We use the Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages
Spanish Culture in London
London is truly a cosmopolitan city offering a fantastic opportunity
to experience
cultures from all over the world without the need to get on a plane.
Spanish
2
Go® would
like to bring you closer to aspects of the Spanish culture
other than just the language.
Below is a selection of events in London which we feel will help you to get
to grips with some aspects of culture from the Spanish speaking world.
Click on the month of choice to see the list of events and enjoy!!
Apr 2010 - May 2010 - Jun 2010 - Ago 2010
escritor argentino
24 September 2009 – 24 January 2010
EXHIBITION
Moctezuma. Emperador Azteca.
British Museum London
This major exhibition explores Aztec (Mexico) civilisation through the divine,
military and political role of the last elected ruler, Moctezuma II (reigned AD
1502–1520). Rediscover the world of the Mexica and trace the foundation of
modern Mexico.
"There has never been an exhibition on this man, a great emperor of an extremely sophisticated empire." Neil MacGregor, Director, British Museum
21 October 2009 – 24 January 2010
ART EXHIBITION
The Making of a Spanish Polychrome Sculpture
National Gallery
To coincide with the major National Gallery Sainsbury Wing exhibition,
The Sacred Made Real,
Room 1 hosts a special display examining the technical challenges of making a
polychrome (painted) sculpture.
The exhibition focuses on the creation of Francisco Antonio Ruiz Gijón’s sculpture of 'Saint John of the Cross', 1675. The exhibition responds to recent research, revealing the full complexity of the processes involved, from the carving and gessoing of the wood to the finishing touches of paint which make the sculpture seem ‘alive’.
21 January – 27 January 2010
FILM
Film season: Mira Mexico!
Barbican Centre, London EC2Y 8DS
Discover Mexico's current filmmaking talent in this season of new, acclaimed and
award-winning films and shorts.
- Round Trip (Viaje Redondo): Best Mexican Film and Best Actress prizes at the Guadalajara Film Festival with Round Trip, a class conscious road movie telling the tale of two young girls thrown together by chance.
- Meet the Head of Juan Pérez (Conozca La Cabeza de Juan Pérez): Winner of both Best Mexican Debut and Best Actress (for Dolores Heredia) at Guadalajara 2008 and the Press Award at Corto, Emilio Portes' quirky black comedy sees the severed head of Juan Perez recount the bizarre circumstances leading up to its decapitation.
- Daniel and Ana (Daniel y Ana): Selected for 2009’s Directors Fortnight at Cannes, this is Michel Franco’s controversial story of a brother and sister forced to keep a terrible secret after they are victims of a brutal kidnapping.
- Five Days without Nora (Cinco Dias sin Nora): Winner of audience awards at Miami and Best Director at Moscow Film Festivals this year, with Fernando Luján, Cecilia Suárez and Ari Brickman.
- The Desert Within (Desierto adentro): Imaginative, intense and at times surreal, Pla’s irreligious epic swept the awards board at Guadalajara 2008, closed Cannes’ ‘Critics Week’ and became Mexico’s biggest global festival hit.
- The Ghost Train (El tren fantasma) With live piano accompaniment by Neil Brand: El tren fantasma is one of just a handful of silent Mexican films that still survive, and to cap it all, the actors performed their own stunts.
- Chilango Chronicles (Crónicas Chilangas): Chronicles went on to win Best Mexican Debut, Best Script and Best Actor (for Patricio Castillo) at the 09 festival and is Mexico’s official selection (with Round Trip)for the 2010 Golden Globes.
- Lake Tahoe: director Fernando Eimbcke won the Fipresci Prize at the Berlin Film Festival 2008.
- I'm Gonna Explode (Voy a explotar): Writer/director Gerado Naranjo’s feather-light direction and sharp, often funny script draws exceptional performances from newcomers Juan Pablo de Santiago and Maria Deschamps and creates a refreshingly strong female lead in Maru.This is Mexico’s break-out hit of the year.
- Spiral (Espiral): nominated for the Best Film award at Cartagena and earned a general release in Mexico in September - making director Solano a rising star of Mexico’s film scene and surely one to watch.
- Those Who Remain (Los que se quedan): From award-winning documentary-maker Juan Carlos Rulfo.
30 January, 10.30 am to 1.00pm
LITERATURE
Story Telling – Cuentacuentos (for children between 5 and 8).
Instituto Cervantes, London.
Storytelling and a fancy mask-making workshop joined together in a morning session in order to offer the little ones a few hours of magic and creativity in Spanish. For the workshop we will be joined by Alberto San Andrés, founding member
of Asociación Gozart, professional puppeteer and experienced in working with children. We will also be joined by professional storyteller Marta Marco Martialay, who has worked at festivals all over Spain.
10 February, 6.30 pm
FILM
Film Screening and presentation
Desire and Reality. Images and Words of the poets of ’27
Instituto Cervantes, London
Script and direction by Rafael Zarza and Fernando G. de Canales. 2009. 60’
Introduced by Professor Federico Bonaddio, King’s College London.
This documentary is a unique document that shows us the only images of Luis Cernuda and other young poets of his generation ever to be
filmed. The films were shot in 1928 with a 9.5mm Pathé Baby amateur’s camera by Juan Guerrero Ruiz, “Consul of Spanish Poetry”, in the words of Federico García Lorca, “a friend of savouring alien things”, according to Juan Ramón Jiménez, and founder of several literary magazines that supported the young poets of ’27.
