Time to laugh! It is time for us to enjoy a good comic play and laugh until tears come to our eyes . At least that’s what we expect when we go to see clowns, but ¿are all clowns are exactly alike? The Lope de Vega Theater in Seville hosts during the first days of February the work “Uvi – Zone 0″ by The Ulen, a special theater company

The troupe began as Ulen in 1987, founded by Friedhelm Grube, also called Spigel Ulen. Clown theater has always been the basis of the works of Ulen, but throughout their career they have been developing scripts and humor that has given way to a whole mix of emotions and thoughts about life. Its founder’s death marked a before and after the fate of the company and since then has three components. According to themselves, their evolution both artistically and personally, has taken them in ways that have perhaps been complicated and  risky.

If you’ve never heard of Ulen sure you must know that not all members are entirely unknown, Paco Tous, obtained great fame on the TV for his role as Police Chief Paco Miranda Ramos, on the popular comic-detective series on Antenna 3. The other two members of the group are the director Pepe Quero and Maite Sandoval.

What circumstance could have an immigrant worker, a mafia boss of Marbella and a specialist administrative in corruption coexist in the same room for a little while ? Well, the thing is as easy or as elaborate as you want it to be, especially when the room we are talking about is a hospital ICU and these three characters are severely injured patients. The immigrant has suffered a fall from a scaffold and his arm is shattered, the administrative specialist has received no more and no less than 18 stab wounds from her partner and the mafia boss has just suffered a heart attack.

These three testimonies serve to relate some current issues as important as immigration, the intolerable violence against women in our country and the increasing impunity and corruption in many places. The Ulen use harsh reality with humor and satire to present the play. Having been close to death brings these three diverse characters together and allows them to speak openly about life and other matters.

You can see this interesting play from the 1st until the 5th of February from 20:30 and 19:30 on Sunday and tickets are now on sale. If you have not ever seen The Ulen take the opportunity to enjoy the best Andalusian irony.

Fernando Paterna

The Lope de Vega Theater in Seville awaits you to spend a very interesting afternoon combining laughter and thought. If you are thinking about taking the trip, you might be interested to know that renting apartments in Seville is fashionable, because it is an economical and convenient alternative to hotels and hostels.

Translated by: Marc
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The dispute is an old one, despite that lately the etymology seems established that the word derives from the old habit in the Spanish taverns of covering the glasses of wine with some plates of food.

However it was, the famous tapas aren’t just one of the identity traits of Spanish gastronomy around the world but, also, in the words of Ferrán Adrià, a great contemporary driving force behind the concept who, a year ago, decided to revolutionize this phenomenon with the opening of his restaurant ‘Tickets’ in Barcelona, “this is the future of food”.

Although there aren’t many motives to give any part of Spain the maternity of tapas, a highly sociable way of eating that seems to prove Epicurus right when he said that there are no fundamental differences between a person who eats alone and a hungry wolf. Choosing who you eat with is much more important to the Garden philosopher than the nature of the food that’s being eaten. The 1956 edition of the Dictionary of the Spanish Royal Academy, who defined ‘tapa’ for the first time seventeen years before, decided that the word came from Andalucía.

Although such criteria was duly corrected in later editions after 1970, there aren’t few Andalucians who consider their land as the cradle of tapas. And among them, of course, we find the people of Seville, who repute their beautiful and magical city as its Mecca.

Without sharing such hegemonic pretensions, it would be difficult to argue that the quality of the tapas in Seville is truly magnificent. Places like Bar Eslava (Eslava, 3) and its culinary mix of tradition and avant-garde shown in its tapas like honey ribs, are a good example of that.

El Rinconcillo (Gerona, 42) is not left behind by any means, with its over 300 years of history as Seville’s oldest tavern. Predictably, it has the most essential trends where, perhaps to avoid distractions from its excellent cuisine, standing out is strictly prohibited.

In the same traditional orbit, loyal to the local recipes, is Las Piletas (Marques de Paradas, 28), characterized by its famous gatherings and chats and its genuine bullfighting atmosphere.

And entering Triana, the district that encompassed the essence of Seville to such a point that its people don’t consider themselves from Seville, we find unmissable places such as Bar Casa Ruperto (Santa Cecília cornering San Jacinto), awarded with the Silver Chickpea prize from the incredibly prestigious New York Gastronomical Society for maintaining alive the flame of the city’s gastronomical traditions. La Primera del Puente (Betis, 66) also shares the quality of being excellent value for money with the previous restaurant and it also has a terrace next to the river that offers a fabulous view of the Torre del Oro.

