Wednesday, 21 May 2008

Joan Miró Foundation


The Joan Miró Foundation possesses an incomparable collection of work by the 20th-century master, and is an essential part of any visit to Montjuïc. Miró's iconic Spanish paintings are displayed on gleaming white walls, lit by natural light from above.


Miró himself set up the Fundació in 1971 and it was expanded in the 1980s. The Miró archives boast thousands of drawings, 200 paintings and 150 sculptures created between 1914 and 1978. Artistic treasures by leading lights of 20th-century art also contribute to the permanent show - Henri Matisse, Marcel Duchamp, Claes Oldenburg, Henry Moore and Fernand Leger all feature. Also check out the reconstruction of kinetic artist Alexander Calder's Mercury Fountain outside.


Downstairs is the Espai 13, which is devoted to young up-and-coming contemporary artists. It shows cycles of exhibitions devoted to certain themes or countries and provides a refreshing contrast to the more familiar names in the hallowed halls above.


There's not only art at the museum - in the summer it also plays host to classical music concerts.


Cost:
Permanent collection €8, concessions €6
Temporary exhibitions €4, concessions €3

Opening Hours:
Oct-Jun Tue-Sat 10am-7pm
Jul-Sep Tue-Sat 10am-8pm
All year: Thu 10am-10.30pm, Sun 10am-2.30pm

Barcelona Summer Festival


Popularly known as the "Grec Festival", Barcelona's summer arts extravaganza is the most important cultural event of the season. Events take place at venues across the city including the Teatre Grec, Fundació Joan Miró and Plaça del Rei.

Following hot on the heels of the Sant Joan (St John's Day) Festival, the event injects theatre, dance and music into Barcelona life, with a strong focus on contemporary culture.


Highlights in 2007 included concerts by Omara Portuondo, Laurie Anderson, Jorge Drezler and others, dance performances by the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan and Conpanyia Membros and theatrical shows from international companies.


Grec started way back in 1976, when a group of actors, directors and writers staged shows at the Greek amphitheatre on Mount Montjuic. Their initiative triggered the birth of a new theatre festival, which was independently run until 1979, when the newly-formed democratic city authorities took over. Now the event is as inherent to Barcelona's summers as the scorching heat.

1908-2008: 100 years of the Palau de la Música Catalana


The CaixaForum Barcelona hosts 1908-2008: 100 years of the Palau de la Música Catalana to celebrate the famous concert hall's centennial. The exhibition - which looks at the Palau's past, present and future - is accompanied by a concert cycle.


Located in the heart of Barcelona's old quarter, the Palau de la Música Catalana is a UNESCO heritage site, known for its stunning architectural design by Lluís Domènech i Montaner.


The building officially opened on 9 February 1908 and became the performing venue for the Orfeó Català (Catalan Choral Society). During its history it has welcomed performances from a wide spectrum of artists including Sergei Prokófiev, Igor Stravinsky and Ella Fitzgerald, Josep Carreras, Norah Jones and Woody Allen.


The exhibition at CaixaForum looks at all aspects of the Palau's last 100 years: from its breathtaking Modernist architecture and Catalan roots to its important role as an international music venue. The concert series aims to recreate former Palau performances from legends such as Sergei Rachmaninov, Arnold Schönberg, Maurice Ravel and Duke Ellington.


Cost:
Concerts €12
Concessions €6

Opening hours:
Sun-Fri 10am-8pm
Sat 10am-10pm

Tuesday, 13 May 2008

Concerts in Barcelona 2008

Barcelona is a city well-known for its nightlife and a lot of activity it offers you.
This summer some great artist are coming to perform their show in the 2nd Spanish capital.

So do not hesitate to book your tickets right now to go and admire the show of the artist you like the most!

May 2008
may 19 Busta Rhymes

June 2008
jun 01 Bon Jovi Losthighway World Tour
jun 04 Zucchero
jun 07 Feist Concert
jun 15 Avril Lavigne
jun 19 Sonar
jun 28 Jack Johnson
jun 29 Marc Anthony


July 2008
jul 04 El Canto del Loco
jul 08 James Blunt
jul 08 Lenny Kravitz
jul 10 Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals and Mc-Clan
jul 11 Duffy
jul 18 Summer Case
jul 20 Bruce Springsteen

You can buy your tickets directly online through a lot of different websites.

Friday, 9 May 2008

Barcelona Poetry - April 14/20, 2008


For a week in May, Barcelona celebrates the written word with a series of events and workshops dedicated to poetry. Bus windows and tube carriages are covered in verse, while poetry readings, lectures and workshops take place across the city.


