Every weekend from Saturday, February 7 and until Sunday, March 1st, the “Carnaval Porteño 09” (Buenos Aires Carnival) will take place at different neighborhoods, with the participation of 17 thousand artists, 105 "murgas" (carnival bands), and over one thousand drums and percussion instruments.

The parades will be held from 7 PM to 2 AM on Saturdays, and from 7 PM to 12 AM on Sundays.

Murgas and carnival are the artistic expressions of the marginal neighborhoods, their songs and urban folk customs. The lyrics of these songs are called "criticas", and combine the social denunciation with humor and dancing. What identifies the "murga porteña" from others is their costumes (frock coat, gloves, top hat, and stick), the drums with cymbals, and the various traditional rhythms used to differentiate every neighborhood.

Where to watch the parades:

• Abasto: Av. Córdoba between Agüero and Sanchez de Bustamante.
• Almagro: Av. Corrientes between Medrano and Bulnes.
• Bajo Núñez: Ramallo between Vuelta de Obligado and Arcos.
• Balvanera: Av. Independencia between Matheu and Rincón.
• Núñez: Av. Congreso between Cabildo and Moldes.
• Boedo 1: Av. Boedo between San Juan and Independencia.
• Boedo 2: Av. Belgrano between Columbres and Maza.
• Caballito 1: Av. Avellaneda between N. Oroño and F. Sarmiento.
• Caballito 2: Av. Gaona between Trelles and Boyacá.
• Colegiales: Av. Federico Lacroze between R. Freire and Martínez.
• Liniers: Tuyutí between Carhué and Cosquín.
• Lugano 1: Av. Riestra between Leguizamón and Murguiondo.
• Lugano 2: Av. Cruz between Murguiondo and Lisandro De la Torre.
• Mataderos: Av. Alberdi between Araujo and Av. Escalada.
• Monte Castro: Av. Juan B. Justo and Lope de Vega.
• Parque Avellaneda: Av. Directorio between Av. Olivera and Lacarra.
• Parque Centenario: Lambaré between Sarmiento and Corrientes.
• Paternal 1: Av. Nazca between Lascano and Baigorria.
• Paternal 3: Av. San Martín between Juan B. Justo and Seguí.
• Piedrabuena: 2 de abril between Av. General Paz and Montiel.
• Pompeya 1: Av. Cruz between Las Palmas and Av. La Plata.
• Pompeya 2: Av. Perito Moreno between Ochoa and Taborda.
• Saavedra 1: Av. Balbín between Plaza and Machain.
• Saavedra 3: Av. Balbín between Pico and Arias.
• San Telmo: Av. San Juan between Bolívar and Balcarce.
• Villa Crespo: Av. Scalabrini Ortiz between Av. Corrientes and Padilla.
• Villa Pueyrredón: Moscón between Terrada and Bolivia.
• Villa Urquiza: Av. Triunvirato between Roosevelt and Rivera.
• Versalles: Jonte between Juan B. Justo and Barragán.

Fundamus (Fundacion para la Musica) opens the opera season in Buenos Aires presenting Bizet's "Carmen" at Teatro Avenida.
According to the organizers, the Opera will be staged with an austere scenography, period costumes, and projection of images that will take a prevailing role.
The cast is made of some of the best voices in the local scene:

María Luján Mirabelli
Alicia Cecotti
Carlos Duarte
Juan Carlos Vasallo
Claudia Montagna
Andrea Maragno
Luciano Garay
Nuevo Coro de Opera
Nuevo Coro de Niños

Video design: Edgardo Beck
Stage design and wardrobe: Mariela Daga
Children's Choir Direction: Rosana Bravo
Nuevo Coro de Opera Direction: Ezequiel Fautario

Staging: Eduardo Casullo
Musical Direction: Roberto Luvini

Location: Teatro Avenida - Av. de Mayo 1222 – Tel. 4381-0662
Dates and times:
February 20 - 8 PM
February 22 - 6.30 PM
February 27 - 8 PM
March 6 - 8 PM
March 7 - 8 PM
March 8 - 6.30 PM
Tickets on sale at the theater