NERJA CAVES FESTIVAL 2002
The New Zealand soprano, Kiri Te Kanawa, one of the most important lyric voices of the moment, will open the 43rd edition of the Nerja caves festival on July 22 in this Málaga village. Kiri Te Kanawa joins the prestigious list of participants at the event from other years, made up of names such as Rostropovich, Montserrat Caballé, Ainhoa Arteta or José Carreras. July 23rd sees the chamber music of the Mompou trio, who will interpret four Zarzuela selections. A day later the María Pagés dance company will offer its show 'Flamenco Republic' and on the 15th the Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra will perform accompanied on the castanets by Lucero Tena. The National Dance Company, directed by Nacho Duato, will close the festival on the 16th and 27th, bringing together good music, and the beauty of the incomparable setting which is the Nerja Caves.

VIRGEN DE LA CAPILLA 2002
One of the most popular fiestas in Jaén is that for the Virgen de la Capilla, which each year between June 8 and 11, brings together hundreds of locals and visitors in an event which this year has the new attraction of competitions for the best bolero, patio, window bars and balcony in the town, as well as performances of Cuban music. The fiestas for la Virgen de la Capilla, the patron of Jaén, commemorate the descent of the Virgin during the night of the 10th and 11th of June 1430 to harangue the people of Jaén during the Moorish siege – it happened in the well known district of San Ildefonso in the city. Musical performances, bullfights with the grandest bullfighters, the National Spring Equestrian Competition which attracts the top jockeys, and the musical competition Lagarto Rock in the Alameda auditorium, are some of the attractions of this fair, not forgetting, of course the procession of the statue of the virgin.

MARBELLA FERIA 2002
The town of Marbella, on the Málaga coast, is well known for its luxury tourism which, especially in summer floods to its beaches and hotels. A place where luxury and tradition live together and which each year celebrates its fair in honour of its patron saint San Bernabé. From June 9 – 15, hundreds of locals and visitors will rush to celebrate these fiestas. During the day the locality's old town will offer us the so called day fair until late afternoon. And at night the party continues in the permanent fairground situated in the Avenida de las Albarizas, where the performances in the Municipal tent and the many events in the rest of the 'casetas' will continue into the early hours. The 11th, the day of San Bernabe and therefore a fiesta in Marbella, is the busiest day for the fair which we can't miss.

ALMERIA IN SHORT FILMS
This is Franco Nero, in 1965, when he starred in the film Yango, from the Italian director Sergio Corbucci. Now, 37 years later, the international film festival 'Almeria en Corto' has offered a homage to this Italian actor who remembers that at that time Almeria was the third most important international film set, after Hollywood and Cinecitá. Franco Nero has a project to make a new western, and says he would love it to be filmed in Almería. During a week, the International Short Film Festival has projected the 25 shorts selected from the 134 presented. On the jury there were actors such as Carmelo Gómez, Jorge Sanz or the director Miguel Bardem. As an end event the world premier of the latest film by Alex de la Iglesia, shot in Almería, '800 balas' was shown.

EL MAR DE ULISES IN ALMERÍA
Mosaics, Gods, amphora, and of course, boats. Everything under the title 'El Mar de Ulises' – a passionate journey through time. Ulysses' sea was the Mediterranean of mermaids, Cyclops and the gods. Now, this world fits into a marquee, and as it is in Almería, it's placed next to the port. The first surprise for the visitor is the scenery of a storm. Later, the Egyptian, Phoenician, Greek and Roman gods, the first boats made from papyrus, and the grand Phoenician ships which travelled from Tyre to Cádiz. An exhibition to get on board with Ulysses, open on the levante dyke in Almería port until June 23.

MOSAIC 'JUCIO DE PARIS'
The Roman mosaic 'The judgement of Paris', unearthed seven years ago in the Seville province locality of Casariche, is finally on show to the public in the Seville Archaeological Museum, now its restoration has been completed. The archaeologists consider the piece one of the most important of the time on the Iberian peninsula. This ten metre square polychrome mosaic, shows a scene from the Iliad in which Paris, son of the Kings of Troy, has to decide on the most beautiful between three goddesses. Paris chose Aphrodite, who in turn offered him the love of Helen, a decision which later provoked the Trojan war. The investment of more than 300,000 € from the Junta de Andalucía and several years work now allow us to contemplate the mosaic. It will remain in the Seville Archaeological Museum for five years. After that it could return to its place of origin in Casariche.

NATURAL MONUMENTS IN MÁLAGA
The province of Málaga now has five new landscapes catalogued as natural monuments by the Junta de Andalucía. They are the Artola Dunes in Marbella, the Peña de los Enamorados in Antequera, la Falla de Sierra del Camorro in Cuevas de San Marcos, the Hundidero-Gato site in Benaoján, and the well-known Fiscus de las Pelotillas tree in Fuengirola, the care and conservatoin of which will now depend on the regional Environment council. These natural spaces are in addition to the two which already exist in the province. – El Tornillo del Torcal, in Antequera, which its peculiar rock formations and the Spanish Pinsapo Fir of Las Escaleretas in the Sierra de las Nieves – one of the most singular species in Andalucía.