The curtain rises on Bangkok’s 19th International Festival of Dance and Music next month with two performances by the Ekaterinburg Ballet and Opera Theatre, one of the oldest ballet theatres in Russia.

The company will present the world premiere of the two-act “Katya and the Prince of Siam” on September 11 and a three-act “Cinderella” on September 13, both at the Thailand Cultural Centre.

Recognised as the keeper of Russian and international ballet traditions, the Ekaterinburg Ballet and Opera Theatre has been honoured with eleven Golden Mask awards, most recently in April.

The company’s foundation was laid in the early 20th century with its first staging of “The Magic Flute”. Ever since, a host of distinguished Russian choreographers – among them Leonid Yakobson, Pyotr Gusev, Yuri Grigorovich, Igor Belsky, Nikolai Boyarchikov, Oleg Vinogradov, Natalia Kasatkina and Vladimir Vasilyov – have worked ceaselessly at perfecting its capabilities.

The company began its contemporary history in 2011 with choreographer Vyacheslav Samodurov taking over as ballet director. Today its repertoire features Russian classics and original works created by Vyacheslav Samodurov for the ballet.

The Ekaterinburg marked the advent of the 21st century by continuing to reconstruct the ballets of Petipa, a process that began at the Mariinsky Theatre.

It also encourages new talent with “Dance-Platform” – a choreography workshop whose best works are presented onstage.

The world premiere of the new “Katya and the Prince of Siam” on September 11 will feature music by Pavel Ovsyannikov and a libretto by Yana Temiz.

The romantic tale has the handsome Prince Chakrabongse being sent by his father, the King of Siam, to train with Russia’s elite Page Corps. There he encounters a local beauty, Katya, and falls in love.

Choreographed by Vasily Medvedev, an Honoured Artist of Estonia, the dancing speaks of their love and their shared pain as they bridge the cultural divide.

Interestingly, the ballet also incorporates elements of Thai classical dance.

Playing Katya is principal dancer Ekaterina Sapogova, whose several awards include gold medals in the 2012 All-Russia Competition and last year’s Ekaterina Maksimova Fourteenth Open Russian Competition.

The prince is essayed by Kirill Popov, also a principal dancer.

Conducted by Mikhail Granovski of the Bolshoi Theatre, the ballet promises a perfect evening devoted to culture.

The next offering is “Cinderella” on September 13. Sergei Prokofiev composed this sparkling score between 1940 and 1944 and it has since become beloved as the ultimate in fairytale romance.

A full-scale production, it is choreographed by Vladimir Vasiliev, former principal dancer of the Bolshoi Theatre Ballet.

The production is also distinguished by its extravagant sets and spectacular costumes, both designed by the award-winning Vyacheslav Okunev from St Petersburg. An honoured People’s Artist of Russia, Okunev is design director at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in his hometown, art director of the Mariinsky Theatre, State Prize winner of the Republics of Moldova, Belarus and Kazakhstan and winner of the top Golden Light Stand of St Petersburg.

He has designed more than 350 opera and ballet productions at leading theatres including Teatro alla Scala, Arena di Verona, Teatro Lirico di Cagliari (all in Italy), the Royal Theatre in Glasgow, the Vienna and Berlin state opera houses, the National Opera of Greece, the national theatres of Seoul and Tokyo, and the New York City Ballet.

The two Bangkok performances also mark 120 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Russia.

The festival is supported by the Crown Property Bureau, Bangkok Bank, Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, BMW Thailand, B Grimm Group, Dusit Thani Bangkok, Indorama Ventures, Ministry of Culture, Nation Group, PTT, Singha Corp, Thai Airways International and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Katya awaits

– Seats are available at http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com and (02) 262 3191.

– Find out more at http://www.BangkokFestivals.com.

Heineken launched its new campaign to take fans of the popular Dutch beer brand on a journey beyond music with a party last Saturday night at Rockademy.
The Live Access campaign is certainly getting off on the right foot by taking three lucky individuals to experience with “Mysteryland”, an electronic music festival in Haarlem, about 20 kilometres from Amsterdam over the August 26-27 weekend.
“It’s fair to say that Heineken is not only offering its fans music to listen to, but also unprecedented and unrivalled music experiences that tick all the right boxes and suit all tastes,” Pattapanee Ekahitanond, Heineken marketing manager at TAP Group, Heineken’s distributor in Thailand, told XP.

