Performance

If the idea of circo nuevo or new circus speaks to you, there is nothing to worry, you can just come. No caged animals, no tigers jumping through fire, just people making the most unbelievable tricks look easy-peasy.

All those who like modern acrobacy, theatre or juggling are welcome to come at the Letni Letna festival (Summer Letna festival) The main theme of this year season is ‘being in the air’. To participate have promised over 30 theatres with 90 performances.

The star of the first week is the French company Cie Moglice – Von Verx with their I look up, I look down. Two graduates of the French circus school are going to show acrobacy and dance on a four-metre tall iron blockstone, on one of its sloping sides, respectively.

Last year attracted about 16 thousands visitors to this Letna park festival, expectations for this years are similar. For those who come there is a bar and café prepared, there are painting and juggling workshops for kids.

Letni Letna: 21st August till 3rd September

The international music-dance group STOMP comes back to Prague again. The original show has filled Prague Congress Centre with eager audience three times already.

The unique music formation of performers was founded in Brighton in 1991. At that time, the first STOMP performance took place. Quite soon, it was followed by the world’s tour. But the starter to the world success was a season of performances in London theatre Sadler’s Wells in 1994.

STOMP is a unique show of expressive dancers, drummers, equilibrists, steppers and performers. It is characterized by movement, accompanied by unusual rhythmic sounds. Everything is happening without words or dialogues. The artists use objects of everyday use – from trashcans to bottles with water – the audience shouldn’t be only amazed by rhythms, unique effects and dancing abilities, but also entertained.

STOMP have four performances, dating 11 – 13 April 2008, stracting 20:00, on 12th there is also one show on the afternoon. Prague Congress Centre, Metro C Vysehrad. Tickers starting at 1000 CZK (36 €) sold at ticketpro.cz

‘Bharati’ is a musical extravaganza, a delectable composite mix of the varied dances, music and folk traditions of India. Over the space of 90 minutes, the audience is guided through a brief but scintillating sampling of India’s rich diversity. Though just a glimpse, the selections hint at the hidden treasures of this vast and enchanting land; its regional, linguistic, historical and philosophical diversity; its myriad peoples, life-styles and traditions.

Music, dance and performance traditions have shaped the ‘collective consciousness’ of the Indian diaspora worldwide, and kept India alive in its collective imagination.

Heroes and heroines of Indian tales usually undergo trials and tribulations before being reunited with each other. Veils of illusion that obscure and cloud truth and recognition, miraculously lift to bring about greater clarity of vision to unite the lovers. The songs are not random but establish the mood, set the tone, and offer insights into the mental states of the protagonists, thus moving the plot forward.

The instruments used are Sitar, Shehnai, Santoor, Sarangi, Bansuri and Harmonium. The bow section from Rajasthan includes 6 Rajasthani violins and swirling Indian variations of violin and Tanpura. The Persian influences on Indian music that began in the reign of the Mughal emperor Akbar, are noteworthy e.g., the Santoor, a 100-stringed instrument, originally from Persia. The percussion instruments used are Tabla, Dholak, Dhol, Daff, Kanjira, Matka, Ghunghroo, Chati, Pakhawaj, Majira.

The undoubtly fascinating show travels the world as a special representative of India culture and tradition, representing richness of the country on the international scene.

The group is formed from the most talented artists of India. Undoubtedly, the visitors of Bharati will enjoy something special, which has never been possible to experience in Europe before.

Bharati 18th November 2007, Congress centre, Trida 5. Kvetna 65, Prague

Shop for tickets here but hurry, there are not many left.

Cirque du Soleil (French for “Circus of the Sun”), an entertainment empire based in Montreal, Canada, performed in Prague this weekend. Sazka Arena hosted about eight thousands of people. The performed piece was Delirium; ‘a multifaceted event of unprecedented proportion featuring a state-of-the-art mix of music & stunning acrobatics infused with multimedia & awe-inspiring gigantic visuals.’

Cirque du Soleil ranks among so called ‘Cirque Nouveau / New Circus’, which is a theatre genre, connecting locomotive art, street theatre, dance, music, puppet shows and cirque (without animals).

No ring and no animals helped to make Cirque du Soleil the modern circus as it is described today. Each show is a synthesis of circus styles from around the world and has its own central theme and storyline, which brings the audience into the performance by having no curtains. It is accompanied by continuous live music and performers changing the props. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s the Cirque expanded rapidly and went from one show with 73 employees in 1984 to currently 3,500 employees from over 40 countries, doing fifteen shows, touring every continent and having an estimated annual revenue exceeding $600 million USD.

Tina B. enters the main part of this year’s festival volume. Videos, music and digital installations are to be presented together with performances of more than 70 artists from over 15 countries; mostly Czech, German, Korean, Italian and American.

The Prague Contemporary Art Festival, Central Europe’s latest international contemporary art event, strives to combine the creative energy of the cultural scene in Central and Eastern Europe, with emerging talents and trends from around the world. The festival is held under the auspices and with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and the City of Prague.

From the events we choose two for you;

Mobile Video Art
Those are installed in the screen-glass of Prague Laterna Magica, on Narodni trida street. You can see short videos, that were filmed by mobile phones, given to the artists by the organizers. The theme is: “Intimate life in a global village” the main platform is the webpage www.mobilevideoart.com

Lapidarium Project
The project is based on confrontation of classical statues, that are permanently exhibited in Lapidarium, with installations of Czech and Italian artists, that present contemporary art.

Tina B. Festival goes until 20th October. If you are interested, visit he webpage www.tina-b.com

It is for the first time that the long-expected Japanese project JAPAN NOW comes to Prague. It has been admired by the audiences of Germany, Switzerland and Poland so far this year.

In short, it is an exclusive European exhibition of the contemporary Japanese performing art. Stages are opened for happenings, site-specific projects, dance, contemporary drama and graphic art, led by Japanese artists living in Europe.

Moreover, 49 dancers, performers, musicians and artists will reinforce their lines, and introduce their artistic production in Europe for the first time. The possibility to see this unique performance is in Akropolis, Kubelikova 27, Praha 3, during 23.–25. September 2007.