Paul Oilzum

In any of these restaurants you can enjoy the excellent Andalucian tapas, regardless of any absurd hierarchy, if you have the immense luck of occupying any apartments in Seville

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Coinciding with the bicentennial of the enactment of the 1812 Constitution, Teatro Central in Seville presents a new version of “State of Siege” (1948), the play by the French Nobel Albert Camus (1913-1960). The play will be presented at La Cartuja stage from the 24^th of January to the 5^th of February. Feel free to visit the online magazine of the institution, where you can find more details of programming in the following address: http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/cultura/teatrocentral/pdf/TDM_CENTRAL_2011.pdf

Directed by Jose Luis de Castro, “State of Siege” recreates the Constituent Courts of Cadiz and the short liberal period that ended with the return to absolutism of Fernando VII. The French and Nobel Prize winner Albert Camus, in “State of Siege” develops a similar topic, than the one covered in his emblematic work “The Plague”. While the last is physical illness (based on a historical event) that drowns, and kills the  characters of an Algier harassed  by an epidemic, in “State of Siege” there is a frightening political situation, which has imprisoned an entire nation. Camus addresses this short liberal period that culminated in an outrageous and absurd tyranny, as if it was a viral epidemic. “State of Siege” with a new style, which mixes all genres, has as main characters Death and Plague, symbolizing tyranny and injustice, which roam around a town that barely can get rid of oppression. In the text we can read see through all the background that overwhelms the nihilistic work by Albert Camus, at the same time there is a strong plea for freedom. Although it may seem distant, the background topic of “State of Siege”, with other historical conditioning, of course, it is still fully present.

The 1812 Spanish Constitution was the first attempt (which totally failed in practice) to establish a modern state. Although it was in applicable for a few years, with some interruptions, it failed in its development, since it was abolished with the restoration of Fernando VII. With this frustrated attempt to generate a weak democracy, with its separation of powers and freedom of press (history of freedom of expression), Spain lost its first historic opportunity to become a modern state governed by liberal laws and based on merit and education.

According to the organizers: “The result [in "State of Siege"] is an intensive and eclectic mix of Euripides with self-sacramental and the echoes of The Camus’s Plague. The dialogues speak of the repeated concerns of the author: freedom, tyranny, death, love and faith in the light of the Mediterranean as a cure for the ills of the spirit in the West. “

Candela Vizcaíno

The Pearl of the Guadalquivir is beautiful even in winter. Book apartments in Seville You’ll be amazed with the golden light of its sunsets.

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Translated by: Hans
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Seville is one of the most touristic cities in Spain. There is a legend that says that Hercules founded the city in ancient times. With a deep history and tradition, Seville is also a place that offers a wide variety of culture, museums and galleries, and a rich nightlife if you’re looking for some fun and excitement experiences.

Before organizing a trip to Seville, consider all the possibilities that each season brings along, as well as the activities that are best for you and your traveling companions. Usually traveling alone is one of the best ways of traveling. As in the past it has been exposed, there is nothing better than having the freedom to do whatever you want during your holiday trip. Sometimes, many people travel to Seville to disconnect themselves a little. Certainly, the pace of cities like Barcelona or Madrid is completely different. The hectic pace of these two cities, probably because they are a work activity cluster, commercial, etc, is a bit more suffocating than in other parts of Spain. Undoubtedly, the pace of life in Seville is much quieter, and the warmth, because of its people and their affection that give you a much better traveling experience than the Spanish or the Catalan capital.

If you are traveling accompanied, whether in a romantic plan, or with friends, choose well your destinations and with plenty of time, in order for you to have peace in mind. If traveling with family, the story is different, it costs a bit more, but, Seville will offer historical and tourist places for both your children and family, play areas for children, and more. If for example you travel during the winter, around the Christmas dates, you will see the streets beautifully adorned, lively people singing carols, and some of that solidarity feeling that Christmas brings in the air.

Many people, including Sevillians, complain of the extreme heat experienced during the summer time. Thus, many people take refuge in their houses until the heat goes down. Usually nighttime starts around 10 pm and the weekend parties go till dawn. You can thus enjoy a cold beer and delicious tapas on a terrace, meeting new friends and enjoying the generosity of Seville. Perhaps the best times to visit Seville are the spring and the autumn, usually the best times to travel throughout Europe, because it is when it is easy to go walking the streets, visiting churches, archaeological sites and being outdoors. For more information on the attractions of the beautiful Seville, visit this website: http://www.turismosevilla.org/

Alexa Ray

Get apartments in Seville and experience this pleasant city and the warmth of its people. Seville offers a culture-filled space, comfort and relaxation for you and your family.

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Translated by: Hans
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The great Estrella Morente, who will offer two highly anticipated concerts on the 21^st and 22^nd of January at the fashionable Teatro de la Maestranza http://www.teatrodelamaestranza.es/secciones/prog/prog_ficha.php?id=509, was able to learn from her father (the remembered singer Enrique Morente, one of the great geniuses of flamenco, and sadly disappeared prematurely and unexpectedly a little more than a year ago, perhaps because of suspected medical malpractice), that flamenco  each day is different and is felt differently, with diverse colors, fragrances, dyes, textures, sounds, silences and music, as the Che Guevara’s revolution, does not know, when is done from the heart, barriers or geographical boundaries.