“While music activities in 2017 have become somewhat repetitive and routine, Heineken continues to elevate its music experience offerings to another level with the launch of ‘Heineken Live Access’, which will take some lucky fans to experience Mysteryland, a premier global music festival held annually in the Netherlands.”
The high-energy Mysteryland is on the bucket list of almost all festivalgoers. Its distinct theme is all about “Peace, Love, and Music” while the vast venue of the festival allows audiences to loosen up, be entertained, and enjoy a truly superior music experience.
Mysteryland is celebrating its 24th edition and offering 250 DJ’s and live acts spread over several stages with a wide variety of styles, with performances by the leading artists in house, techno, deep house, hard style, hardcore, drum ’n bass, hiphop, trance, trap and disco. Each part of this musical journey is set against a surreal backdrop of state-of-heart stage designs. Artists participating this year include Deadmau5, Alesso, Armin van Buuren, Axwell A Ingrosso, Above & Beyond, Alok, Charming Horses, Yellow Claw, Benny Rodrigues, Digital Farm Animals, and Made in June.
Wongsatorn Kwantham, aka DJ Map, served as emcee during the launch party, introducing local personalities rapper Patsarakorn “Pok” Chirathivat, model Kanticha “Ticha” Chumma as a fashionista and model, and party organiser Trasher Bangkok, who will be heading to Amsterdam along with the three winners.

“First, we are very thankful that we were chosen as the Thailand representatives and are really looking forward to sharing our experiences from the Mysteryland festival with everyone in Thailand. We hope to be inspired by this uncompromising music experience for our upcoming parties, which we promise will be more different, entertaining, and exciting,” said the leader of the Trasher Bangkok Group.
“I’m very happy to take part in this journey with the Heineken Live Access campaign. The idea of taking a trip with Heineken is magnificent. I love travelling, particularly to attend music festivals, and I always get inspired when I travel abroad. So I’m sure that this trip will be tremendously inspirational in helping me to keep making and improving my music,” Pok Patsarakorn added.
“I’m very excited as I’ve heard of this amazing music festival for a very long time and I have to thank Heineken for initiating this exclusive campaign. Personally, I have a tremendous passion for fashion and showing distinctive styles. I believe that going to a music festival in a perfect outfit will help take the festival to another level. Mysteryland is definitely going to bring together a cool and fashionable group of people so I can’t wait to look sharp for this event and proudly represent both Thais and Heineken,” noted Ticha.

Access to the stage

– Be part of the Heineken Live Access campaign at Mysteryland over August 26 and 27 at Facebook.com/Heineken and instagram@heineken_th.

Krisda Kamolvarinthip, marketing director of Pernod Ricard (Thailand), introduced the campaign during the 20th anniversary celebration of Gourmet Market.

The Gourmet Market World Best Taste 2017 event was honored by chefs Carlos Afonso, Pepe Lopez, Dominique Villenave, Jess Barn, Patharawarin Timkul, and Julian G Davies from Thammachart Seafood, all of whom made special dishes for this special occasion on three themes. Joining them for the gustatory event at Helix Garden, The EmQuartier, were celebrities Pimpisa Chamanan, Preechanan Chamanan and Wanchana Eiampikul.

The Latino Fiesta theme had chef Afonso cooking up Iberico with White Asparagus using Portuguese Iberico ham, treated for 40 months, and the best white asparagus from Peru, served with Jacob’s Creek Shiraz Rose. He also prepared Grilled Sausages using Portuguese sausages, served with Jacob’s Creek Grenache Shiraz. Michelin Star chef Pepe Lopez, meanwhile, presented Paella in three variations – the Rubia with curry powder and tiger prawn, the Morena with squid ink and dried fish flakes, and the Peliroja, with mussels and clams, served with Jacob’s Creek Grenache Shiraz.

