CULTURE
AN ECLECTIC AND VARIED SHOW
The Christmas in Europe programme includes a performance by each delegation of a song, a dance, a sketch, a poem, etc. on the theme of Christmas if possible. And thus it was in 2012 also. Thus the cultural performance took place in the gymnasium of the Giorgio Perlasca School, in front of all the members of the delegations which had come together on Sunday December 2nd. The atmosphere was relaxed and well-behaved, and no one was trying to be perfect, of course, everyone being well aware that the performances of the various participants were nothing to do with their school syllabus!
Appearing in a previously determined order, the various actors performed with conviction and in certain cases with real skill, whilst others, less experienced, did their best - though earning the same amount of applause as the best performers! The show began at 17.50 and came to an enthusiastic end at 20.00, with everyone feeling that they had had a very good time whilst at the same time now and again learning something new about one or other of the countries involved.
There is no shortage of comments!
The audience is attentive and at the same time delighted
A really nice couple of presenters - Dora Bahro and Tamas Peter
Budapest (Hungary) – Video and dances
Bled and Ljubljana (Slovenia) Message and song
Prešov (Slovakia) song and accordion
Sliven (Bulgaria) Christmas dance
Marseilles (France) Christmas sketch
Bjelovar (Croatia) dance
Bad Ischl (Austria) Christmas carol
Fatima (Portugal) Christmas carol and video
Senigallia (Italy) sketch
Riga (Latvia) sketch and song
Beringen (Luxembourg) demonstration of ‘diabolo’
Diekirch (Luxembourg) demonstration of contemporary dance
Poreč (Croatia) Christmas carol, accordion and flute
Ponta Delgada (Portugal) traditional dances
Szeged (Hungary) songs
Poděbrady (Czech Republic) traditional music
Lund/Örebro (Sweden) procession of Saint Lucy – the great classic
Waterford (Ireland) dance, tap-dance, flute and violin, square dance with the audience
The last piece was played on the piano by Toth Gergö, a 16 year-old student of the Giorgio Perlasca School who gave a masterly rendering of a piece by Ludovico Einaudi entitled ‘Nuvole bianche’. His performance was warmly applauded by the participants who were enchanted by this young man’s talents.
Toth Gergö during his performance
In the morning a number of Christmas in Europe participants attended high mass celebrated in Köbanya’s church of Saint Laszlö. A moment of quiet contemplation during these very special days.
In the Köbanya church
