La Noche De Los Teatros (Madrid,Spain) 2011

The night of March 26 you can enjoy one of the major cultural events of the year in the capital, a must for theater lovers. Comes a new edition of ” La Noche de los Teatros” (The night of the Theatres)  for the fifth consecutive year that make Madrid the capital of the performing arts and will be held in theatres, streets will have some performances and conference talks. 132 spaces in the region will host 176 events open to the public.

In this event due to the celebrations of the World Theatre Day on the 27 of March that is why Madrid continue to open its doors in this event. Throughout the night, more than 100 venues within the Madrid Community and  will host hundreds of activities for all ages related to the world of theater.

Theatres and alternative venues  are ready to celebrate his big night with special programming and discounts. The event will begin with the commencement read by the scholar Luis Alberto de Cuenca at 17 pm in the Casa Museo de Lope de Vega.

After the opening rights, it will be the starts of the long program in all the theatres and street performance in the Program of La Noche de los Teatros.

A theater in Madrid will show as the Finnish company Quo Vadis, the Israeli artist Michal Svironi, the puppet of the Théâtre des Petites Ames or the concert of the Hungarian gypsy band Drom.

Streets will be considered as one of the venues in the event. It will be in Fuencarral street from the Glorieta de Quevedo to the Glorieta de Bilbao where you can see some like the show of Pipol TN; Action Performance ‘rating’ at the Goethe-Institut, Haiku, at the French Institute, or shitz in concert, Hanoch Levin, Casa Sefarad-Israel. Some of  the spectacle of Mr. Shoko, the Alpine Bestiary, a carousel-green stage, the musical workshop Czech Music in streets of Madrid, by Million Mercedes Dollar Band, the theatrical family’s trip Iglulik, Theatre Without End, or that of The Odyssey, Viridiana Productions. And after 19 hours, you can also enjoy the parade horses Menorca, by Toutatis Company and The superbugs of Coscorrón among others.

(In the photo, Luis Merlo and Maribel Verdu among others)

In addition, the squares in the center of Madrid will host various performances of dance, live music and theater, as Recreo.01, Antonio Ruz Company and parameters of LaPedroche, in the Plaza Santa Ana, or Art for all, in the Plaza Sánchez Bustillo.

Kristoffer Ardeña (1976, Dumaguete, Philippines) will held a conference in Casa Asia at 19:30 hrs in the programme, Sweat Memories and other Dreams.

These towels are his work, towels with sweats of people and their names embroided in it. ( Exposition in Galeria Oliva Arauna, Madrid)

Check out useful sites:

La Noche de los Teatros

Notodo.com

Espacio Madrid

Mr. Gay World 2011 Winners (Francois Nel, South Africa)

Last Sunday, March 13, Club Mwah in Manila, Philippines was held the Grand Finale of Mr. Gay World 2011. After a week of activities and cultural awareness in which the organization’s objective. The 23 candidates from Asia, Europe, Africa, America, Latin America, Canada and Australia participated in this event. Host country Philippines, welcomed them in a big hands and showed them the beautiful City. Now post Gala the guys are now Enjoying Boracay!!

Michael Kevin Holtz of the USA (1st Runner-up), Francois Nel of South Africa (Mr. Gay World 2011 Winner), Israel Acevedo of Spain (2nd Runner- Up)

From the Top 5 Finalist Winners.

Aaron Comis of New Zealand, 4th Runner-Up; Israel Acevedo of Spain, 2nd Runner-Up; Francois Nel of South Africa, Mr. Gay World 2011; Michael Kevin Holtz of the USA, 1st Runner-Up and Leigh Charles of Australia, 3rd Runner-Up.

Israel Acevedo from Spain won the Second Runner Up.

We remember last year that the Mr. Gay Europe was cancelled and all of the candidates where invited to Mr. Gay World 2011.

Michael Kevin Holtz, from USA made it to 1st runner up!

Mr. South Africa Francois Nel

In this photo, Last year winner Mr. Gay World 2010 Charl van den Berg and this year winner Mr. Gay World 2011 Francois Nel also from South Africa. For two consecutive year Winners are from South Africa. And a bonus to South Africa, it will be the host country for the next year Pageant!

All photos are credited to JR Sala Photography .

Favorite of all is  Mr. Gay Australia Leigh Charles won as the 3rd Runner Up. Winning also 2 major awards: Best in Swimwear and Best in
Formal Wear.

Philippine Delegate Marc Ernest Biala made it as a Top 10 semifinalist and won two special awards.

