Hello!
Welcome to our sixth newsletter - May is almost upon us and there are so many things going on this month, in the city and beyond, that you could be very hard pressed to know what to choose!

Valencia is awash with the arts this month. With the amount of performers appearing in various venues you can't help thinking that every other person you bump into in the street will be one!

Here's a quick list of what's on:-
Il Divo - the superstar tenors play live in Port America's Cup.
Observatori 2007 - John Cale and his band, Jay Jay Johnson and Chicks on Speed head a Line-up as long as your arm in this International Festival of Artistic Investigation
10db, Burjassot's 10 day arts festival offers, amongst a host of others The Michael Nyman Band, Carlinhos Brown and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Dansa Valencia, the Annual Dance Festival has around thirty dance and ballet troups for your delight.
The Beautiful Museum Beneficiencia has a series of (free) World Music Concerts throughout the month and beyond
There are fantastic exhibitions too, Encuentro entre dos mares (The meeting of two seas) has at its centre an incredible exhibition at Centre de Carmen.
Muvim has a major exhibition of the luxury Liners of the beginning of the last century.
The Cortes Valencianas are open to the public this weekend and have events and concerts all week.
Every Wednesday in the Barrio del Carmen this month you wil have the chance to have a glass of beer and a tapas for 1.50 euros at a selection of bars, the tapeotour, not to be missed.
That's on top of all that's going on at Port America's Cup!!

And, amazingly, this is all in the next two weeks!
So read on by scrolling right.

If you haven't been down to the Port yet because you have no interest in saling or the America's Cup, you are really missing out on a treat...

There is something for all the family at Port America's Cup, apart from the lovely atmosphere, particularlyon race days, there is so much to see and do.

Take the Dotto train (free ride) for a trip from one end of the port to the other, or jump off at any of the stops on the way. Or take an Aquabus across harbour, again free, and ogle at the super yachts as you pass.
Take a ride on the tethered hot air balloon, It rises to a dizzying 150metres and the views are spectacular (10 euros)
Go on a spectator boat either for a trip or to watch the races, from 12 euros a trip. Or take one for the day, drinks and lunch and an excellent view of the racing for only 95 euros.
Have a drink or a meal in one of the 22 bars and restaurants, all quite reasonably priced and very good quality food.
The kids can try out land yachting, play in the park, big kids can try the Alinghi Crew simulator.
There's also an excellent museum of previos winners, with beautiful models of the winning yachts through the ages.
In the evenings on race days there is a spectacular light show on the Veles i Vents building, and there's always bound to be a surprise or two.

Getting there is cheap and easy, tram, metro and bus all run from the city centre and beyond.

Don't forget, if you are interested in the sailing, Mike O'Neills excellent reports are here and we now have live news feeds here from America's Cup

for a fuller description of whats on offer go to our feature here

Il Divo,the international quartet play live at Port America's Cup this Saturday 28 of April, at 22:00. It is the group's first appearance in Valencia and is the first stop on its European tour. They will be singing selections from their new, best selling album "Always", accompanied by a symphony orchestra composed of mainly of Valencian musicians.
The organisers are urging anyone who already have tickets to the almost sold out concert to get their early as they are expecting an audience in excess of 26,000 people. Traffic could well be very bad on all roads leading to the port. Let's hope the weather forecasts are wrong and that there is no rain

On 5th May, A night of Rock Flamenco with Kiko Veneno, Deliqtientes, Muchachito Bombo Inferno and Tomasito.
Tomasito's musical talent is almost unique. With a solid training in flamenco that he acquired in the Santiago neighbourhood (Jerez de la Frontera), he is capable of adapting flamenco to any kind of music, including television advertisements and songs for mass consumption, AC/DC's hard rock sung in a tango style, a break-dance song in a bulerías style, blues, funk, rap, punk, hip-hop…, all of which is done without ever ceasing to play flamenco. His peculiar musical concept has earned him many followers. Navajita Plateá, who are also from the Santiago neighbourhood in Jerez de la Frontera, partly share his trajectory.

On 18 May Lucie Silvas.
In 2005, her critically acclaimed, platinum album ‘Breathe In’ sold 400,000 copies and included four hit singles – including the Top Ten smash hits ‘What You’re Made Of’ and ‘Breathe In’.

On 26 May DJ Extraordinary Jeff Mills.

ADVANCE NOTICE Paco de Lucia on 8th June, Joe Cocker, 15th June, Dulce Pontes on 16th June, The Temptations and the Supremes on 30 June, Joan anuel Serrat and Joaquin Sabina on 03 July - get your tickets now!

10dB. 3 - 13 May
Burjassot's 10dB festival never fails to surprise us with the shear quality and diversity of the artists they manage to attract, this year is no exception, headlining a large list of excellent acts are Michael Nyman, Carlinhos Brown and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

There is also cinema, Magic, Dance and even Whirling Dervishes!

