Time：9.4

Venue：Europe Square

SARISAN – opening dance number

TEASING

6 min.

A passionate dance in couples with boys pranking – making a play for a young girl

(region of Saris)

Moderator input No 1

I wish you a nice day at the EXPO Shanghai, dear friends from all around the world and from Slovakia, with a special welcome to the home Chinese audience. Today you will see a piece of culture and traditions of a „big small country“ in the heart of Europe – Slovakia. The motto of the whole EXPO 2010 is "Better City, Better Life“. With its 9 and a half million inhabitants, the city of Shanghai represents nearly the double of the population of the Slovak Republic. By its area, Slovakia is eight times bigger than the city of Shanghai, but we both strive for a better life. After all, among the Slovaks there were individuals those who contributed to a more beautiful Shanghai. In the twentieths and thirties of the past century the architect coming from Banska Bystrica Ladislav Hudec was working here – he holds the primacy among skyscrapers of Shanghai – the Park hotel, built in the art deco style in 1934, was the highest building in Asia until 1963, and after 1983 the highest building in Shanghai.

The life of Ladislav Hudec is very interesting. Fate drifted him to all around the word – and we offered him to you in the film by Ladislav Kabos „A Man who Changed the Face of Shanghai“, that had its premiere on 3 September in the Slovak pavilion.

But this gala night is devoted to the Slovak culture – dance, music and songs – that was opened by the East Slovakian ensemble Sarisan from the city of Presov.

Please a big applause for its dance Little Horse and for the cheerful dance picture Men of the World – danced and played by the ensemble SARISAN!

The motto of Expo 2010 is "Better City, Better Life" – what´s its application in our everyday life? In the text we will briefly touch upon comparable data on the two countries:

- Slovakia lies in the geographical centre of Europe, like China in Asia

- In the twentieths and thirtieths of the past century the architect Hudec with Slovak origins participated in the creation of the new face of Shanghai (one of the most notorious buildings is his 22-storey Park Hotel, built in the art deco style in 1934, that was the highest building in Asia until 1963 and the highest building in Shanghai after 1983)

SARISAN – continuation of performance

LITTLE HORSE

10 min

A funny craft dance of a smith and a horse (mask) in the polka rhythm, changing in the second part to a dynamic czardas (region of Saris)

MEN OF THE WORLD

6 min

A funny dance of boys coming back home from work, expressing by dance and stage properties their experiences from a distant foreign country. The dance gradually changes to the common entertainment (region of Saris)

Moderator input No 2

It was Sarisan from Presov that has been applauded at prestigious folk music festivals in 24 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and America for more than 40 years. The richness of folk traditions is typical not only for the folk music, but also for beautiful bright and richly decorated East Slovakian folk costumes, in which the girls are „šumné“ and the boys „šikovni paropci „ (približný preklad „handsome“ a „chunk guys“)

More than 60 young people play, sing and dance in the ensemble that has more than 70 performances every year.

The dance from north Slovakia – Gorali will be followed by a cheerful spoon dance of cooks, and Sarisan will then dance the third Saris polka for you!

The folk ensemble Sarisan has its home stage in the large city of East Slovakia, the city of Presov. It is a leading representative of folk traditions of the region of Saris, but it also draws inspiration for its programme from folk traditions of other Slovak ethnographic areas - Spis, Zemplin and Gemer. The originality and special dramaturgy of programmes, innovative choreographic interpretation of dance, folk music interpreted on using non-traditional music instruments, and last but not least the enthusiasm of the folk ensemble have been highly appreciated by audience for more than 40 years. The applause of the audience and the appreciation of expert reviewers have accompanied them at prestigious folk festivals in 14 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and America. The richness of folk traditions is typical not only for the musical component of the ensemble, but also for the bright and richly decorated East Slovakian folk costumes of its members.

More than 60 young people play, sing and dance in the ensemble that has more than 70 performances every year.

