Cultural Roundup from South East Europe
The Olympic Flame, which began a 36-day global journey in early June, arrived Tuesday (6 July) in Istanbul, Turkey. It travels to Bulgaria and Cyprus before returning to Greece on Friday. In all, the torch will have travelled to 34 cities in 27 countries. [AFP]
(Various sources – 30/06/04 - 07/07/04)
A review of sports, entertainment and other cultural news from the Balkans since 30 June:
Croatian tennis star Mario Ancic recorded his best performance so far, defeating Britain's Tim Henman in the Wimbledon quarterfinals on 30 June. Ancic lost to US player Andy Roddick in the semifinals, but saw his world ranking climb from 31st to 12th.
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Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti gave a concert in Zagreb (Pula op-ed) on 3 July to mark the opening of the 5th Histria Music and Theatre Festival, attended by 7,000 people. Pavarotti performed with soprano Carmela Remigio and the Croatian Radio and Television Orchestra.
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Albania's Opera and Ballet Theatre is hosting a production of West Side Story, featuring an Albanian setting and traditional costumes. Several prominent local actors are taking part in the event, which was organised in collaboration with Albanian Public Television and Encompass New Opera Theatre of New York.
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Guitarist Al Di Meola opened the 1st Athens Jazz Festival, held at the open-air Lycabettus Theatre near the centre of the Greek capital. The seven-day festival will also feature performances by Charles Lloyd and Richard Galliano.
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Poet Petko Dabeski won this year's Miladinovci Brothers award at the Struga Poetry Evenings in Macedonia. It is the second time Dabeski has won the award. Thirty-two poets competed this year.
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The city of Ohrid, Macedonia is hosting the 43rd Balkan Festival of Country Music and Dances. Musicians from Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia-Montenegro, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece and Hungary are scheduled to perform.
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Bulgaria's Academy of Science has appointed six academics, including three from the arts and humanities: writer and historian Vera Mutafchieva, Childrens' Radio Chorus conductor Christo Nedyalkov, and film producer Lydmil Staykov. The other appointees are professors in the natural sciences.
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Albania's National History Museum is hosting a special exhibition, "From Antiquity to Independence". The exhibition, devoted to the history of the Albanian people, features objects, art works, furniture and other items.
http://www.setimes.com/html2/english/040707-WMI-000.htm