12 February
MEET THE ARTISTS
Nuevo Ballet Español: Cambio de Tercio
Instituto Cervantes, London
Rojas & Rodríguez will talk about the show Cambio de tercio.
13 – 27 February
MUSIC
London Flamenco Festival 2010
SADLER’S WELLS Theatre. Islington EC1
Sat 13 - Mon 15 Feb Sat - 4.00pm & 7.30pm; Sun - 4.00pm; Mon - 7.30pm
DANCE
Nuevo Ballet Español: Cambio de Tercio
Instituto Cervantes, London.
Nuevo Ballet Español is at the forefront of emerging trends in Spanish dance and
flamenco, drawing on traditional dance, a 21st century pop sensibility, and
folkloric influences from Andalucía. In this new show, choreographers Rojas and
Rodríguez deliver a dazzling mix of traditional and contemporary styles,
performed by the full company of dancers and musicians.
Wed 17 - Fri 19 Feb Wed - Fri at 7.30pm
DANCE
Eva Yerbabuena: Lluvia Performances:
SADLER’S WELLS Theatre. Islington EC1
One of the world’s greatest flamenco dancers returns to Sadler’s Wells with a
brand new show. Yerbabuena is famed for her speed, power and dramatic footwork.
Inspired by poetry, this brand new show presents the flamenco superstar at her
most elegant, emotive best. Accompanied by four dancers and her critically
acclaimed ensemble of musicians, she delivers an unforgettable tour de force
performance which has left Spanish audiences in raptures.
19 February
MEET THE ARTISTS
Rafaela Carrasco: Vamos Al Tiroteo
Instituto Cervantes, London
Rafaela Carrasco will talk about the show Vamos al Tiroteo
Sat 20 & Sun 21 Feb Sat & Sun at 7.30pm, Sat Mat at 2.30pm
DANCE
Rafaela Carrasco: Vamos Al Tiroteo
SADLER’S WELLS Theatre. Islington EC1
Award-winning dancer Rafaela Carrasco is one of the most important modern flamenco choreographers of the younger generation. Here she presents the UK premiere of her latest work which explores new concepts in dance while maintaining the essence and integrity of flamenco.
Mon 22 - Thu 25 Feb Mon - Thu at 7.30pm
DANCE
María Pagés: Self-portrait
SADLER’S WELLS Theatre. Islington EC1
Bold, innovative and technically astonishing, María Pagés has shaped modern
flamenco in her own image. With this intimate new work she presents an emotional
journey into her innermost being. Touching and poetic, this is thoroughly
contemporary flamenco of the highest order.
Fri 26 & Sat 27 Feb Fri - 7.30pm; Sat - 2.30pm & 7.30pm
DANCE
Gala Flamenca: Todo Cambia
Pastora Galván, Manuel Liñán, Belén López, Rocío Molina
SADLER’S
WELLS Theatre. Islington EC1
This year’s gala features some of the most important new figures in flamenco: the sensuous Pastora Galván, a versatile dancer able to navigate easily between classic and modern flamenco; Manuel Liñán, a master of technique who is steeped in tradition and known for his dramatic choreography; the passionate Belén López, who has caused a sensation in flamenco circles in recent years; and Rocío Molina.
04 March, 6.30pm
ART EXHIBITION
ARTES Annual Conference The Andean Hybrid Baroque:
Converging cultures in the churches of colonial Peru
Instituto Cervantes, London
This is the first comprehensive study of the so called “Mestizo style” vice-regal architecture of present-day Peru and Bolivia. This style of architecture is a blend of European Baroque and Andean styles, techniques, and imagery that expresses both Christian and traditional Andean religious beliefs and worldviews.
5, 12, 19 & 26 March, 5.30 pm
FILM
Film Series: Spanish Cinemas On The Road
Instituto Cervantes, London
Spanish Cinema On the Road is a project that aims to showcase films that have not exceeded the 50,000 mark in terms of audiences, bringing you close to four recently produced titles. As well as showing the movies, project leaders Diego Rodríguez and Guillermo Hita will carry out a study on the relationship between cinema and audiences.
Films: 8 Citas, Retorno a Hansala, La vergüenza, 25 Kilates
6 March , 10.30-1.00pm
LITERATURE
Story Telling – Cuentacuentos (for children between 5 and 8)
Instituto Cervantes, London
Storytelling and a fancy mask-making workshop joined together in a morning session in order to offer the little ones a few hours of magic and creativity in Spanish. For the workshop we will be joined by Alberto San Andrés, founding member of Asociación Gozart, professional puppeteer and experienced in working with children. We will also be joined by professional storyteller Marta Marco Martialay, who has worked at festivals all over Spain.
25 March 6.30pm
CONFERENCE
Celebrating 200 years of Latin American Independence
El español que nos une y nos diferencia
Instituto Cervantes, London
Globalisation, human migration and the use of the internet have reinforced Spanish as a language of international communication. At the same time, there are marked cultural differences among Spanish- speaking countries that influence the Spanish language and that, on occasion, distort communication. What are the main differences between Peninsular Spanish and Latin American Spanish? On what linguistic level are they manifest? How do they affect communication and usage?