.

Location: La Rural Exhibition Center, Ave. Santa Fe and Sarmiento, Palermo, Buenos Aires.
Dates: April 23rd through May 9th, 2011
Opening hours:
Wednesday, April 20th: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Sunday to Thursday: 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Friday and Saturday: 2:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Saturday April 23: 2:00 pm to 1:00 am
Entry fee:
Monday to Thursday: AR$ 15.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday: AR$ 20.
Children under 12, free

Saturday April 23, after 9 pm: free.

For further information, visit the 37th International Buenos Aires Book Fair official website (in Spanish only).

The Nations Cup 2011 - International Polo Series (Copa de las Naciones 2011 - Serie Internacional de Polo), organized by the Argentine Polo Association, will take place on Thursday, April 21, 2011 at the Campo Argentino de Polo in Palermo (Av. Libertador y Dorrego).

The events starts at 12:00pm, with the opening of the stadium, food stalls, and live shows. The match will kick off at 3:00 pm, followed by the traditional "after polo".

This year the participating teams are the national selections of Argentina and England, the greatests representatives of world polo, with a maximum handicap of 28 goals for each team. This unique tournament is an important new addition to the national and international polo calendar.

Teams:

Argentina: Tomás Garbarini Islas 2, Gonzalo Pieres Jr 10, Facundo Pieres 10, Valerio Zubiaurre Jr 5. Total: 27.
England: James Beim 7, Mark Tomlinson 7, Malcolm Borwick 6, Luke Tomlinson 8. Total: 28.

RESULT: ARGENTINA 13 - ENGLAND 8

André Agassi and Pete Sampras, two of the world's best tennis players of all times, will offer an exhibition event in Argentina, on Wednesday, April 27th, 2011, in the suburb of Tigre, province of Buenos Aires.

Sampras, who has never come to Argentina, and Agassi, who played in Buenos Aires for the Davis Cup in 1988, will play in a stadium that has been specially built for the occasion, with capacity for 8500 spectators, with an outdoor hardcourt surface.

This event, called "The Agassi Sampras Tour en Argentina" is part of the farewell tour both tennis players have already offered in six countries in Latin America.

The program will consist of two matches, starting at 7pm, when Agassi will play Jim Courrier, former number 1 player in 1992, followed by Sampras against the American player Mardy Fish.

Tickets are on sale through www.tuentrada.com

The tirteenth edition of the Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival (BAFICI) organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, will take place from April 6 to April 17, 2011, under the artistic direction of Sergio Wolf.

In this new edition 426 international films will be screened in the 22 venues of the City of Buenos Aires that are hosting the festival. Some of the titles that make up this year's program are:
"Nuremberg: Its Lesson for Today" (USA, 1948) by Stuart Schulberg, presented by the director's daughter, Sandra Schulberg;
"Football is God" (2010), Danish movie about Boca Juniors;
3D projections: "Cave of Forgotten Dreams", by Werner Herzog; "Pequeñas voces", by Jairo Eduardo Carrillo; and "Crisis letal" by Spanish Santiago Segura.
"Ponette" (1996), "Le Petit Criminal" (1990) and "Le marriage a trois" (2010), by Jacques Doillon.
"A letter to Elia", the latest documentary by Martin Scorsese, co-directed with Kent Jones, about the movie maker Elia Kazan, with the presence of Frances Kazan, his widower.
"El Bulli: Cooking in Progress", by German director Gereon Wetzel.
To mention just a few of the hundreds of outstanding films that will be presented during the Festival.

The opening of the Festival will be held again at the Teatro 25 de Mayo with the  world premiere of the Argentinian film "Vaquero", by Juan Minujin.  The closing of the Festival will be with the film "Nader and Nisim, a Separation" (2011), by Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, winner of the Golden Bear in the 2011 Berlin Festival.
In this edition, the Festival continues with the Baficito Section successfully inaugurated in 2009 with programming dedicated to kids, with the premiere in Argentina of some outstanding films, lke: The Great Bear, by Esben Toft Jacobsen (Denmakr, 2011), Allez raconte!, by Jean-Christophe Roger (France/Luxembourg/Belgium, 2010); among others.
The national cinema will be present at this edition with a total of 42 feature films and 48 shorts, two of which participate in the International Competition.
The Open Air Cinema section will offer free screenings at Pasaje Carlos Gardel and Plaza San Martín de Tours.
The Modern Classics section continues, where great films restored in new copies will projected, like the complete version in 35 mm of "El Gatopardo" by Visconti (Italy/France,1963); "En el balcón vacío"(México, 1931) by Jomi García Ascot premiered at the MOMA; "The Bowler and the Bunnet", directed by Sean Connery; the Bolivian super production "Wara Wara", silent movie from the 30s directed by José María Velasco Maidana; and the restored version of the classic by Fritz Lang, "Metropolis", that will be projected accompanied by live music by trío Marcelo Katz. All with free entrance.

