Sunday, May 22, 2011
City Facts about Madrid
- Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. It is the third-most populous municipality in the European Union after Greater London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third-most populous in the European Union after Paris and London.
- Its sister city in the USA is New York City.
- Madrid is home to Real Madrid, who plays in the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. Real Madrid is one of the most prestigious soccer clubs in the world, having won a record 9 European Soccer Cups.
- The city bid to host the 1972 Summer Olympics, the 2012 Summer Olympics, and the 2016 Summer Olympics, which were lost to Munich, London, and Rio de Janeiro respectively.
- Madrid hosts the largest Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Spain, Las Ventas, established in 1929. Las Ventas is considered by many to be the world centre of bullfighting and has a seating capacity of almost 25,000.
- The Auditorio Nacional de Música is the main venue for classical music concerts in Madrid, is home to the Spanish National Orchestra, the Chamartín Symphony Orchestra and the venue for the symphonic concerts of the Community of Madrid Orchestra and the Madrid Symphony Orchestra.
- The Royal Botanic Garden or Real Jardin Botanico was an 18th century creation. It was used as a base for the plant species being collected across the globe.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
The University of Miami Frost Chorale concludes 2011 Incantato Performance Tour with a concert at the Church of Santo Tome on Saturday, May 21 at 8 P.M.
The University of Miami Frost Chorale will perform at Toledo's Santo Tome on Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 8 PM. Dating from the 14th century, Toledo’s Santo Tomé is best known for housing El Greco’s most famous painting, The Burial of Count Orgaz.Santo Tomé was founded in the 12th century, but completely restructured in the 14th century as commissioned by the Lord of Orgaz, the subject of El Greco’s painting. Count Orgaz, born Gonzalo Ruiz, was a Toledo native and Señor of the town of Orgaz. He died in 1312, leaving substantial donations for the enlargement and detailed adornment of the Church of Santo Tomé. A pious man, Orgaz was known to donate to multiple local charities in his lifetime. It is believed according to local Toledo legend that Saint Stephen and Saint Augustine even presided over his burial. A painting depicting this legend was commissioned for the church on March 18, 1586.
The chosen painter was El Greco, who served as a member of the church. The painting was unveiled by Christmas of that year and immediately attracted attention. Spectators were especially impressed by the inclusions of realistic portraits of the Toledo’s most notable figures of the time posing as onlookers. The painting portrays the burial of Count Orgaz with the posthumous assistance of Saint Augustine and Saint Stephen miraculously appearing to thank the Count for his donations to all the religious institutions named after them. Even more interesting about the painting is the lack of ground, horizon, sky, and perspective. There appears no conflict, and El Greco successfully achieves a convincing expression of supernatural space.
The Burial of Count Orgaz was El Greco’s first major work. Many of his later pieces are displayed in the Toledo Cathedral.
Friday, May 20, 2011
More media coverage for Cuenca and Toledo concerts
While we wait for the TV new on yesterday´s performance in Cuenca, here you have some new links to the concerts:
El Digital, by the leading new Agency Europapress, for today's concert:
http://www.eldigitalcastillalamancha.es/articulo.asp?idarticulo=90345
Global Castilla-La Mancha: a region Agenda included the concert in the Cuenca proposals
Frost Chorale Barcelona Benefit concert on the Press
Dear members and friends of Frost Chorale
While it is quite hard to follow up all the different digital, radio and television appearances of the concert, printed press is easier to trace ( and also harder to achieve).
Here you have some samples on Barcelona concert, from media among the most read in the city:
El Digital, by the leading new Agency Europapress, for today's concert:
Global Castilla-La Mancha: a region Agenda included the concert in the Cuenca proposals
El periódico de Catalunya, Gran Barcelona section, proposals, page 36
20 minutos, page 25, Cultural section, La revista
Letter from Fundación Josep Carreras to Frost Chorale, after Benefit Concert in Barcelona
Dear Incantato and Frost Chorale members
Thank you very much for the organization and collaboration on last Monday event, with Frost Chorale concert.
The concert was really magnificent and we were very impressed by the choir performance. Both the atmosphere and the repertoire were outstanding and on top of this, the top level they have. Also it was really moving to see the Church so crowded; and to see so many people listening to Frost Chorale singing to collaborate in fighting leukaemia.
Thank you very much for your donation, and also the audience donation was very good.
We send you all a hug
--------------------------
Apreciados miembros de Incantato y Frost Chorale,
Muchísimas gracias por la organización y colaboración en el acto del pasado lunes en que cantó la Frost Chorale.
Fue realmente magnífico y quedamos sumamente impresionados de la actuación de esta coral. Fue espectacular tanto el marco como el repertorio que cantaron y por supuesto el alto nivel que tienen.