The second theme, European Foodival, saw chef Villenave from France prepare Pasta in Cheese Wheel, made with fresh Italian pasta and Grana Padano cheese from Galbani, served with Jacob’s Creek Cool Harvest Unoaked Chardonnay. Chef May Patharawarin made Charolais Beef Steak, using premium Charolais beef from France, served with Jacob’s Creek Reserve Cabernet, and Bread Pudding Blueberry served with Cocktail Forget Me Not by Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Moscato Rose. Chef Barnes presented Grilled Dorper Lamb, using the best grass-fed Australian lamb, served with Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Shiraz.

The third theme, Feasts of the East, saw the Tsukiji Market from Japan brought to Bangkok with Yakara fish, Taraba crab, and Suwaji crab all going into fresh sushi and sashimi. Kyoho grapes, the best grapes of this season, were also featured in this event. Chef Julian from Thammachart Seafood created the dishes, served with Jacob’s Creek Cool Harvest Sauvignon Blanc.

Jacob’s Creek Our Table runs from today to August 23, 2017 at Gourmet Market at Siam Paragon, The EmQuartier and The Emporium. For more information, visit Facebook Jacob’s Creek #OurTable #JacobsCreekTH

The company has teamed up with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), regional cancer hospitals under the Department of Medical Services and the Bangkok Hospital Group in continuing the “Wacoal cares for your breasts. Mammogram saves your life.” campaign, offering VIP cards for free mammogram and ultrasound examination for the eighth consecutive year.

The campaign is part of the Wacoal Pink Ribbon breast cancer awareness campaign that has continued for 17 years to help keep Thai women safe from the disease.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer found in Thai women, Wacoal Pink Ribbon aims to make women realise the importance of regular breast self-exams as well as receiving mammogram and ultrasound exams which are considered the most effective way to screen for breast cancer to date because they can detect breast cancer as small as two millimetres in diameter, an early stage with no noticeable symptoms. Women aged 35 years and older should undergo such screenings every year. If they have a family history of breast cancer or immediate family affected by the disease, they should receive screenings every year from the age of 30 onwards.

Wacoal now offers VIP mammogram and ultrasound examination cards to His & Her card members who purchase Wacoal lingerie products worth a combined total of Bt12,000 between July 1 and October 31. The special privilege in this year’s campaign is that the customers can choose to receive the examinations themselves or pass on the card to their loved one for use, or donate the card to the underprivileged people as part of the NCI’s Charity Mammogram activity.

The VIP card holders can receive breast cancer screening until December 31, 2017 at 28 participating medical institutions, including the National Cancer Institute, regional cancer hospitals, Bangkok Hospitals (except Bangkok Hospital Samui, Bangkok Hospital Surat and Bangkok Muangraj Hospital) and Samitivej Hospitals (except Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital).

For more information, call (02) 296 9979.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that deficiency in a key molecule among pregnant women stopped embryos and babies’ organs from developing correctly in the womb, but could be treated by taking the dietary supplement vitamin B3, also known as niacin.

“Now, after 12 years of research, our team has also discovered that this deficiency can be cured and miscarriages and birth defects prevented by taking a common vitamin,” said Sally Dunwoodie, a biomedical researcher at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.

“The ramifications are likely to be huge. This has the potential to significantly reduce the number of miscarriages and birth defects around the world, and I do not use those words lightly.”

Health Minister Greg Hunt hailed the study as a “historic medical breakthrough”.

“Today’s announcement provides new hope to the one in four pregnant women who suffer a miscarriage,” Hunt said Thursday, citing Australian data.

“And with 7.9 million babies around the world currently being born with birth defects every year, this breakthrough is incredible news.”

The scientists used genetic sequencing on families suffering from miscarriages and birth defects and found gene mutations that affected production of the molecule, NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide).

With Vitamin B3 — found in meat and vegetables — needed to make NAD, they tested the effect of taking the supplement on developing mice embryos that had similar NAD deficiencies as human ones, and found a significant change.

“Before vitamin B3 was introduced into the (mice) mother’s diet, embryos were either lost through miscarriage or the offspring were born with a range of severe birth defects,” the Victor Chang Institute said in a statement.

“After the dietary change, both the miscarriages and birth defects were completely prevented, with all the offspring born perfectly healthy.”