As a child, she fantasized, from time to time, with the illusion of becoming a doctor, nurse, clerk, hairdresser or any other professions that children often play, but she always knew with an unshakeable certainty that when she grew up, could not do anything different than what her father did. It was not that hard for her to imagine a clearer destination, she heard it in the air and saw it written since her childhood in every corner of her house (her mother is the dancer Aurora Carbonell): her need to create, essentially from the singing, and continue a tradition that never was imposed in the least but gush freely offered with such generosity, talent and intoxicating power of seduction, almost of enchantment, which would have been impossible to devote in any other way.

The close and magical link with her father, who was her mentor from the start of her career, when he included her voice in his own albums and tours, so violently changed with the tragic shock of his death on the first of December 2010. We saw then, an absolutely shattered Estrella, who took the strength to sing La Habanera imposible by Carlos Cano in the chapel where her closest friends honored and said good bye her father. Since then Estrella, has been one of the great promises of contemporary flamenco (some people even say that the legendary flamenco guitarist Sabicas, once had to stop playing when the girl was only 7 because, he was overwhelmed by an intense aesthetic emotion and was unable to hold back his tears) by devoting herself to prepare, without any rush, an album that could honor her father. It is predictable that some of the songs included on it, will be heard in the concerts at the Teatro de la Maestranza, including a Requiem composed for the occasion by Michael Nyman and an Adaggio recreation done by Enrique Morente.

Paul Oilzum

To sum up, there are two deep and emotional shows, which you can’t miss if you rent apartments in Seville during those dates.

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Translated by: Hans
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Pedro Guerra has a new album! After his last album released in 2009, we have the arrival of ‘El Mono Espabliado’. The Teatro Lope de Vega in Seville presents the new material of this Canarian singer/songwriter in mid-January 2012.

His fans awaited him, and it had been some time since Pedro Guerra surprised us with something new. Pedro Guerra is one of those singers who knows how to enjoy music and life, and that can be strongly noticed in his lyrics, their freshness and the tenderness that they’re composed. Silvio Rodríguez was his childhood idol and Pedro wanted to develop a similar type of music, which came into contact with people’s feelings. He’s an emotional singer who also takes advantage of his music to make social complaints, just as it happens with other classic singers. According to Pedro, life is short, beautiful and simple, something which he can transmit perfectly to the crowd in his concerts.

The magnificent accoustics and magic at the Teatro Lope de Vega will be perfect to present the new songs of this unique artist.

‘El Mono Espabliado’ (The Savvy Monkey) is a curious and funny name which is the title of one of his songs which also gives its name to the album. The new work includes 13 songs and two luxury collaborations. Miguel Poveda and Iván Ferreiro participate singing together with Pedro in the songs ‘Mi Locura’ (‘My Madness’) and ‘Aquella Vieja Canción’ (‘That Old Song’) respectively.

But why ‘El Mono Espabilado’? Where does that title come from? The answer is in a scientific book by Robert Sapolsky, ‘Monkeyluv’, which translates in Spanish as ‘El Mono Enamorado’, the monkey in love. According to Pedro we’re just a monkey who has been savvy enough to fall in love. Extracting a song from every experience or other artistic works is something commonplace in Pedro Guerra’s music, and in the same way that it happens with the song ‘El Mono Espabilado’, the author bases himself on the director Andrei Tarkovski, school teachers, anthropological images. R.L. Stevenson, stories by Perrault and various books.

The album has something which makes it special for Pedro, not only on an artistic level but also on a professional level, because this is the first time that he’s released an album on his own record label. Mansi Producciones is the new record label of the Canarian author, who has brought to light this wonderful album.

On the stage we can expect a very intimate show where illustrations of the singer will appear, the same ones that we can find in the booklet and cover of the album. Luis Fernández, José Gómez and Marcelo Guebión will accompany Pedro with the piano, bass and drums to delight the Sevillian crowd with the new and old songs, such as ‘Contamíname’ (‘Contaminate me’), ‘Debajo del Puente’ (‘Under the bridge’) or ‘El Marido de la Peluquera’ (‘The Hairdresser’s Husband’).

The concert will take place on the 16th of January 2012 at the Teatro Lope de Vega in Seville at 8.30pm, and the tickets cost from 18 to 35 euros, depending on the type of seat. For more information:

http://www.teatrolopedevega.org

Fernando Paterna

He who decides to go to Seville to see the presentation of ‘El Mono Espabilado’ has to know that not only he will come across a luxury concert but also enjoy one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The rental of apartments in Seville is growing, so you don’t have any excuses to stay a few days in the Andalucian capital.

Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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