Además fue realmente emocionante ver la iglesia tan llena y con tanta gente escuchando a la Frost Choralle cantando para colaborar en la lucha contra la leucemia.
Mil gracias por el donativo, que finalmente ascendió con las donaciones del público!
Un abrazo.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Incantato proudly presents the Frost Chorale at Church of San Pedro in Cuenca on Friday, May 20
The singers of the Frost Chorale from Miami, Florida, will perform at the Church of San Pedro in Cuenca on Friday, May 20, 2011. 
The Church of San Pedro, located within the hilltop town of Cuenca, was built in the twelfth century atop the ruins of an ancient mosque, shortly after the city was conquered by Alfonso VIII. In the mid-fifteenth century, the church played an important role as ally to Bishop Lope de Barrientos throughout his battles with Don Diego Hurtado de Mendoa, the Marquis of Canete. The original church was destroyed in 1499 and rebuilt in 1604 only to fall to ruins once again during the War of Succession in 1700. Later in the eighteenth century, during the Episcopate of Don Jose Florez Osorio, the church, like many others within the diocese of Cuenca, underwent complete renovation under the design of architect Jose Martin de Aldehuela.
The present structure boasts an octagonal shape and a large dome covered in intricate lunette detail. They exterior is a prime example of Baroque architecture. Due to both its vast historical significance as well as its unique architectural value, the Church or San Pedro remains the most recognized church in all of Cuenca.
Home away from home: Parador de Cuenca, Cuenca
The Hotel Parador de Cuenca will be a very special home away from home for the University of Miami Frost Chorale on the night of May 20, 2011. The luxury four star hotel in a sixteenth century convent overlooks the town of Cuenca. The interior decor combines the traditional elements with more contemporary features such as wicker and leather upholstery. There are fifty four twin bedded rooms, seven rooms with double beds and two suites all with private bathrooms. The rooms are equipped with telephone, satellite television, safe and a mini bar. The hotel is air conditioned and has a gymnasium, sauna, swimming pool and a tennis court. Furthermore you will find a restaurant, currency exchange, a gift shop, and free wireless internet. Nearby are the famous "Casas Colgadas" (Hanging Houses) and the Museum of Spanish Abstract Art.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
University of Miami Frost Chorale second concert on Wednesday, May 18 at 8:30 PM: Palacio del Marques de Dos Aguas in Valencia
In celebration of International Museum Day, the University of Miami Frost Chorale from Miami will be performing at Valencia’s Palacio del Marques de Dos Aguas on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 8:30 PM.
One of the most central structures in the city of Valencia is the Palacio del Marques de dos Aguas, a former palace and now the home of Spain’s National Museum of Ceramics and Arts. The fifteenth century home was officially declared a historic-artistic monument in 1941.
Historians consider the palace a “paragon of nobility and wealth,” stemming from the fifteenth century during which the Perellos Rabassa family acquired the Barony of Dos Aguas and were ultimately elevated to the status of Marquis by King Charles II.
The grounds originally consisted of three Gothic buildings arranged around the perimeter of a courtyard, as well as a single tower at the northwest corner. The current palace is the product of a radical reform which occurred in the year 1740 and now boasts an irregular quadrangular layout organized around the courtyard and corner towers. The front door was carved in alabaster by Valencia’s Ignacio Vergara, the founder of the Santa Barbara School of Fine Arts.
The palace’s name “Dos Aguas” refers to the two largest rivers in the region of Valencia, the Turia and Jucar, which are represented on the building’s façade by two nude human figures and two falling streams of water.
The ownership of the palace changed hands multiple times throughout the centuries, until the Spanish government officially purchased the site in 1949 for the installation of a ceramic collection assembled by Professor Don Manuel Gonzalez Marti, his wife Amelia Cunat, and Monleon, ultimately becoming the National Ceramics Museum.
The then-Minister of Education, Don Joaquin Ruiz Jimenez, presided over the official inauguration of the Museum on June 18, 1954.
The National Museum of Ceramics and Arts receives world-renowned praise, not only for their vast exhibition of artistic works, but also for the intriguing history and beauty of the palace itself.
The ownership of the palace changed hands multiple times throughout the centuries, until the Spanish government officially purchased the site in 1949 for the installation of a ceramic collection assembled by Professor Don Manuel Gonzalez Marti, his wife Amelia Cunat, and Monleon, ultimately becoming the National Ceramics Museum.
The then-Minister of Education, Don Joaquin Ruiz Jimenez, presided over the official inauguration of the Museum on June 18, 1954.
The National Museum of Ceramics and Arts receives world-renowned praise, not only for their vast exhibition of artistic works, but also for the intriguing history and beauty of the palace itself.
Photo courtesy of Flickr.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
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