Full Programme here

Tickets are so reasaonable,
go to http://www.10db.org/taquilla.htm for more information

Observatori is the Festival the International of Artistic Investigation here in Valencia, and is now considered the best of its kind in Spain, from its inception in 2000 it has always invited artists in music, installation, performance, robotics, video art, design, photograph or net art who are pushing the boundaries of their chosen field, it all makes for a festival full of diversity and surprises. The Theme this year is 'feelings' - quoting directly from their press release - 'Feelings, leitmotiv of Observatori 2007, invites to us to reflect on our capacity to feel, and on how the feelings they cause in us different psychic states that determine the way with which we communicate with the rest of the world.'
The main stage at the Science Museum Príncipe Felipe at the City of Arts and Sciences has a brilliant line up on both nights
Friday 11
19:00 Dorian Pias - 20:30 Jay Jay Johanson Virgin - 22:00 John Cale EMI - 23:30 Jimi Tenor & Kabu Kabu Sähkö - 01:00 Vive la fête Surprise
Saturday 12
19:00 Neon Flash - 20:30 Ms John Soda Morr Music - 22:00 Chicks On Speed Chicks On Speed - 23:30 Ladytron Ryko
There are also performances Sala Gallera (just off the Ayntamiento in C/aluders, 7) and Sala Hot ( a ten minute walk from the science museum) and the full line-up over all looks like this
Alicia Framis - Banya Sim - Basurama -Ben d'Armagnac -Bilbadino - Boegel & Holtappels - Broersen & Lukàcs - C-Rock - Carlos García - Château Flight - Chelis - Chicks on speed - Christophe Bruno - Dallas Seitz - Daniel Jackson - Dave Philips - Davide Grassi - Deep Explorer - Delaney Martin - Derivart - Dj Brunetto - Dj Deep - Dj Notch - Dmitri Makhomet - Doozer - Dorian - Edwin van der Heide - Fran Campos - Guido van der Werve - Heather Sparks - I:Cube - Jamie Robinson - Jan van Munster - Jay Jay Johanson - Jeff - Automatic - Jeroen Offerman - Jimi Tenor & Kabu Kabu - John Cale & Band - John Duncan - John Grzinich - José Antonio Orts - Juan Olivares - Justice Yeldham - Krisdy Schindler - Ladytron - Laurie Lipton - Lydia Schouten - Marie Hendriks - Marina Abramovic - Marinus Boezem - Marion Charreau - Megabeats - Mira Bernabeu - Ms John Soda - Nacho Marco - Neon Flash - Nicky Zwaan - Pau Pascual - Philip Samartzis - Pia Wergius - PITA - Prins Thomas - Rocksteady Beatz - Sami Kallinen - Sans Façon - Sébastien Caillat - Soul B - Spleen - Sr. Aye - Vanessa Pastor - Vive la fête - Vladimir Dynamo - Wego live! - Wim Gijzen - Zhen Chen Liu

More on the whole shebang at http://observatori.com

If you don't do anything else recommended in these pages this time, make sure you get to this...

This new exhibition is spread over four main galleries and thirteen smaller independent galleries throughout the city and also has part of it in Sagunto.

Luz ao Sul (Light in the South) Is on at the Centro del Carmen and is a wonderful exhibition, room after room of the best of Afro, American Indian, modern and pop art. It's an absolute feast for the eyes. One of the best exhibitions we have seen in this city. There are so many facets, that there really is something for everyone here. Unfortunately the photos we have been able to glean from the organisers don't do it justice.

Centro del Carmen: 10:00 to 20:00
Universitat de València: 10:00 to 20:00
Nau de Sagunt: 10:30 to 20:30
La Gallera: Tuesday to Friday 17:00 to 21:00; Saturday 11:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 20:00; and Sunday 11:00 to 14:00
Free entry to all

the independent galleries are
My name´s Lolita - Val i 30 - i Leonarte - La Nave - Paz y Comedias - Punto - Rosalía Sender - Rosa Santos - Color Elefante - Tomás March - Valle Ortí - Canem - Aural

TAPAS
Every wednesday night there is a little tapas tour in the Barrio del Carmen, 1.50 euros gets you a beer and a tapas - at the following bars, La Caracola,La Somelier, La Rentaora and Al Cantonet from 20.30 every wednesday - more info
http://www.tapeotour.com/
CORTES VALENCIANAS
The ancient Cortes Valencianas are open to the public this weekend and through the beginning of the week, they are organising concerts and events more information here http://www.cortsvalencianes.es
AMERICAS CUP
The Louis Vuitton Round Robins are finally in full swing, lack of wind at the beginning meant that the organisers have had to re-organise the regattas but the wind now seems t be holding and there has been some great racing, get down to the sea and watch them race - the are two courses, so take your pick of Malvarossa beach or El Saler.
BMW SILENT AUCTION
Want to own a piece of the sail of one of the BMW Oracle yachts? BMW are auctioning beautifully mounted and signed pieces of the sails for charity - go here for more info
 

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Not Just Ballet
There are dance performances all over town until the 06 Ma. From Classical ballet to flamenco, hip hop and experimental, whatever your taste, it is bound to be catered for.

More at thisisvalencia.com

WHAT'S ON AT THE CINEMA IN ENGLISH THESE NEXT TWO WEEKS ?

There's a slightly smaller selection of films in English this week, at Babel, Albatros and Cine Cite.

La Flauta Magica (The Magic Flute), Kenneth Brannagh's new film of the mozart opera.

La fuente de la Vida(The Fountain), Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz star in this odyssey about one man’s thousand-year struggle to save the woman he loves. As a 16th century Conquistador, a modern-day scientist, and a 26th century astronaut, he searches for the secret to eternal life.

El Jefe de Todo Esto (the Boss of it All) A danish film though its being advertised with an english soundrack, An IT company hires an actor (Jens Albinus) to serve as the company's president in order to help the business get sold to a cranky Icelander (Fridrik Thor Fridriksson)

El Ultimo Show, (A Prairie Home Companion) with a host of stars including Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Kline and Meryl Streep, sounds a riot.

Diario de un Escandalo (Notes on a Scandal), based on the bestseller, stars Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench, and is highly recommended.

Then there is Little Miss Sunshine(very funny) and Scoop, Woody Allen's latest - There's always a Woody Allen on in Spain, they just love him.

More and links to the cinemas timetables here

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Valencia - it's all here this issue of thisisvalencia Newsletter Number 6.

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