Tickets may be purchased in advance via the website www.festivales.gob.ar, or in person from 10am to 8pm at Casa de la Cultura (Av. De Mayo 575 PB) and the Hoyts Abasto. Also, since 6 April, the remainder will be available online or in person at the box offices of all the sites affected by BAFICI.

Venues:

ALIANZA FRANCESA DE BUENOS AIRES: Av. Córdoba 946
ARTEPLEX BELGRANO: Av. Cabildo 2829
ATLAS SANTA FE: Av. Santa Fe 2015
COSMOS-UBA: Av. Corrientes 2046
HOYTS ABASTO DE BUENOS AIRES: Av. Corrientes 3247
MALBA CINE: Av. Figueroa Alcorta 3415
TGSM - SALA LEOPOLDO LUGONES: Av. Corrientes 1530 Piso 10º
TEATRO 25 DE MAYO: Av. Triunvirato 4436

Special Events:
PASAJE CARLOS GARDEL: Anchorena and Jean Jaurés (Open Air screenings)
PLAZA SAN MARTÍN DE TOURS: Schiaffino y Posadas (Open Air screenings)
FUNDACION PROA: Av. Pedro de Mendoza 1929

On Sunday, April 3, 2011 it will be the opening of the 245h Season of the Fair of Crafts and Popular Argentinian Traditions, better known as the Mataderos Fair, which will operate as usual on Sundays and Holidays 11 am to 8 pm in its winter schedule. The season is scheduled to last until Sunday, December 18, 2011.

At the Mataderos Fair visitors can enjoy more than 500 traditional craft stalls from around the country and about 40 stalls of local products and food characteristic of our country: locro, humita, empanadas, tamales, asado, "choripan", tortas fritas. As usual, gaucho skills as the Corrida de Sortijas, the traditional game of Pato (horse ball), traditional parades of floats, the Gauchos Parades, as well as recreational activities for the whole family as the Children's Film Club, and over 15 free workshops: Folk dance, Loom, Guitar, Charango, Sikus, Tango, wood carving, Quichua Language, Basketry, Ceramics, etc.

The opening will feature a special guest: Jorge Fandermole.

During the year many renowned artists will be presented in the main stage, as well as folk music and dance groups that always accompany the Fair, many of which travel specially from various provinces of our country to be at the Fair, a wonderful opportunity to showcase their music.

Throughout the year several special events are held, with a prominent priority for National holidays: May 25, July 9, October 12 (Reaffirmation of the rights of indigenous peoples), November 10 (Tradition Day), and in the month of June the celebration of the Mataderos Fair's birthday.

The famous statue "Doríforo", one of the most important pieces from the Naples National Archaeological Museum, will be displayed at the National Museum of Fine Arts of Buenos Aires, from April 1st to June 30th, 2011.
The sculpture, 2.12 meters high, which is featured in every Art History book, is considered the most complete copy in marble of the famous bronze statue made by Policletus in 440 B.C. It was found in 1797 in the gymnasium of Pompeii "Palestra Sanità".

