Santiago, January 4, 2013.-\u00a0<\/strong>Santiago a Mil celebrates 20 years with an invasion of the performing arts in the city which will include over 80 free events in twenty communes of the Metropolitan Region. This year free shows will be held in Santiago, El Bosque, Cerrillos, La Cisterna, Conchali, Las Condes, La Granja, Independencia, Isla de Maipo, Maipu, Melipilla, Pedro Aguirre Cerda, Pe\u00f1alolen, Lo Prado, Providencia, Puente Alto, Quilicura, Recoleta, San Joaquin and Talagante.<\/p>\n

Street shows have been one of the central elements of the Festival since its commencement in 1994. \u201cSantiago a Mil began in the context of the return of democracy in Chile. We had the urge to take to the public space, to set up a party for the citizenry there. Today we continue wishing to convert the streets into meeting places that would allow persons to have access to excellent shows\u201d Carmen Romero, Director General of the Santiago a Mil Festival, pointed out.<\/p>\n

For her part, Maria Olivia Recart, Vice President of External Affairs of Minera Escondida (operated by BHP Billiton), explained that \u201cMinera Escondida recognizes culture as the fundamental pillar for development of the country. That is the reason why 14 years ago we began an uninterrupted alliance with the Santiago a Mil Festival.\u00a0 This January of 2013 over 80 free events will be presented in 20 communes of the Metropolitan Region, thus bringing performing rights closer to a familiar and diverse audience that does not always have access to this type of activities. For them to live this experience is a unique opportunity to expand their vision of the world. We hope that thousands of persons would enjoy this free program in Santiago; and in Iquique and Antofagasta\u201d.<\/p>\n

Activities will begin today Friday the 4^{th<\/sup>\u00a0at the Plaza de Armas de Talagante at 20:30 hours, with\u00a0Entre Gallos y medianoche,\u00a0<\/em>work directed by the winner of the Premio Nacional de Teatro de la Representacion, Ramon Nunez and co-production of Fundaci\u00f3n Teatro a Mil.<\/p>\n}

The Festival is a project covered under the Ley de Donaciones Culturales (Cultural Donations Act), presented by Minera Escondida (operated by BHP Billiton), organized by Fundaci\u00f3n Teatro a Mil and supported by the Consejo Nacional de la Cultura y las Artes (National Culture and Arts Council).\u00a0 For the third consecutive year, the main venue of the Santiago a Mil Festival will be the Gabriela Mistral Center.<\/p>\n

International Shows<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shows from Australia, France, Spain, Mexico, Portugal, Poland, Brazil and China will be presented throughout January at different communes of the Metropolitan Region.<\/p>\n

With an explosion of senses in the heart of Santiago, on Saturday January 5 at 21:00 hours the free street program (or communes) will officially start with the presentation of Las Jirafas (The Giraffes), passacaglia under the charge of the French Compagnie Off. The show, which will begin its run at Plaza de Armas, includes circus performers, live opera and pyrotechnics to relate the love story between a tamer and a diva. Las Jirafas will also perform in Puente Alto (Monday 7), in Providencia (Tuesday 8), Melipilla (Thursday 10), Recoleta (Monday 14) and Las Condes (Tuesday 15).<\/p>\n

Compagnie Off will also perform the \u201ctinoprocesion\u201d called \u201cLas ruedas de colores\u201d\u00a0<\/em>(The Color Wheels),\u00a0<\/em>passacaglia which will invade the communes of San Joaquin (Sunday 6), Pe\u00f1alolen (Wednesday 9) and Santiago (Friday 11) with color and music. Also from France \u2013 country which is the guest of honor of the XX staging of the Festival \u2013 will be Tarek Atoui with his show\u00a0Metastable Circuit 2,\u00a0<\/em>a performance of sound poetry that will be performed at Pedro Aguirre Cerda (Thursday 17), Providencia (Friday 18) and in Santiago, at the Metro Baquedano (Saturday 16) and at the Centro GAM (Sunday 20).<\/p>\n

From Mexico there will be the Los Camotes de la Sierra group which is also a part of the Tocatas Mil. They will perform free at the cultural centers of San Joaquin (Friday 18) and at La Granja (Sunday 20), on collection of invitations. Meanwhile, the Brazilians of the Grupo Galpao will show its street version of\u00a0Romeo and Juliet\u00a0<\/em>at the Parque Quinta Normal\u00a0<\/em>(18, 19 and 20 of January).<\/p>\n

From Spain come\u00a0Dominio p\u00fablico\u00a0<\/em>(Public Domain) and\u00a0El druida de Jagul<\/em>\u00a0(The Druid of Jagul).\u00a0<\/em>The first, directed by Roger Bernat, proposes a theater without actors that will be performed at the Plaza de Armas de Santiago (Sunday 6), at the Centro GAM (Monday 7), Lo Prado (Friday 11) and at San Joaquin (Saturday 12).\u00a0\u00a0El druida de Jagul\u00a0<\/em>is a most playful passacaglia that will be performed with live music at Pedro Aguirre Cerda (Friday 11), Quilicura (Saturday 12) and Cerrillos (Sunday 13).<\/p>\n

