AUSTRIA
Wien Modern Festival, until December 1, Vienna. This festival appeared on the European contemporary music scene 20 years ago on the initiative of world-famous conductor Claudio Abbado. Today Wien Modern is considered one of the most serious and prestigious festivals, annually gathering the best composers and performers. This year's program includes 82 musical concerts, as well as a documentary film festival and thematic exhibitions. The main musical directions of this year's Wien Modern are "The Works of Luciano Berio" and "The Works of Georg Friedrich Haas." From November 8 to 11, a retrospective screening of Frank Scheffer's documentary films about great 20th-century composers and musicians will take place, and from November 15 to December 1, an intriguing exhibition "Music Machines and Devices" will be open. //www.wienmodern.at
Christmas markets, November 17 - December 24, Salzburg, Vienna, Kitzbühel and other cities. At the end of November, traditional Christmas markets open in many Austrian cities. In Salzburg, such a market is held around the Cathedral, in Vienna at Rathausplatz. Visitors will be offered many souvenirs: candles, lanterns, toys, glass and ceramic items, gingerbread, handmade items. These markets will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. //www.christkindlmarkt.co.at //www.christkindlmarkt.at
BELGIUM
Nights of Sablon, November 29 - December 1, Brussels. Sablon is a favorite district of Brussels residents and visitors, an area of antique, jewelry, chocolate and wine shops, restaurants, cafes and small art galleries. On the last weekend of November, the "Nights of Sablon" festival will be held there for the 15th time. During these days, the district will be decorated with festive illuminations, and on the evening streets you can meet horse-drawn carriages, organ grinders, ladies in crinolines and gentlemen in tailcoats and top hats. //www.sablon-bruxelles.com
Ice Sculpture Festival, November 23 - January 13, Bruges. The approaching Christmas in Bruges will be reminded not only by the markets that open in mid-November, but also by the traditional snow and ice sculpture festival, held on the square in front of the main railway station building (in summer, by the way, a sand sculpture festival takes place here). The festival features 40 professional sculptors from China, Canada, the USA, Sweden and Belgium. They create their masterpieces four weeks before the start of this wonderful holiday from giant cubes of ice and snow, and the process of creating sculptures is shown to viewers in recording on special displays. This year's theme is "Ice Fantasy," so special attention will be paid to unusual engineering solutions. The room where the festival is held maintains a constant temperature of -5 degrees, so it is better to dress warmly. Ticket price – €11. //www.ijssculptuur.com
GREAT BRITAIN
Guy Fawkes Night and fireworks, various cities in England. Guy Fawkes Night is the most beloved November holiday in England. Its history is connected with the Gunpowder Plot of Catholics who decided to blow up the Parliament building on the day King James I was to visit it – November 5, 1605. But the plot was uncovered: an anonymous letter fell into James's hands, and in the cellar of the House of Lords, 36 barrels of gunpowder and Guy Fawkes, who was supposed to ignite them, were found. After torture, he revealed the names of his accomplices. All were publicly executed. It is believed that the tradition of burning bonfires on the streets in early November, as well as an effigy of Guy Fawkes, is a kind of sign of gratitude for saving the king. //www.visitbritain.com
BBC Good Food Show Week, November 2-4, Glasgow, November 16-18, London, November 28- December 2, Birmingham. The scale of this annual event grows every year, and this November the Good Food Show Week will be held in three cities – Glasgow, London and Birmingham. All promotional activities – exhibitions, competitions and shows by virtuoso chefs – are subordinate to the simple idea that healthy can be tasty and tasty can be healthy. In Glasgow, the festival will include a whiskey festival, in London and Birmingham – wine and beer festivals. This year's special show is the "Health Theater." //www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com
GERMANY
St. Martin's Night and opening of the carnival season, November 11, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Hamburg and other German cities. St. Martin's Night is the last noisy holiday in Germany before the Christmas fast. Each German city has its own tradition of celebrating it. For example, in Düsseldorf, a children's procession with lanterns takes place at dusk. On the same day, November 11 at 11 minutes past 11 o'clock, the carnival season opens in Cologne. Two more carnival peaks in Cologne are planned for late December to early January and for the week from January 31 to February 6. //www.koelnerkarneval.de //www.duesseldorf.de
23rd Interfilm Short Film Festival, until November 11, Berlin. In recent years, interest in non-fiction cinema has grown noticeably in Europe, so the Berlin short film festival Interfilm is very popular. This time, about 500 films from directors from 88 countries will be shown. Interfilm has five competitive categories this year, and the special themes of the festival will be children's and documentary cinema from Romania and South Korea. The winners will be announced on November 11, and on the same day their works can be seen at Babylon Berlin. //www.interfilm.de
SPAIN
WOMAD Festival, November 22-25, Las Palmas. The main idea of WOMAD is to introduce the music and cultural traditions of the whole world. This year the festival has already taken place in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Italy, the USA and the UK, and in November it will be held on the Canary Islands – in Las Palmas. The program includes: live music, dances, a children's parade, street master classes, a handicraft fair, art exhibitions, wine tastings and culinary shows. Entrance to all WOMAD events is free. //www.womad.org