The work represents the figure of a naked young man in a walking position. The right leg firmly planted on the ground, while the left, backward, touches the ground with his toes. The right arm falls across the body while his left arm is flexed and holds a spear, now lost. The head is slightly turned to the right. The harmony and balance of proportions, the alternation of tension and bending are characteristic of the work of Policletus, great artist of the bronze, from mid V to early IV century BC.
Some historians saw in this sculpture the image of Achilles, and others, that of Orestes or Theseus, the hero who defeated the Minotaur.
Recently, attention was drawn to the position of the fingers of his left hand, determining that it did not support a cylindrical shaft but a curved object like the handle of a shield, projecting the image of a young man with a large round shield in his left hand and a sword in his right. From this analysis it appears that these attributes correspond to Theseus, Athenian hero connected with the civil and military training of young Greeks. This interpretation is reinforced by the sites where they where copies of sculptures were found, including arenas and gyms reserved for Roman youth.
"Doríforo" is without doubts one of the most famous works of antiquity, and this Pompeian marble copy of the original bronze statue, despite being rebuilt with the original fragments, has the virtue of being complete. These features led the National Museum of Fine Arts to select this sculpture to represent Italy in Argentina, showing the relationship of a cultural identity based on common roots that secure the friendship between the two countries, and celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Italian unity.

Location: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA). Av. Libertador 1473. Ground floor, Central Hall

Dates and times:

April 1st to June 30th, 2011. 

Tuesday to Friday from 12:30pm to 8:30pm

Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30am to 8:30pm

Mondays closed

Admission: free.

"Nuestros Caballos 2011" (Our Horses 2011), the most important equestrian exhibition in Latin America, will be held at La Rural Exhibition Center from April 5 to April 10, 2011, with equestrian and recreational activities for the whole family.
Children and adults alike will be able to see, in the heart of the city, over  850 horses specially brought from different spots in the country for this exhibition, from the main breeds that are raised in Argentina: Criolla, Árabe, Cuarto de Milla, Polo Argentino, Silla Argentino, Tiro Argentino, Percherón, Petiso, Peruano de Paso, Appaloosa, Paint Horse and Pura Raza Española.
The program of activities of "Nuestros Caballos" will include a variety of attractions, such as:

• Show Jumping competitions
• American Horse Ball Cup "Nuestros Caballos 2011"
• Indoor polo exhibitions
• Dressage Exhibition
• Argentine Final of the "Golden Gag Bit" of "Criollo" breed.
• Election of the national champions from the different breeds
• Equine Therapy Exhibitions
• Auctions of animals and antique carriages
• Breed exhibitions
• Loose jumping National Championship
• National Rodeo Championship
• Joint exhibition "Nuestros Perros" (Our Dogs).

There will be a sector specially designed for children, where they will be able to take their first steps in horse back riding and have fun at the recreational area called "Los Potrillitos" (The little foals), with activities specially designed for toddlers and small kids.
"Nuestros Caballos" will also be the venue for the "4th International Journey on Equine Therapy", where outstanding specialists will lecture on the latest news on this important therapeutic method.

Location: La Rural Exhibition Center. Av. Sarmiento 2704
Dates: April 5 - 10, 2011
Opening hours 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM

More information: Nuestros Caballos official website

Malba - Fundación Costantini opens its 2011 exhibition schedule with "Modern papers. From Toulouse-Lautrec to Picasso", a selection of 85 works on paper, from the Collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts (MNBA), that will be exhibited from March 18th to May 23rd, 2011.

Organized as part of the celebrations for tenth anniversary of Malba, the aim of the exhibition is to put to value some of the works on paper by the European School belonging to the MNBA, which have not been exhibited as a whole for more than three decades, and highlight the importance of paper in the artistic production of modern artists from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The exhibition features drawings and prints made from the second half of the nineteenth century by European artists such as Honoré Daumier and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, to works from the mid-twentieth century by Carlo Carrà, José Gutiérrez Solana, Federico García Lorca and Giorgio de Chirico. Also included are works on paper by figures from the School of Paris such as Amedeo Modigliani, Marc Chagall and André Lhote, and independent artists as James Ensor, Georges Rouault, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Käthe Kollwitz, Georges Braque, Paul Klee, among others.

MALBA - Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires. Avda. Figueroa Alcorta 3415 

Hours:
Thursday through Monday and Holidays: from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Wednesday till 9:00 pm.
Closed Tuesday.
Admission:
Adults: AR$22. Teachers and Seniors: AR$11. Students: AR$11. Children under 5: Free.
Wednesdays: General: $10. Teachers and Seniors: $5. Students: Free.