GORAL DANCE

6 min

couple dance

Interlude of folk music by Sarisan

Approximately 5 minutes during the period when the dancers change their clothes

SPOON DANCE

6 min

A cheerful girls´ dance of „cooks“, supported by rhythmic –tapping with spoons (region of Zemplin)

SARIS POLKA

10 min

A typical dynamic couple dance from Saris, with the most skilful dancers dancing on the table (region of Saris)

Moderator input No 3 and introduction of KATKA KNECHTOVA

Like the ensemble Sarisan, the young pop singer Katka Knechtová comes from the large city of East Slovakia – Presov. She experienced first fame with the popular band IMT Smile and later founded her own band PEHA. But her first real hit was the song „ Muoj Bože“ (My Lord), the most played song in Slovak and Czech radio stations, with which she won the pop music award Aurel 2008 in the category Female Song of the Year. She also presented herself successfully on the world scene, in the Mecca of music London, with CD Head. She has a lot of awards at home - several awards AUREL and OTO – personality of TV screen in the category Female Singer, as well as a couple of awards in the public inquiry Slavik (Nightingale). Katka Knechtová!

The young Slovak performer Katka Knechtová started her music career during the grammar school study as a singer in the band IMT Smile in Presov. In 1997 she founded with the drummer M. Migas and the guitar player K. Sivak a new band - PEHA. Their first album entitled „Something Is About to Happen“ appeared in 1999. The band became a discovery of the year and Katka successfully presented herself as a pianist, guitar player, composer and text writer. In 2007 she received a tempting offer from the leading Slovak film director Juraj Jakubisko for composition of a song for the historical film Bathory. Následne vznikla pieseň „ Muoj Bože “ a tá sa postupne stala najhranejšou skladbou v slovenských a českých rádiách, vyhrala cenu populárnej hudby Aurel 2008 v kategórii Pieseň roka. Rok 2008 bol pre Katku zlomový. Rozhodla sa vydať na sólovú dráhu a umelecky aj osobnostne sa posunúť ďalej. Pripravené demo nahrávky zaslala do Veľkej Británie niekoľkým svetovým producentom. Reakcie boli veľmi pozitívne. Katarína sa rozhodla pre producenta známeho pod prezývkou „Head“ . Osobne sa s nim stretla v lete 2008 v Prahe, kde ju Head videl spievať naživo pieseň Muoj Bože pri príležitosti českej premiéry filmu Bathory. Tento okamih bol jeden z tých, ktoré presvedčili producenta o spoluprácu.. 1. decembra vychádza prvý sólový album Kataríny Knechtovej - Zodiak. . .Po troch mesiacoch získava platinovú platňu za predaj. DDdDDuring her music career she won several very important awards in Slovakia – in 2001 and 2005 the award AUREL – 1st place in the category Female Singer of the Year. Two times she became a Personality of TV Screen (award OTO 2006 and 2007). In 2006, 2007 and 2008 she won the award Slávik (Nightingale) – 2nd place in the category Female Singer.

The year 2009 was also successful for her. In autumn the signer started the concert tour „ZODIAC Tour 2009“, during which she presented herself in 10 Slovak cities and in Lucerna, Prague. Also in this year she came with a unique project entitled „Pleasure to Be With you“ which aims to combine the traditional folk music presented by the cymbalo music band Fiddlers from Kyjov with her songs. The tour took place in 12 cities in Slovakia and in the Czech Republic.)

She sings wih her accompanying band, composed of Viktor Spak (guitar), Tomi Okres (bass guitar), Peter Lipa Jr. (keyboards) and Laco Kovac (percussions).

SLOW DOWN

4 min

SUN BALAD

3 min.

IN THE SILENCE

3.30 min

BEHIND YOU

5 min

MY LORD

4.30 min

IN THE LIGHT OF GLITTERING STARS

3.30 min

Moderator input No 4 and introduction of the GYPSY DEVILS

The Gypsy Devils may have a devil in their name, but their music is angelic…

Brilliant violin solos by the Gypsy Devils first violin Stefan Banyak, gripping performance of the cymbalo magician Ernest Sarkozi, beautiful cello timbres, the original singing of his spouse Silvia or the clarinet mastery of Zoltán Grunza are the guarantee of an unusual artistic experience. We can find in their repertory a varied and wide choice of popular compositions from folk through operetta, musical and jazz to the classical music, presented in bold arrangements of the ensemble members. But they also perform with a symphony orchestra, or untraditionally in cooperation wih the best Slovak DJs.

