World travel Market special programme of culture events Venezuela the best of two worlds

The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in London, the Venezuelan Ministry of Production and Trade, the National Institute of Tourism (INATUR) and Petróleos de Venezuela (UK) SA will present in the week of the World Travel Market a set of cultural events that cover live music, gastronomy, films, books, CDs and tourism.

7:30 pm
Free entrance
Booking is necessary: 0207 3885788.
Doors open at 7:00 pm
Bolívar Hall of the Embassy of Venezuelan Embassy
54 Grafton Way, London W1T 5DL

Concerts and lectures with live music at the Bolívar Hall of the Embassy of Venezuela will be:

· Monday 8 November, 7:30 pm
MESTIZO MUSIC FROM VENEZUELA
Rafael Salazar

with singers:
Francisco Pacheco
Iván Pérez Rossi
Lucienne Sanabria
Cecilia Todd

and instrumentalists
Alberto Valderrama bandola oriental
Saúl Vera bandola llanera
mandolin Rafael Brito
cuatro Roberto Koch , electric bass
Rolando Canónigo, percussion

The cultural and ethnic confluence of three continents - of Africa and two of its regions, the Magreb and the Bantú belt; of a mixed Spain with Central European and Semitic roots; and of an aboriginal America, before and after 1492 - sparkled a set of voices, songs and dances that we recognise today as part of Venezuelas's identity.

The diversity of rhythms, dances and religious-agrarian songs are a vital part of Venezuela´s folklore. In the Caribbean world, its syncretism was a force responsible for generating the fertile mestizo culture of contemporary Venezuela.

According to Cuban novelist Alejo Carpentier, the strongest cultural triangle of the New World lay between Veracruz, Havanna and Seville. That tellurian turmoil, from which Venezuela could not scape, irradiated towards a whole continent, as the many mestizo manifestations made it clear, especially those that include South Saharan Africa, that deep and much forgotten voice in Latin America.

To delve into this magic world is the purpose of this lecture, through the songs and voices of the Música del Mestizaje in Venezuela.

· Tuesday 9 November, 7:30 pm
THE BANDOLA IN VENEZUELA: its history and repertoire
SAUL VERA

with
Rafael Brito, cuatro and voice
Roberto Koch, electric bass
Rolando Canónigo, percussion

and special guest
María Eugenia Méndez, voice

The bandola, a four stringed plucked intrument, that some scholars believe descends from Greece and others from the Arab World, arrived in Venezuela with the Spanish in the Sixteenth Century. There its repertoire developed independently and constitutes nowadays one of the richest sources of Venezuelan music, specially since Anselmo López dedicated his life to its teaching and performance. A younger generation, beginning with Sául Vera, has turned the bandola into a star instrument. He will give us a first hand account of its history with live accompaniment of other great musicians such as cuatro player Rafael Brito, Roberto Koch and Benito Canónico.

· Wednesday 10 November, 7:30 pm
MARITIMAS: poetry and music in the Venezuelan Caribbean
María Teresa Novo

with singers
Francisco Pacheco
Iván Pérez Rossi
Lucienne Sanabria
Cecilia Todd

and instrumentalists
Alberto Valderrama, bandola oriental
Saúl Vera, bandola llanera, mandolin
Rafael Brito, cuatro
Roberto Koch , electric bass
Rolando Canónigo, percussion

In this lecture, Maria Teresa Novo will present and analyse poems dedicated to the sea in twentieth century Venezuela. The enigmatic world of the sea fairer, with its toils and joys, has left in the country's map of musical traditions, salty lyrics and melodies that combined, have yielded some of its most memorable songs. We have four of Venezuela's most popular voices to acquaint us with the flavour and sound of this maritime world.

· Thursday 11 November, 7:30 pm
EUGENIA MENDEZ AND RAFAEL BRITO IN CONCERT

María Eugenia Méndez, voice
Rafael Brito, voice and cuatro
Carlos Rodríguez
Rolando Canónigo, percussion

This young Venezuelan singer has captivated the audience by the loveliness of her voice and a convincing performance of Venezuelan classical pieces in an international style. With Rafael Brito seconding her in the voice and cuatro, nothing can go wrong.

Mail invitations to these activities will follow but we do advise the readers of The Venezuelan Review to book early, as they will be popular and over subscribed.
The events are all free of charge but booking is necessary: 0207 3885788.