A retrospective on French-American artist Louise Bourgeois’ work will be exhibited in Argentina for the first time at Fundación PROA of Buenos Aires.
From March 19th to June 19th, 2011, the exhibition, called "Louise Bourgeois: The Return of the Repressed", will feature over seventy-five works from all of her diverse periods of production, including installations, sculptures, drawings, paintings, and objects.
Her famous and monumental “Maman” spider (photo) will be on display at the museum's esplanade. Made in stainless steel, bronze and marble, weighing 22,000 kilos and 9 meters tall, Maman is the biggest of her series of spiders, and has already been displayed in public spaces in London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, and Bilbao.
The exhibition catalog will reunite texts by art specialists on her work and a special book with Bourgeois’ writings on psychoanalysis.

Location: Fundación PROA
Av. Pedro de Mendoza 1929. La Boca, Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00am to 7:00pm. Mondays closed.
Entry fee: AR$ 10.-

The great Spaniard tenor Plácido Domingo will offer a free show on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011, 9:00pm** at the Obelisk.
22,000 seats will be placed on Avenida 9 de Julio and Corrientes (Obelisk), where only people with free tickets will have the right to sit. These unnumbered tickets will be distributed free of charge on Sunday, March 13th, from 11:00am 7:00pm Casa de la Cultura, Avenida de Mayo 575.
Those without tickets will also be able to enjoy the show, either standing or bringing their own chairs.

Domingo will be joined by the Argentine soprano Virginia Tola, and choir and orchestra of 64 musicians led by pianist and conductor Eugene Kohn (US). Besides opera arias, Placido Domingo will perform songs from zarzuelas, popular songs, and two tangos

Four large screens will be installed for easy viewing of the show, which is sponsored by Fundación Beethoven.

**NOTE: THE CONCERT HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO RAIN FOR THURSDAY 24,  8:00 PM.

The two most prestigious independent Opera companies in Buenos Aires have presented their 2011 Opera Seasons:

Juventus Lyrica, the non profit opera organization, was created in 1999 to offer opportunities to young artists, to make opera accessible to the general public, and to generate and alternative, high quality space for opera lovers in the city of Buenos Aires.

On it's part, the 2011 Season of the Opera Association Buenos Aires Lirica starts on March 23rd with  Carmen, and continues throughout the year with great titles and outstanding productions:

Buenos Aires Lirica 2011 Season Schedule:

March 23, 25, 27, 31. April 2
Carmen
Georges Bizet

With: Adriana Mastrangelo, Marin Muhle, Oriana Favaro, and Leonardo Estevez

Musical Direction: Alejo Perez
Régie: Marcelo Lombardero

May 20, 22, 24, 26, and 28
Der Freischütz
Carl Maria Von Weber
With: Carla Filipcic Holm, Enrique Folger and Hernán Iturralde.
Musical Direction: Javier Logioia Orbe
Régie: Mercedes Marmorek

July 15, 17, 19, 21, and 23
Il Mondo Della Luna
Joseph Hydn
With: Osvaldo Peroni and Hernán Iturralde.
Musical Direction: Rodolfo Fischer
Régie: Pablo Maritano

September 9, 11, 15, and 17
Suor Angelica / Pagliacci
Giacomo Puccini / Ruggero Leoncavallo
With: Florencia Fabris, Elisabeth Canis / Luis Lima, Florencia Fabris, Omar Carrión and Ernesto Bauer.
Musical Direction: Carlos Vieu
Régie: Marcelo Perusso

November 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19
Macbeth
Giuseppe Verdi
With: Luis Gaeta, Mónica Ferracani and Enrique Folger
Musical Direction: Javier Logioia Orbe
Régie: Fabian von Matt

All performances from both companies will take place at Teatro Avenida, Avenida de Mayo 1222.
Tickets will go on sale at the theater in March, Tuesday to Sunday 1pm to 8pm.
If you need help getting tickets Contact me.

The fixture of football (soccer) matches in Buenos Aires for the first half of the year 2011 has been announced. It comprises the matches in the National Tournament "Torneo Clausura 2011" and the international tournament "Copa Santander Libertadores". The "Superclasico" Boca vs River, defined as one of the most fascinating sports experiences worldwide, will take place on May 15th at Boca Jrs Stadium.

Don't miss the opportunity of attending one of these games the easiest and safest way, with a service that includes tickets, transfers, and bilingual host, provided by the leading company in football tours. Contact me and make your reservation.