National Symphony Orchestra season opens tonight National Theater presents, Symphony Season 1999. The first concert of the second half of the National Symphony season will take place on Wednesday, 15 September. Julio De Windt, conductor. Alex Velinzon, violin solo. Works by L.V. Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 (Eroica); M. M. Miniño, Canto a la Madre Tierra; N. Paganini, Concert No. 1 for violin and orchestra in Re Major. Tickets: RD$150-RD$120 for sale at the National Theater. National Theater Drama Season continues this weekend The National Theater’s drama season resumes this weekend, 15-19 September with the presentation of the play, "Bachata para María Viveza." This play will last through 26 September. Radhamés Polanco wrote and directs this play that was chosen "best drama" by Casa de Teatro in 1997. The action takes place primarily in a brothel. Actors play the role of eight Dominican stereotypes. The play will also be shown 22-26 September at 10 am and 8:30 pm at the Sala Ravelo. Starring roles are played by Laura Guzmán (María Viveza), Henry Mercedes (Pedro Baile), Ramón Matrille (Deputy Medina Rubirosa), Clara Luz Lozano (Maria Paulino), and Doris Sánchez (Rosa Velorio). The play is produced by Mariela Freundt. The National Theater’s drama season continues with: "Creonte" from 1 October to 7 November; "La Trinitaria Blanca," from 12 November to 5 December and "Chicken Cordon Blue," from 14 January to 6 February. Handicraft fair coming up this week Feriarte 99 will be held 16-19 September at the Hotel Embajardor. Feriarte, in its ninth year, is the leading handicraft fair held in the DR. It is organized by the Santo Domingo Chamber of Commerce. The fair is an exhibition of Dominican crafts where those attending can purchase items at attractive prices. CTO annual conference in Santo Domingo Final organization works are taking place for the celebration in Santo Domingo of the Caribbean Tourism Organization,s 23rd annual Caribbean Tourism Conference. The event will be held 23-25 September at the Renaissance Jaragua Hotel & Casino of Santo Domingo. President Leonel Fernández is expected to address the delegates at the opening session. Chris Mottershead, managing director of Airtours Holidays, a leading UK tour operator, will be the keynote speaker. Workshop topics include: Tourism marketing in the new millennium; Cruising into the 21st century: Trends, forecasts and implications for Caribbean destinations. Developments in the Caribbean time-share industry; E-commerce: How to buy and sell on the information highway Health, safety and security expectations of the visitor: Is the Caribbean ready? Charting a new course for tourism education and training. For more information, see the Caribbean Tourism Organization web page at www.caribtourism.com Tribute to bolero music in October "Con la Magia del Bolero…100 Años Despues" will be an evening dedicated to romance at the stages of the Teatro Lafiesta in Santo Domingo (Friday, 1 October) and Centro Español in Santiago (Saturday, 2 October). Romantic boleros will be staged by legends such as Lucho Gatica, Olga Guillot, Lope Balaguer, Anthony Ríos and Francis Santana. Expo Europa set for October More than 130 Dominican and foreign companies will participate in the Vth Expo Europa ’99 exhibition, sponsored by the Federation of European Chambers of Commerce of the DR and the Office for the Promotion of Foreign Investment (OPI). The event will take place at the convention center of the Hotel Dominican Fiesta from 7-10 October. Iberoamerican Theater Festival starts 11 October The National Theater is announcing the Second International Iberoamerican Theater Festival. The festival was first held in 1997. This time, Dominican works will be included in the program of plays to be presented. Dominican plays that will be shown are "Amanda," "Quijote," and "Wish-ky Sour." The festival is a series of theatrical presentations, forums and workshops on theater. The activities will take place at the Eduardo Brito and Ravelo halls of the Teatro Nacional, the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Museo de Historía y Geografía, Paraboloide del Museo de Arte Moderno and the Museo de Historia Nacional through 24 October. The event has become a place for the encounter of leading playwrights from Ibero America. Participants are coming from Spain, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Venezuela, Ecuador, Cuba and Argentina.
