You can nearly smell the hawthorn from here!

Hawthorn in bloom

13th May

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Friday 13th May

Biblioteca Central
Salón de Actos
18:00h
Film and discussion
Come and watch Thomas Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd
Don't forget to come to the library this Friday  evening 22nd April to hear the readings by schoolchildren of Don Quixote. A beautiful way to celebrate International Book Day.

Un feliz encuentro

W

e met the talented musician Carlos Paterson  and his manager Sandra in Madrid on the 12th April. We arranged to meet in Fnac in la Castellana but there was a presentation of Mario Escobar ‘s new book. It was an interesting day as Real Madrid was playing the Champions at the same time so we had a backdrop of rain - soaked terrace bars and chanting fans to contend with but our meeting was productive as it reinforced the idea that ASEDOW can and should act as a go - between for great artists seeking  an audience. We believe that culture and leisure  go hand in hand and will do all we can to get people away from the television and into the theatres and concert venue.

Carlos has composed a beautiful song using poems by Oscar Wilde and Christina Rossetti as  lyrics. This haunting song, interpreted by Daniel Kavanagh, will linger in your memory.

Sandra escribe:

Se trata de una canción recientemente compuesta por Paterson, titulada “If thou wilt, remember”  Consiste en un tema pop-folk de rasgos celtas en el que el compositor ha logrado crear una bella historia intercalando las estrofas de sendos poemas de Oscar Wilde (“Requiescat”) y Christina Rossetti (“When I am dead, my dearest”), literatos tan distintos en su persona como parecidos en su estilo victoriano. Oscar Wilde irlandés, liberal; y Christina Rossetti inglesa, conservadora. Tanto la dirección como la producción del proyecto son suyas y con ello ha querido rendirles un homenaje a tan ilustres literatos.

Carlos Paterson es un compositor español de ascendencia anglosajona que ha logrado aunar con su música en esta obra las culturas irlandesa e inglesa. Su amplia trayectoria musical se mueve tanto en el ámbito de la interpretación, con recitales a piano y órgano en toda Europa, como de la composición. Sus obras han sido interpretadas por grandes músicos como Brenno Ambrosini y Daniel Kavanagh, destacando en su estilo la influencia recibida de su paisano y amigo el compositor de fama internacional Antón García Abril.

Here is the song for you to enjoy with kind permission from Carlos, composer, organist and in the video, pianist:

Daniel Kavanagh sings 'If thou wilt, remember.

Las actividades de la Semana del libro en San Sebastián De Los Reyes

Biblioteca Central
At the library

18th April 18h

Learn story telling techniques

22nd April Friday 17h

The adventures of Don Quijote

Plaza de la Constitución
Town square
24th April
Book Fair

A walk with Audrey in sunny Sanse

Audrey writes:

A sunny April morning after a rainy day was a good occasion to go on a photo walk to capture some early signs of spring colour as well as some surprise new residents in the area: one of a pair of tortoises basking in the spring sunshine on rocks beside a fountain. 

Some other fauna we spotted was a flying insect performing its vital task of feeding and pollination plus a small sparrow-like bird which had bright yellow feathers on its underbelly.

We couldn't resist the sight of a park bench swamped with yellow alyssum which was threatening an invasion between the wooden planks. Last but not least, the Japanese ornamental cherry tree which also graces many a street in Sanse. The sight of their delicate pale pink blossoms never fails to gladden our hearts after the bareness and chill of winter.

Football crazy

Great topic this week: Passion and here's Rod Stewart singing about it! :)

It takes you to the heights of happiness and the depths of despair.

Fascinating links so looking forward to the discussion.

At the Universidad Popular Wednesday 13th April 18:30h Sala 1.1.

Spring flowers

Maribel writes

Gagea nevadensis

Narcissus nevadensis

The first flower is so tiny that people don't know its name, They say, 'Oh these? We just call them stars '
But if you read up about it you are in for a surprise.
The picture was taken in Guadarrama National Park on March 2nd
The second one is a kind of daffodil, picture taken on April 2nd in Manzanares El Real
Nevadensis means Sierra Morena.
Did these flowers come all the way to Madrid from the Sierra Nevada in Granada?
Perhaps spring loves the colour yellow. And  perhaps it loves Granada too?

Shakespeare and Cervantes 400 years later

April 5th at 19:15h
Lecturas compartidas en inglés.
Leeremos una escena de la obra de William Shakespeare El Mercader de Venecia

April 22nd 17:00h
This is a beautiful annual event that you shouldn't miss. Schoolchildren take turns to read Don Quixote in Spanish of course. Sit back and enjoy hearing all about his adventures once again.

IX LECTURA COMPARTIDA DE DON QUIJOTE DE LA MANCHA (EDICIÓN FÁCIL LECTURA) Abrirá la lectura el alcalde, Narciso Romero. Participan el Coro de la Escuela Municipal de Música y Danza, el grupo de Danza oriental del Centro Cultural Blas de Otero y el Curso de Lengua de signos de España de la Asociación Signia (Centro Actúa). Entrega de los premios del VII Concurso Escolar de Lectura en Público. Viernes 22 de abril, a partir de las 17:00 h,
Biblioteca Central San Sebastián De Los Reyes.