Host venues usually include the Botanical Gardens, MACBA, the Palau de la Música Catalana and the Museum of Natural Science. Guests of honour in the past have included Angels Gregori (Valencia), Ferhat Mehmenni (Algeria), Linton Kwesi Johnson (Jamaica) and Francisco Segovia (Mexico).


The festival aims to illustrate how poetry can transcend the barrier of language and become part of the fabric of our everyday lives. Please contact the tourist office (+34 93 285 3834) for further details on this year's programme.

Thursday, 8 May 2008

2008 Primavera Sound

Barcelona's redeveloped Port Area hosts the excellent Primavera Sound festival, featuring a massive line-up of top-class live acts and DJs. The highlights of the last year include Band of Horses, Comets on Fire, Bola, Explosions in the Sky, Built to Spill, Dirty Three and Isis.


Here it is a big part of the artist who will perform at Estrella Dam:

808 State, A Place To Bury Strangers, Alan Braxe, Animal Collective, Apparat Band, Dj Assault, Atlas Sound, Autolux, Awesome Color, Bill Callahan, Bishop Allen, Bob Mould Band, Bon Iver, Boris, British Sea Power, Buffalo Tom, Caribou, Cat Power, Clipse, The Cribs, De La Soul, Deerhunter, Digital Mystikz, Dinosaur Jr., Dirty Projectors, Dr. Octagon aka Kool Keith + Kutmasta Kurt, Edan & MC Dagha, El Guincho, Ellen Allien, Enon, Eric's Trip, Fanfarlo, The Felice Brothers, Fuck Buttons, Dj Funk, Gentle Music Men, The Go! Team, Grande-Marlaska, Health, Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs, Holy Fuck, It's Not Not, Kavinsky, Kinski, Les Savy Fav, Lightspeed Champion, Madee, Man Man, The Mary Onettes, Mary Weiss, The Marzipan Man, Menomena, Messer Chups, Midnight Juggernauts, Mission Of Burma, Mixmaster Mike, Model 500, MV & EE with The Golden Road, Nick Lowe, No Age, The Notwist, Okkervil River, Om, Para One, Pissed Jeans, Polvo, Port O'Brien, Portishead, Prinzhorn Dance School, Public Enemy performing It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, Robert Hood, Rufus Wainwright, The Rumble Strips, Scout Niblett, Sebadoh, Shipping News, Silver Jews, Simian Mobile Disco, Six Organs Of Admittance, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, The Strange Death Of Liberal England, Subterranean Kids, Supermayer, Surkin, The Swell Season, Tachenko, Tarántula, Thomas Brinkmann, Throbbing Gristle, Tiefschwarz, Tindersticks, Träd Gräs och Stenar, Vampire Weekend, Vórtice, Voxtrot, White Williams, Why?, Young Marble Giants. - -
Visit the homepage of Primavera Sound Festival here!


Do you want to enjoy this event? Rent an apartment in Barcelona.

Thursday, 24 April 2008

Champions League: Man United gets 0-0 draw at Barcelona in first leg of semis

Champions League: Man United gets 0-0 draw at Barcelona in first leg of semis

BARCELONA, Spain — Cristiano Ronaldo could have put FC Barcelona away early.

Instead, the Manchester United winger sent his third-minute penalty wide, leaving the English champions with a 0-0 draw in front of a crowd of 98,000 at the Camp Nou on Wednesday in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal.
Ronaldo's miss could haunt the two-time champion when its hosts Barcelona in the second leg on Tuesday at Old Trafford.
"I didn't score - no problem," Ronaldo said. "Now I'm going to score in Manchester."
Man United coach Alex Ferguson was hopeful the missed chance wouldn't hurt the two-time champion, which has been eliminated at this stage of the competition in seven of its nine showings.
"I hope not. But the game now starts at Old Trafford," Ferguson said. "It's now down to the deciding goal. The big bonus now is, if we win, we're through. And with the record at Old Trafford, the atmosphere, the fans - we have a good chance."
Barcelona, looking for its second European Cup title in three seasons, controlled play after the penalty, and both Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o had chances against the English leaders.
Eto'o put a shot into the side netting in the 53rd after Andres Iniesta had back-heeled Messi's pass to him on the right. Iniesta had a penalty appeal waved off in the 71st.

United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar got his hands up in the 83rd to deny substitute Thierry Henry's hard shot from the left, and the Netherlands goalkeeper stopped Henry's curling free kick from outside the area two minutes from the end.

Ronaldo was United's one consistent threat and could have had another penalty in the 29th but referee Massimo Busacca waved play on. The Portugal winger had intercepted Iniesta's cross-field pass to move into the area but was knocked to the ground by Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez. "I think he touched me, but the referee didn't give a penalty," Ronaldo said. "I don't know why. I don't understand."
Man United has won just once in 17 matches in Spain, and Ferguson was pleased not to add a 10th defeat to that tally.