The ensemble played in concerts nearly all around the word - in United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, China, Taiwan, Mexico, as well as in Europe – in Spain, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, England, Germany and France.

The Gypsy Devils!

The Gypsy Devils, as their name indicates, are full of temperament, elemental talent, devilish spark …

Brilliant violin solos by the Gypsy Devils first violin Stefan Banyak, gripping performance of the cymbalo magician Ernest Sarkozi, beautiful cello timbres, the original singing of his spouse Silvia or the clarinet mastery of Zoltán Grunza are the guarantee of an unusual artistic experience. We can find in their repertory a varied and wide choice of popular compositions from folk through operetta, musical and jazz to the classical music, presented in bold arrangements of the ensemble members. But they also perform with a symphony orchestra, or untraditionally in cooperation wih the best Slovak DJs.

The ensemble played in concerts nearly all around the word - in United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, China, Taiwan, Mexico, as well as in Europe – in Spain, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, England, Germany and France. From important concert stages we mention the Berlin Philharmonic, Komische Oper-Berlin, Kozerthaus-Berlin, Royal Opera House-London, Hans Max Saal-Munich, Smetanova síň-Prague, Konzert und Kongressaal-Luzern, Concert Hall-Melbourne or Goldener Saal-Musikverein-Vienna. The ensemble works with many leading symphony orchestra, conductors, singers and instrumentalists of different music genres.

GYPSY VIOLIN

3 min

MYJAVA

6 min

BLOCK OF GYPSY SONGS

Singer: Silvia Sarkozi

4 min

CSARDAS

V. Monti

3,30 min

BLOCK OF SLOVAK FOLK SONGS

Singer: Sisa Sklovska

6 min

TAROGATO

7 min

RUSSIAN GYPSIES

6 min

Moderator input No 5 and introduction of SISA SKLOVSKÁ

Sisa Sklovska is an exceptional singer – star of the opera, musical and other music genres not exempting the pop, jazz, rock and gospel music. Beside of singing, the Professional artistic preparation of Sisa Sklovska includes the study of dramatic art, classical, expressive and folk dance.

She also performed in several world-popular and original Slovak and Czech musicals. Her concerts received good press in many countries of Europe, America and Asia.

From gospel through Chinese song to her own original Slovak composition -Sisa Sklovska sings for you!

Sisa Sklovska is one of the most compelling personalities of the Slovak vocal art. Her unique way of singing is characterized by her ability to brilliantly change different positions of voice registers that she has been successfully using in the opera, musical and other musical genres not excepting the pop, jazz, rock and gospel music. Beside of singing, the professional artistic preparation of Sisa Sklovská includes the study of dramatic art, classical, expressive and folk dance. Having graduated from the University of Music Arts in Bratislava, during a five-year engagement as a soloist of the Opera of the Slovak National Theatre, she performed a wide spectrum of mezzo-soprano parts (Dulcinee – Don Quijote, empress Ottavia – L’incornazzione di Poppea, Nana – Eugen Onegin etc). She also performed in several world-popular, as well as original Slovak and Czech musicals. Her concerts received good press in many countries of Europe, America and Asia.)

OH, HAPPY DAY

Traditional

3.00 min

TA CHUNGKU O - GREAT CHINA

Chou Shiaomin

3.00 min

THE NIGHT LASTS UNTIL MORNING

S. Sklovska / D. Hevier

3.40 min

CONFESSION

J.Lehotský / K. Peteraj

4.00 min

Sixth moderator input and introduction to the FINAL programme

Sisa Sklovska has ended the solo programme and now we are going to the final, dear friends. I invite to the stage Sarisan, Katka Knechtová, the Gypsy Devils and Sisa Sklovská.

Thank you in their name for your pleasant attention and applause and wish you a beautiful rest of this day at the EXPO.

GYPSY DANCE

8 min.

A spectacular, passionate Gypsy dance

Sarisan + Gypsy Devils

AT THE FIDDLERS

8 min.

A couple dance from Zemplin with opening dance of girls

(region of Zemplin)

Surrounded by Music

7 min.

A passionate dance from Raslavice (region of Saris) – presentation of the most notorious Slovak folk dances - krucena, verbunk, karička, mazurka and polka