The researchers said the next step was to develop a test to measure NAD levels to identify which women were most at risk from having a baby with a birth defect, and to then ensure they had sufficient Vitamin B3.

They added that current vitamin supplements for pregnant women might not contain sufficient levels of Vitamin B3.

The study was funded by the Australian government as well as private donations.

Yet understanding a nutrition label could allow us to make quick, informed choices, improve your diet and give us a longer, healthier life.

Susan Bowerman, director of Nutrition Training at Herbalife, a registered dietician and a specialist in sports dietetics explains the information found in food packages and says that getting familiar with the serving size is the first step in decoding the nutrition facts label.

“The nutrition food label can provide you with lots of useful information, provided you know how to read it correctly,” she explains, and provides three steps to make ensure you have the right nutritional information on what you are about to eat.

>> Portion Size

Many people assume, often incorrectly, that small packs of cookies, crackers or chips, or moderately sized beverage containers are single servings. But that isn’t always the case.

The current official serving size of a soft drink is about 250ml. But many drinks come in much larger cans and bottles, and they might contain two or more servings. So, if you drink a bottle of green tea, you’ll be drinking two servings. And that means you’ll need to double all the information on the nutrition facts panel (like the calories and the sugar content, for instance) to figure out how much you’ve taken in.

Similarly, for labelling purposes, a serving of potato chips is 30 grams, which is only about 15 chips. But if you’re eating out of a large bag, chances are you’re eating several servings. So, be mindful that you could easily finish a whole bag without realising that it actually contains multiple servings!

>> Nutrients, cholesterol and fibre

Labelling for protein, fat and carbohydrate content is also provided on a per-serving basis. Same goes for sugar, fibre, cholesterol and sodium. As with the example above, you need to know how many servings you’re consuming so you can estimate your intake of these nutrients accurately.

Keep in mind that the total carbohydrate that’s listed includes all forms of carbohydrate – starch, sugar and fibre. Below that number you’ll find separate listings for fibre and sugar. The listing for sugar lumps together both added sugars as well as naturally occurring sugars (like the natural sugar in milk or fruit). So, it’s not always easy to tell where the sugar is coming from without looking at the actual ingredients list.

There is a move in the US to change the Nutrition Facts label to make reading easier. Starting July 26, 2018, all labels should include a separate line for “added sugars” to distinguish them from the naturally occurring ones. Hopefully, Thailand will soon adopt this measure as well.

% Daily Value

The other thing you’ll see on the label is a column with “% Daily Value.” Daily Values are standard recommended levels of intake for various nutrients that are established by the Thai Food and Drug Administration for use on food labels. The information in this column tells you what percentage of the intake for each nutrient is found in one serving, compared with the daily recommended level. Keep in mind that these values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, which means they may not apply to everyone. But even if a 2,000 calorie diet doesn’t apply to you, you can easily use the % Daily Value to calculate the nutrients that you will get from eating a particular food.

“Nutrition Facts labels can really help to guide you to make better choices—as long as you are able to compare the amounts of food you are actually eating to the serving sizes that are listed on the package,” says Bowerman.

With the increasing use of robotic surgery, 3D printing, implantable devices, use of automation and artificial intelligence in clinical settings and other digital innovations for prevention, monitoring, and treatment across Southeast Asia, the fair will showcase some of the most innovative products and trending solutions.

Another focus will be Rehabilitative Care and Connected Care in line with the needs of today’s highest healthcare spenders – the ageing population.

Eighteen national pavilions with first-time official country representations from Canada, India, European Union, Russia and the Netherlands will be present at the fair. The presence of the European Union Business Avenues Pavilion with 50 companies especially reflects the increased interest of international market players in Southeast Asia’s medical industry.

Others highlights include:

>> The 3rd Advanced Rehab Technology Conference (ARTeC), which will take place from September 6-7, with topics centred on technological solutions for the ageing population. Speakers from leading institutions such as MIT and Fujita Health University will discuss robotic rehabilitation, sarcopenia in the elderly, neurorehabilitation and others.

>> A seminar on the importance of biomedical engineering as a Thai professional qualification: Organised by the Thai Association for Medical Instrumentation, it will bring together speakers from related agencies to explain BME professional qualifications and standards.

