Opera in the Open, Dublin 2012

St. Peter's Church, Riga, August 2008

 In its Thirteenth Successful Year Opera in the Open Dublin returns every Thursday through the month of August 2012, this year’s Opera in the Open will feature a selection of well loved operas: MADAMA BUTTERFLY (Puccini), EUGENE ONEGIN (Tchaikovsky), STREET SCENE – AN AMERICAN OPERA (Weill), COSI FAN TUTTI (Mozart), RIGOLETTO (Verdi). To have a look at the full synopsis of the programme please click here.

This series of lunch time performances will take place at 1:00 pm in the anphitheatre, behind Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8, at the back of Christchurch Cathedral; with the exception of Thursday the 23rd August when one exclusive performance of Cosi Fan Tutti, will take place in Grand Canal Square at "The Dublin Tall Ships Races 2012". And best of all, they are free of charge and open to the public, there’s no booking required, just show up early for a good spot.

 

Summer is that time of the year when one really need to have time enough to enjoy the quantity of possibilities that the art, culture and entertainment world offer to the public, that is a remarkable characteristic in the European cities and Dublin in fact is one of them. Opera in the Open is only one of the many alternatives you will have here in Dublin, just explore and choose what do you like… 

 

I am posting here some photographs of previous performances of the Opera in the Open Dublin and some others from other musical events and other locations…

Check out the Opera in the Open Facebook page

Also you can watch a video of a previous performance of Opera in the Open Dublin, here. 

Opera in the Open, Dublin August 2003

Opera in the Open, Dublin August 2003

Opera in the Open, Dublin, August 2008

Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlos, Lisbon August 2010

Saint Saviours Church, Dominic St. Dublin May 2009

Celebration of Independence Day of Colombia in Dublin, The Party

Colombia in Ireland

A brief note to record the success of the Celebration of Independence Day of Colombia in Dublin yesterday, July 21, 2012. There was a crowded attendance, more than 200 people gathered to celebrate the patriotic date together and share a few hours of joy with Colombian fellows and friends. The food market was a success, was very varied and it was well received; everyone had the opportunity to taste some of his favourite dishes.

Food Market

Food Bazaar

 

 

The official celebration was presided by Mr Juan Pablo Gutierrez Honorary Consul of Colombia in Ireland. Everybody sang the national anthem and The Colombian Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland Mr. Mauricio Rodriguez addressed the attendees from London via the internet and presented a greeting on behalf of the President of the Republic of Colombia Mr. Juan Manuel Santos.

Official celebration 2012, Photograph: Robert Kelly

 

After the food bazaar and the protocol events the programme  included traditional music, dance and the children's party, all attendees had the opportunity to enjoy and socialize with their friends from Colombia, Ireland and from other countries as well as finding new friends and meet old friends again. At nine pm the celebration was adjourned and several groups continued the celebration in the Pubs and usual venues of meeting of Latinos in Dublin.

Dancing

Children's party

 

It is important to highlight the careful work of the group of volunteers who took care of the whole organization, elaboration of the food and decoration of the place they made a noteworthy work and they deserve a warm greeting of thanks.

 

 I am posting to share with my bloggers some photos showing various aspects of the celebration.

Also you can watch a video here

 

Colombia’s Take Over of the National Geographic Store in London

Between Thursday 19th July and Thursday 16th August 2012, the Colombian Tourist Board will be taking over the National Geographic Store in London. The month long event is set to showcase the warmth of the Colombian people, the richness of the country’s architecture, the awe inspiring vistas and the phenomenal cultural spectrum that Colombia has to offer. The programme of events will include interactive meet and greets, book readings, live music, dancing, photo exhibitions, coffee tastings and so much more. 

For more information please click here.

Celebration of Independence Day of Colombia in Dublin

The Colombians who are residents in Ireland are going to celebrate 202 years of independence of their country of origin on Saturday, July 21, 2012 in the best Colombian style with a Bazaar – a Colombian typical food market, entertainment for children and Colombian Latin party which are the key activities. The programme of the celebration will be held at the Lantern centre in Dublin from 01.00 pm. to 09.00 pm.

In the last decade, the celebration of the Day of Independence of the Republic of Colombia in Dublin has become quite remarkable event in the annual calendar of activities for the Colombian community and its friends in Ireland. This year, there is not going to be exception. Year after year, the event is becoming more and more popular; some groups of volunteers are already engaged in organizing the programme of activities and the awaited typical national food market.

The organizers would like to invite all Colombians, residing in Ireland as well as their friends to attend and take part in the celebration of the Independence Day of their country of origin and to enjoy an afternoon speaking Spanish and the Colombian-Latin-American “craic”.

 

Celebration in Dublin on July 2011

Celebration in Dublin on July 2010

Celebration in Dublin on July 2003

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2012, London, by Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei

Every year, in the past 12 years a certain temporary architectural project is being held in the Serpentine Gallery at Kensington Gardens in London, which is known as the Serpentine Gallery Summer Pavilion.

For its realization, the Gallery has always selected outstanding contemporary architects. This year the selected team has been composed by Swiss architects, born in 1950 in Basel, namely, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, and by a Chinese conceptual artist, born in 1957 in Beijing. Ai Weiwei also works as an architect, photographer, curator and he is a globally recognised human rights activist, the same design team behind Beijing's superb “Bird's Nest Stadium”.

“Bird's Nest Stadium” Photograph: creativeclass.com

Thanks to the reputation of their innovations, creativity and the involvement in the previous works, the selected team had generated much expectation to the public. And as the result, there is a Pavilion with archaeological references to the former pavilions that incorporates elements of the eleven previous structures and it also has a conceptual reference to this exciting year for London, representing a connection between the Beijing 2008 and the London 2012 Olympic Games.

In fact, this year is the twelfth commission in the Gallery's annual series, Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei. The team involved has created a space for the pavilion by digging under the lawn of the Serpentine Gallery garden that was used by the previous pavilions, shaping in it a sculptural arena cladding entirely in cork, a sustainable building material chosen for its unique qualities and to echoing the excavated soil. Eleven columns, characterising each past pavilion and the twelfth column representing the current structure support – a floating platform roof filled with water to reflect the London’s sky and the surrounded trees. The roof platform can be evacuated from the water and could be used as a stage for performances.

General view of the pavilion 2012 Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

 

The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion operates as a public venue for Park Nights, the Gallery's programme of public talks and cultural events, it is also an open place for public to share, relax and contemplate.

I would like to add that I have had the opportunity to visit some of the previous pavilions, and I would like to share some of the pictures I had taken, in my following posts, but in this post, I just want to make a reference to the present pavilion that, unfortunately, I have not visited yet. Since I have carried out a research, I am suggesting some links to you in case you are interested in getting to know more about this interesting pavilion 2012 as well as about the Serpentine's acclaimed annual Architectural commissions.

The Serpentine Summer Pavilion will be open to the public until 14 October 2012