Cultural Autumn in Košice: Revive your senses with new exhibitions, theatre performances and workshops

Be captivated by the wonderful performances of famous and lesser-known plays and operas in the Historic Building Košice National Theatre right in the heart of the Old Town. In this late 19th-century Neo-Baroque building, you’ll be enchanted by the combination of Art Nouveau ornamentation and the main auditorium, which seats up to 575 people and boasts superb acoustics. Throughout November, at the NDKE you can look forward to well-known classics such as the ballet *Hamlet* by William Shakespeare, the operas *Tosca* by Giacomo Puccini and *Die Fledermaus* by Johann Strauss, the plays *Until the Stars Fall*, *Adventures at the Harvest Festival*, *Pygmalion*, *The School for Wives* and the ballet *The Diary of Anne Frank*.

The traditional programme will also be complemented by Milan Kolcun’s popular talk show *Bez šepkára* (*Without a Prompter*), featuring interesting guests, whilst the original production by students of the 4th year of the acting department at the Peter Dvorský and Jozef Adamovič Conservatoire, entitled ‘NOTHING’, which explores the challenges facing the younger generation.

Autumnal, overcast or rainy days are perfect for spending a long time wandering around the galleries, of which there are several in the historic centre of Košice. Head to 20 Alžbetina Street to discover local artists and their timeless art at the the Vojtech Löffler Museum , which houses a permanent exhibition from the sculptor’s collection. In keeping with the artist’s legacy, the museum regularly exhibits works by contemporary artists and hosts regular art events.

From 22 October to 28 November, you can view the exceptional exhibition *On the Art of Cooking* at the Vojtech Löffler Museum, organised in collaboration with the Scientific Library in Olomouc, showcasing the rarest culinary publications from the library’s collection over the last five hundred years. Be sure to take a look at the 1503 printed cookbook *De honesta voluptate* by the Italian humanist Bartholomeo Sacchi, as well as *The German Pantry* by Hieronymus Bock, featuring unique coloured woodcuts.

For fans of contemporary art, we recommend the current exhibition *Regarding The Pain of Others* by the artists Mária Maxová, Tamara Almáši, Marianna Franková and Sofia Blahová, which draws on the essay by the American author Susan Sontag on the objectification of the physical body from a socially critical perspective. The exhibition features large-format fabric paintings, Ionic ceramics, drawings of bodies exploring themes of body dysmorphia, and a social critique of the male objectification of women’s bodies.

Visit this magnificent Košice institution on the art gallery scene, which, as Slovakia’s first regional gallery, has been bringing inspiring exhibitions by local artists to the people of Košice and visitors since 1951. This November, the programme at Eastern Slovakia Gallery’s is truly packed – so don’t hesitate to set aside a few rainy afternoons for ‘First Wednesday of the Month for a Euro!’, Creative Labyrinth: The Mystery of Air at the VSG Studio, Five o’clock Tea with photographer Vlado Eliáš, a guided tour: Museum of Values with Alexandra Kusa, and the opening of the EXTENDED: Entangled Others – Sediment Nodes.

In addition to the permanent exhibitions *Comedy of the Spirit* and *Museum of Values – A Visual Report on Slovakia*, you can also look forward to upcoming exhibitions by Košice-based artist Peter Sceranka – *The Mystery of Air*, exploring the physical dimensions of space and a system of invisible relationships, and an exhibition by the experimental art duo EXTENDED – Feileacan Kirkbride McCormick and Sofia Crespo – *Entangled Others*, featuring *Sediment Nodes*, which explores the interconnection between active and inactive elements, and the diversity of light and colour. Do also pay special attention to the opening of *Why Design? *, an exhibition about design for the public, life, memory and the future.

Spend a colourful and fragrant autumn with your little explorers of the city’s attractions and take your children on a visit to Košice Region Puppet Theatre for some wonderful productions with lessons for young and old alike. In November, you can look forward to the classic tale of the disobedient Pinocchio, centred on the struggle between truth and lies, designed to foster critical thinking and empathy in children. In the third week of November, you can look forward to the fantastic ‘Night of the Theatres’ event, featuring a unique production and the story of a human cub – Mowgli’s life amongst the wolves and other characters from *The Jungle Book* continues to captivate audiences to this day.

Do pop into the theatre for some classic experiences from Czech literature too – the well-known series *Tales of a Dog and a Cat* will present children with stories of tolerance, respect and a sense of belonging. At the end of the month, don’t miss the wonderful opportunity to see the new premiere of *Sovič*, inspired by the book *A Bit Lost* by Irish author Chris Haughton.

Your cultural autumn wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the unique original plays at Košice’s Na Peróne Theatre, which has been renowned for decades for its productions and creative workshops. Enjoy November’s events at the venue on Zvonárska Street, which features a café where you can order sparkling drinks, Slovak wine specialities, delicious matcha and other treats to accompany the performance.

Take your youngest theatre-lovers to see the story of Lily and Momo – about a little girl and a mysterious parcel containing Momo. The play is inspired by specialist literature on autism spectrum disorder and, following the performance itself, features a fun workshop where children can make their own characters from the story.

In the middle of the month, audiences can look forward to a fantastic concert by the Belgian musician Anton Lambert, one of the founding members of the European Music Collective. Accompanied by local musicians on keyboards, accordion and wind instruments, Lambert will take you on an unforgettable musical journey on his double bass, blending acoustic and digital sounds.

In November, don’t forget to join the Spisopriatelia Literary Club for anyone keen to pursue their writing hobby in the company of like-minded friends, with interesting exercises and inspiration from experienced authors – and be sure tothe communication skills workshop ‘Nebľaboc! ’ Throughout the month, you’ll also be treated to a dystopian theatrical collage based on the short story collection of the same name, *Mastný muž 2.0*, about a society where literature becomes a suspicious activity and which fears its authors, memory and freedom.

On your autumn tour of artistic Košice, you simply cannot miss one of the oldest museums in Slovakia, founded in 1872 as the Upper Hungarian Museum. Today, its Main Building and Division Building house a permanent exhibition showcasing the Košice Gold Treasure as part of the permanent exhibition ‘The Quest for Treasure’, the monumental exhibitions ‘Experience the Baroque’ and ‘Experience the Gothic’, exhibits from the ‘Renaissance Salon’ exhibition, ‘Nature of the Carpathians ’ and ‘The Pharmacy at God’s Eye’.

Until the end of November, the the East Slovak Museum is hosting the exhibition ‘Added Value’ by the artistic duo Júlia Zelená and Igor Hrnka, as well as the captivating exhibition ‘Secrets of Women – Two Centuries of Beauty’, dedicated to the world of elegance, fashion, beauty rituals, social life over the past centuries, and the craftsmanship involved in creating jewellery and clothing.

The Košice Autumn arts programme is far from over – click on the Events Calendar and choose from a range of events to suit your taste. Take home the most wonderful cultural experiences from your travels and nurture your artistic sensibility in this vibrant city!