International Jazz Festival, until December 1, Madrid. This year the Madrid Jazz Festival is dedicated to the memory of Tete Montoliu – an outstanding blind jazz pianist who died in Barcelona 10 years ago. According to Russian jazz critic Alexander Kassis, Montoliu took all the best from American black expressive jazz, saturating it with the "pastel of Catalan melodies". The festival will take place in 14 jazz clubs in Madrid, and its participants include: Richard Galliano, Antonio Serrano, Richard Bona, Harry Connick Jr., Dianne Reeves, Joaquin Chacon, Omar Sosa, Ornette Coleman, The Manhattan Transfer, Colina, Miralta, Sambeat, Chick Corea & Bela Fleck and others. The event will feature a competition for children's groups, as well as a documentary film festival about jazz. //www.esmadrid.com
ITALY
RomaEuropa Festival, until December 14, Rome. "Una generazione avanti" is this year's slogan of the most famous Roman arts festival, within which on various stages audiences will be able to see premiere music, theater and dance performances of that new generation "whose time has come". In addition, within RomaEuropa there will be a contemporary art exhibition and DJ concerts. The event will open with the performance "Amyad" by the theater "La la la Human Steps" under the direction of the renowned Canadian choreographer Édouard Lock (until November 11, Teatro Olimpico). //www2.romaeuropa.net
White Truffle Festival, November 10-25, San Miniato. San Miniato has long been known as the "City of White Truffles". Ten years ago, the world's largest (2.5 kg) white truffle was found here. The mushroom harvest season falls in the second half of November. It is at this time that they can be purchased or tasted in restaurants at reduced prices. At the White Truffle Festival, which takes place on Saturdays and Sundays, an auction and fair are held. Customers will be offered not only mushrooms, but also excellent Italian wines, snails, cheeses and olive oil. //www.sanminiatotartufo.it
NETHERLANDS
Cannabis Cup Festival, November 18-22, Amsterdam. At the end of November, Amsterdam will host a traditional but unique festival of hemp products. A special jury will award titles and prizes. Visitors are also interested in the sale of smoking accessories, jewelry, hemp oil and cosmetics based on this oil, as well as clothing and headwear woven from hemp fibers. The Cannabis Cup is accompanied by exhibitions of avant-garde artists and concerts by rock musicians. //www.cannabiscup.com
FRANCE
Jazz Festivals, November 9-17, Nevers; November 9-23, Strasbourg. The largest French jazz festivals will take place in November in Nevers and Strasbourg. At the Nevers festival, which will be held for the 21st time, expect three to four daily concerts with world stars: Richard Galliano and Gary Burton Quartet (November 10), The Leaders (November 11), Matthew Shipp Trio (November 12), Stefano Di Battista Quartet (November 17). But it is almost impossible to attend all 50 concerts of the International Jazz Festival Jazz d'Or in Strasbourg – you will have to choose the best. This task is very difficult because performances are expected by musicians such as Joe Lovano & Hank Jones Quartet, Siegfried Kessler, Wonderland, Panique, and many others. Also promising to be interesting are the dance project Lettres and a documentary film festival about great jazz musicians. //www.neversdjazz.com //www.jazzdor.com
Caribbean Festival, until November 17, Paris. "Caribbean" festivals in Europe are very popular now, especially in the autumn months. But usually the introduction to Caribbean culture is limited to a one-day carnival and a taste of national cuisine. The organizers of the festival in Paris chose a different tactic: in addition to music, dance and food, visitors can expect an introduction to contemporary Caribbean art, a photo exhibition and a festival of documentary and feature films. Music concerts featuring Gabriel Rios, Xavier Harry, Iguane Xtet, Makaia, Dede Saint-Prix will take place from November 10 to 16, and the opening of contemporary Caribbean art from November 1 to 17. //www.influencescaraibes.com
CZECH REPUBLIC
Alternative Culture Festival, November 23-30, Prague. The end of November is the traditional time for the gathering of alternative artists in Prague. Experimental music, drama performances, films, extreme dances attract mainly a young audience. The festival has international status, and an introduction to new trends in alternative art will take place at the Archa Theatre and the Uniajzzu club. Participants include: Mikolas Chadima, Hector Zazou, Bernard Caillaud, Seijiro Murayama and others. //www.alternativa-festival.cz
International Jazz Festival, November 22-30, Prague. This year the Prague International Jazz Festival will be held for the 31st time. On November 24, the famous American jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater will perform, on November 25 – legendary saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis, on November 26 – N.O.H.A., on the 28th – Apostolis Anthimos Trio. On November 29 there will be a "Latin jazz" party, and the event will conclude with a concert "Cabernet Jazz Sauvignon". //www.jazzfestivalpraha.cz
SWITZERLAND
Blues festival, until November 11, Lucerne. In many European cities, November is primarily associated with jazz and blues festivals. The 13th International Blues Festival will take place in early November in Swiss Lucerne, featuring: Koko Taylor & Her Blues Machine, Coco Montoya, Billy Branch & The Sons of Blues, Paul Oscher, Zac Harmon, Janiva Magness, Philipp Fankhauser & Band, Willie Walker & The Butanes, Mike Morgan and other musicians. Almost all blues concerts will be held at the Grand Casino Lucerne. //www.bluesfestival.ch
Nyuta KUKUSHKINA.
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