The Osmego Dnia Company (Poland) returns to Santiago a Mil to perform\u00a0El tiempo de las madres<\/em>\u00a0(The Time for Mothers) a show filled with metaphors to reflect and pay tribute to mothers that lose their sons.\u00a0 Its events are scheduled at the Museo de la Memoria (Metro Quinta Normal), from January 16 \u2013 19.<\/p>\n

The Beijing Opera-Essence of Chinese Culture, from the Beijing Opera Group of Nanking brings together traditional Chinese arts in a show that will be presented at La Granja (Wednesday 9), at Lo Prado (Thursday 10), La Cisterna (Friday 11), San Joaquin (Sunday 13), Providencia (Tuesday 15), Puente Alto (Wednesday 16), Melipilla (Thursday 17), Pe\u00f1alolen (Friday 18) and Las Condes (Saturday 19).<\/p>\n

The Australian Snuff Puppets come with its work\u00a0Human Body Parts<\/em>, playful intervention with giant body parts (eye, hand, foot and mouth) that will interact with the public in Santiago (Monday 7), Las Condes (Tuesday 8), Puente Alto (Wednesday 9), Recoleta (Thursday 10), Melipilla (Friday 11), Lo Prado (Monday 14), Quilicura (Tuesday 15), La Granja Wednesday 16), Independencia (Thursday 17) and Conchali (Friday 18).<\/p>\n

Also from Australia, Strange Fruit will present\u00a0Swoon<\/em>\u00a0that will surprise the audience with their flexible 4.5 meter poles.\u00a0 The show will be presented in Maipu (Wednesday 16), Recoleta (Friday 18) and finally in Santiago, at the Parque Forestal facing the Museo de Bellas Artes, on Saturday 19.<\/p>\n

The Mexican trio\u00a0Camotes de la Sierra<\/em>\u00a0will delight those who go to La Granja (Sunday 20) and San Joaquin (Friday 18) with its music. And finally from Portugal comes singer\u00a0Lula Pena<\/em>, described as one of the best contemporary voices of fado and Portuguese music.\u00a0 The performance will be in San Joaquin (Monday 14).<\/p>\n

Those interested in attending both concerts must collect their invitations at the same venues where the singers will perform.<\/p>\n

Chilean in the Street<\/strong><\/p>\n

The work\u00a0Entre Gallos y Medianoche\u00a0<\/em>(At an Unearthly Time)\u00a0<\/strong>which\u00a0<\/em>will take place in Talagante (Friday 4) and in Quilicura (Saturday 19) will add six montages that will captivate the audience in attendance.<\/p>\n

La Victoria de Victor\u00a0<\/em>(The Victory of Victor), from the La Patriotico Interesante Company is a montage inspired by the life and work of Victor Jara that was part of the Ciclo Memoria 1973-2013. The work will have a performance in Santiago scheduled for Friday 18.<\/p>\n

Cerca de Moscu\u00a0<\/em>(Close to Moscow), directed by Paulina Garcia, is a 2013 co-production of the Fundaci\u00f3n Teatro a Mil (Fitam) and presents a re-writing of two works of Anton Chejov. \u00a0This premiere will be at the Museo de Arte Contemporanea de Quinta Normal, from January 8 \u2013 20, excepting January 14. Invitations for this work are sold out. Other co-production of Fitam for 2012,\u00a0Sobre la cuerda floja\u00a0<\/em>(On the Tightrope), from the Teatro Milagros Company, will be presented free in Talagante (Sunday 20). The piece relates the story of a man that just became a widower and is awaiting the visit of his little granddaughter.<\/p>\n

Brigadas\u00a0<\/em>(Brigades), directed by Claudia Echenique, captures the history of urban mural art will be at Pedro Aguirre Cerda (Monday 7), Recoleta (Tuesday 8), La Cisterna (Wednesday 9), Puente Alto (Saturday 12), Pe\u00f1alolen (Sunday 13), Melipilla (Monday 14) and San Joaquin (Tuesday 15).<\/p>\n

In the meantime,\u00a0Poblacion Arenera,\u00a0<\/em>from the Caldo con Enjundia Teatro Company, presents a story that takes place in the 1940s in a locality in Santiago.\u00a0 This work will be performed at Independencia (Wednesday 9), Isla de Maipo (Friday 11), Lo Prado (Saturday 12), La Granja (Sunday 13), El Bosque (Tuesday 15), Pe\u00f1alolen (Wednesday 16), Santiago (Thursday 17), Melipilla (Friday 18) and Puente Alto (Saturday 19).<\/p>\n

Finally, a show for the entire family is the assurance from the company Empresa de Circo Pacheco-Kaulen y hermanos with Circo A\u2019Onde, a small scale circus show that will be performed at the Teatro Municipal de San Joaquin (Friday 11) and at Pedro Aguirre Cerda (25 January).<\/p>\n

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Las Jirafas debuts at the Plaza de Armas de Santiago to officially kick off a complete street program.