Other seminars are: “Digital Imaging in Radiology and Patient Safety” by the Radiological Society of Thailand, “CIO Forum” by the Thai Medical Informatics Association, and the “Interinstitute Conference” by the Thai Gynecologic Cancer Society.

The Taiwan Medical Device Business Matchmaking event organised by the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries Promotion Office under the Ministry of Economic Affair of Taiwan, and the Taiwan Medical and Biotech Industry Association, will allow visitors to explore business opportunities and develop partnerships across Taiwan’s medical device industry.

Find out more at t http://www.MedicalFair-Thailand.com.

Couples can fuse luxury with natural elements for a dream wedding in the hotel’s unique oasis at the heart of the city. Engaged couples booking on the day will be rewarded with a host of benefits for their wedding day, including the opportunity to win a trip to Anantara Maldives for a spectacular honeymoon.

From cake decoration to exquisite garden displays, each stall provides advice and details to enhance your event. Speak to an expert team about your day and let them take the stress out of planning. Visit a range of venues decorated in garden splendour to choose your ideal location for your big day. Special treats will be on hand prepared by the hotel’s chefs to give you ideas for your wedding feast. And newlyweds can spend the night together in one of the hotel’s suites.

Book a wedding on the day and receive special benefits of a two-night stay at the beachside Anantara Mui Ne Resort in Vietnam. Simply pay a deposit of Bt150,000 or more to choose your privileges.

For more information, call (02) 126 8866 or email catering.asia@anantara.com.

 Developed specifically for undergraduate university students in Thailand, the contest offers budding executives from all faculties the opportunity to develop, present and possibly even implement a genuine business strategy for an international hotel group – and win a trip to Tokyo.

Students from universities across the Kingdom are invited to form teams (maximum four students per team) and create a digital business plan that can be used by Best Western Hotels & Resorts in real life. These plans should be submitted to the hotel group by video and the best strategies – based on factors including creative thinking, budget control and presentation skills – will be selected to take part in a live final event, where the teams will present their ideas in person to a panel of expert judges, including Best Western’s top regional executives, in an apprentice-style environment.

The successful team will win a holiday for all four people to Tokyo, including flights and a three-night stay at Best Western Tokyo Nishikasai Grande. The runners up will be rewarded with a trip to Phuket, including flights and accommodation at Best Western Patong Beach. Other prizes will be awarded to all the finalists, and every team that enters will gain valuable business experience.

“Best Western understands how important it is for students to gain practical experience before they enter the workplace,” says Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s managing director of International Operations – Asia, who will be one of the judges at the live final event.

“This new contest provides a great way for students in the latter stages of their university courses to test their theoretical knowledge in a real-life working environment. We look forward to seeing what ideas the students come up with, and I’m confident we’ll receive some ingenious, creative and professional business plans.”

The contest gets underway on August 15 and student teams will be able to download the registration form at http://www.BwDreamsComeTrue.com. All business plan entries (video and written) must be email to asiamarketing@bestwestern.com by September 25. Only five teams will progress to the live final, which will be held at Best Western Plus Wanda Grand Hotel on October 19. This contest is open to third and fourth year students only

Surprise your mom with a mini-gateway and enjoy an extra 12-per-cent discount on top of current room promotions when booking online with the promo code LUVMOM17 at http://www.WellHotelBangkok.com. The room rates start from Bt2,374-plus for Superior Room, Bt2,803-plus for Deluxe Room and Bt5,063-plus for Executive Suite, including breakfast. Guests can book a room until the end of month for any stay before September 30.

The hotel is a short walk from BTS Asoke and MRT Sukhumvit and has 235 rooms and suites, divided into five room types: Superior, Superior Corner, Deluxe, Executive and Executive Suite. The two latter room types are equipped with an exercise bike, yoga, Pilates and resistance exercise set.

During the day you can treat your mum to a treatment at Well Spa, which is offering a “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” promotion throughout the month.

Family members can gather Eat Well Cafe and get a 50-per-cent discount on food and a free mini jasmine tree. The promotion is available only on August 12 from 11.30am to 10.30pm.

Make reservations by calling (02) 127 5995 or email dinings@wellhotelbangkok.com.