The rest of the TOP 10 SEMI-FINALISTS:
Curacao, Rupert Arrindell
Estonia, Madis Raastas
Ireland, Barry Gouldsbury
Mexico, Juan Manuel Lopez
Philippines, Marc Ernest Biala

SPECIAL AWARDS:
Best in Swimwear – Australia, Leigh Charles
Best in Formal Wear – Australia, Leigh Charles
Best in National Costume -Philippines, Marc Ernest Biala
Mr. Photogenic – New Zealand, Aaron Comis
Mr. Congeniality – Estonia, Madis Raastas
Mr. Sports – Ireland, Barry Gouldsbury
People’s Choice (Online Poll winner) – Philippines, Marc Ernest Biala

Congratulations again to Francois Nell.

Gerard Pique // H.E. by Mango

Gerard Pique’s name is in every one’s mouth at the moment. After winning the last year World Cup his name rise again on the top list. Recently his name is link also in the music world, after all the rumors of him and the Singer Shakira going out together.

And Mango didn’t say no as they pick him up to be the model of their Spring/Summer collection 2011 H.E. by Mango in their menswear collection.

Gerard Pique shows leadership in his young face and looks and the ideal to represents men of today’s style. “young man, bold and stylish’, is what the Mango spirits wants to show in their mensline!

Charming and good looks, inocents in his blue eyes, men’s collection for Mango is a classic and american style, match with coats and stripes, a british cool looks style.

HE by Mango incorporated in 2008 in their mens collection together with their femme lines, now on the catwalk trends. Classic and bit touch of modern style.

Ausente (Marco Berger, 2010) // Teddy Awards 2011

Last February 18, the night before the Berlinale Awards, celebrated another Gala for the prestigious Teddy Awards to prize the GLBT films of 2011. The best feature film this year went to Marco Berger’s Film AUSENTE (Absent).

Last year winner was Lisa Cholodenko for her film The Kids Are All Right and now nominated for Oscars 2011.

The film Ausente by Marco Berger is all about the relationship between the student and his professer, 16 years old boy name Martin in his swimming class and his professor Sebastian. It’s not about the professor who is race with the student now its reverse. It’s about Martin who wanted to seduce his professor.

One time Martin had this accident and Sebastian was the one who brought him to hospital. That time Martin had already plan in mind to stay overnight in his Sebastian’s apartment. Until his plan works.

As the Director Marco said that his film is all about the risk of the relationship between the Professor and the Student. The objective of the film is to analyze the nature of desire and the way in which an adult will react into this situation, the intention is not to punish but to understand without any taboo.

Here are the complete Teddy Award Winners 2011

Best Feature Film – “Ausente” by Marco Berger
Best Documentary – “The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye” by Marie Losier
Best Short Film – “Generations” by Barbara Hammer and Gina Carducci and “Maya Deren’s Sink” by Barbara Hammer
Jury Prize – “Tomboy” by Celine Sciamma
Special Teddy Awards:  South African drag performer and HIV/AIDS activist Pieter-Dirk Uys and recently deceased New German Cinema director Werner Schroeter

Loose Cannons (Ferzan Ozpetek, 2010),Premiere Night Madrid

Last December 21, 2010. It was the premiere of the film Loose Cannons by Ferzan Ozpetek in Madrid. So i was there and got the free Premiere Ticket.

Ferzan Ozpetek and me in the Premiere. I got an autograph and a dvd of his film Turkish Bath signed.

Ben and Ferzan in the Premiere.

One of the Rojas and Rodriguez guy flamenco attended the premiere too.

The premiere was packed with people from the movie industry, magazine, and other medias.

Oscar Alcantara of FAMA and me in the Premiere as well.

Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan, Joseph’s Tunic, Las Meninas (Diego Velázquez)

 Last January 2,2011 is a Museum Day. Starting this year will be the year for Arts, Culture and Travel for me. So why not start the year with some Art Museum. That day we had visited Three Museums in Madrid. MNCARS Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. Museo Nacional del Prado and La Caixa Forum.

We started with MNCARS but i will give you details of the Paintings of Museo del Prado. The Prado Museum has many Galleries. Works of Goya, Rubens, Durero, Bosco, Tintoretto.El Greco, Fra Angelico and of course works of Diego de Velázquez.

We got the brochure of the museum and we passed by as VIPS. Ben works in Museo del Prado. Then we had visited first the works of Rubens, with 2 big gallery parallel to each other all works of Rubens.

We then get the brochure of the collections of Museo del Prado and each one of these we had visited one by one. And the 3 paintings that i like most are the works of Velázquez.

 Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan is an oil painting by Diego de Velázquez completed after his first visit to Italy in 1629. Critics agree that the work should be dated to 1630, the same year as his painting “Joseph’s Tunic“. It appears that neither of the two paintings were commissioned by the king, although both became part of the royal collections within a short time. The painting is currently to be found in the Museo del Prado, Madrid.

Joseph’s Tunic is a 1630 painting by Diego Velázquez, now held in the museum of the Sacristía Mayor del Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial (Madrid, Spain).

The Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a 45 min from the city centre. It has the library and where the Kings tombs are found.

One of the infantas, Margaret Theresa, the eldest daughter of the new Queen, appears to be subject of Las Meninas (1656, English: The Maids of Honour), Velázquez’s magnum opus. However, in looking at the various viewpoints of the painting it is unclear as to who or what is the true subject. Is it the royal daughter, or perhaps the painter himself? The answer may lie in the image on the back wall, depicting the King and Queen. Is this image a mirror, in which case the King and Queen are standing where the spectator stands? Are they the subject of Velazquez’s work? Or is the work simply a court painting? Much is still in speculation about the true subject of this masterpiece, and many of the questions that are asked may never be truly answered.

(some articles courtesy of wikepedia,photos museo del prado)

Calendarios de Bomberos de Madrid 2011

Madrid has a lot to offer, Madrid is Open, Madrid desde el cielo, Madrid from the Skies. and lots of people are coming to Madrid to live with the vibrations of the whole year. Then its one of the hottest cities in the south of Europe. And frequented with the English, German and French tourists.

I’ts burning and here comes the firemen of Madrid to the rescue. They posed for a charity calendar to their fund raising project to this year 2011 New York sports game for Firemens!

A year round for this you wont put off the heat on you!

Let the sparks begin!!

Madrid Oh Cielos!! Madrid Sky !!

Madrid Oh Cielos ( Madrid, Oh Skies! ) is one of the exposition that the gran via’s centennial year has prepared. One of the finest option and slogan of Madrid is ” Madrid al Cielo ” – Madrid to Sky. The clear blue skies of Madrid loves everyone.

You are priveledge to see Gran Via and see the whole Madrid on the top view. Near the famous Metropolis and the top of the Circulo de Bellas Artes CBA offers you some of the works of photographers that captures Madrid.  Such as Catalá-Roca, García-Alix, Ouka Leele o Chema Mado.

 Alberto Garcia-Alix

Cristina García Rodero. Soñando la tarde. Madrid. 1994.

You can see some of the photos i took on Madrid view!

Here are some photos that i took at the CBA Exposition Madrid Oh Cielos!

You can see until Sept 5, 2010 the exposition together with the view of CBA.

No Pants 2010 Madrid Metro

Last Sunday, even though it was freezing here in Madrid, some had participated the ” No Pants in subway”. Participants entered the metro of Madrid in Nuevos Ministerios going to Plaza España, From the Blue line to The yellow line.  People are shocked and surprise when they were inside the metro and they have removed their pants. Some smiles and some take photos. Other tourist even participated inside the metro.

IMPROV EVERYWHERE is a group created by Charlie Todd.

The Green Apples of Miguel

Dear JJNN,

Let me tell you now what happened from the past months. An update of the four elements. I do hope you still remember what happen on that last summer. Dont know if they will go back again there. But i guess its a good time to go back since its summer and the dew of the morning is fresh and brezee.

One sunday afternoon that the element Fire went out with the apprentice. They scout the whole yard and the area of the Villa and then they turned up into Miguel’s fruit yard. Fire was so amaze of what he had seen, there are lots of fruits and vegetables around and in one corner side, a glittering green apples. These apples was captivated with his eyes and couldnt move on. The apprentice was dragging him off but yet he was still there unmoved. Then the owner of the vineyard came toward them and asked Fire if he wanted it. Then he replied a big ” YES” . Miguel’s face was so clear and with that smile in his face maybe thinking now this is the time. When Miguel would give Fire the apples, the apprentice drag him along and move. The temptation was almost there but thinking aside he said, why cant he have the green apples? Maybe another like Adam and Eve in the garden? But this is green. comoufladed.  ” Temptations sometimes comes in every form, in every shape and in every way. No matter how good and beauty it poses still it hiddens motive inside ” Luckily Fire didnt caught into FIRE!

Element Wind went over months on his holidays. Leaving the mountains of Pyrenees where he currently resides. He has gone up north in the Kingdom where his apprentice Simon resides. They have toured the county and the castles around. Simon showed the village, where they get the boat and sailed  it the whole afternoon. Soon he will be back in Pyrenees.

Element Earth and Water are still undecided. They havent been outside the Kingdom where they reside. Nor their apprentice where there too. Quiteness and calm for them.

 

Fire and his apprentice will go to the north in two weeks time to enjoy some of their holidays.

Barefoot boy and Lava Princess.

– Read the previous entries:

(photo courtesy of Xavier Fargas and Jody Photography of flickr)

Tinto de Verano: Time for reflection; Sharky and Shrimp: Time to Travel, Castle and Labyrinth, Keys and Coffee, Fifth Moon of Andalusia