Venezuelan singer Franco De Vita, one of Latin America’s top pop stars, has included Panama in his current international tour, entitled "Mil y una historias" (One thousand and one stories). His concert is scheduled for Saturday, August 13 at Atlapa Convention Center.

Franco De Vita was born in Caracas in 1954. His musical inclination started after his return from Italy (his parents’ native country), where he lived between the ages of three and thriteen. After founding the rock group Icaro in 1983, De Vita went solo a year later with the album, "Franco De Vita" , which rapidly went gold and platinum with over half-a-million copies sold.

Towards 1990, De Vita’s music started to appeal to more mature audiences. His song, "No Basta", which deals with the difficult process of raising children, became a regional hit during this time.

Franco De Vita has received numerous awards throughout his 22-year career. He has received numerous Premio Lo Nuestro, MTV and Bilboard awards and has been nominated to a Grammy a number of times.

Tickets are for sale at Ticketcenter, 279-1010.

The Theatre Guild of Ancon announces its upcoming play entitled "Black Comedy", by Peter Shaffer. This hilarious comedy is a favorite of all theatre goers. Find out what happens when a poor young artist, Brindsley Miller, and his debutante girlfriend Carol, are visited by Mr. Bamberger, a famous and influential art collector. In order to impress him, they borrow antique furniture, without permission, from their neighbor Harold. Then the light goes out and the fun begins when the electrician arrives and is mistaken for the famous collector.

The play will run August 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) at 8:00 p.m. Tickets: $10.00. For reservations and more information, call: 212-0060.

The cast of "Black Comedy". Standing from left to right: Bernard Callaghan, Alec Sherman, Cassandra Joy, Robert Joy, and the director Ron Leggiere. Seated: Lily Sherman, Amit Nathani, Rosa Altrio. Absent: Liborio García-Correa.

Hundreds of athletes from all parts of Panama, and not a few international runners, will take part in Panama City’s 28th Annual International Marathon, a race departing from the Rommel Fernández Stadium in Juan Díaz on Monday, August 8, at 6:00 a.m.

The event is one of the annual activities marking the capital city’s anniversary (August 15). This year, Panama City will celebrate its 486th anniversary.

For more information, call (507) 236-8332

The rich elements of Panama's folklore (Hispanic, African and Native American) will be displayed in full splendor during Gala Folklórica, an extravaganza at Panama City's National Theater July 30-31 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: $25, $20, $15, $10 and $5, for sale at Hotel El Panama, located on Vía España. The National Theater is located in the city's Old Quarter (San Felipe). For more information, call the National Institute of Culture (INAC), 211-4013.

The National Concert Association invites visitors to a special classical music recital at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the city of Penonomé on August 13 at 7:30 p.m. The event will mark the conclusion of a workshop for string instrument players (August 8-12).

One of the most prestigious musical organizations in Panama, the National Concert Association organizes an annual calendar of classical music performances featuring renowned international musicians and supports a number of programs to stimulate the talent of young musicians.

The city of Penonomé, the provincial capital of Coclé, is a two-hours' drive from Panama City and is close to the mountain resort community of El Valle and the country's most popular string of Pacific-coast beaches.

The Quiroga String Quartet, a violin, viola and cello ensemble, has been invited to Panama by the National Concert Association to offer a recital on Wednesday, August 10 at the National Theater at 8:00 p.m. Works by Bach, Bartok and Schumann will be included in the program.

The Quiroga Quartet was created to honor the membory of Manuel Quiroga (1892-1961), one of the most outstanding Spanish violinists of the 20th century. Directed by Charles-André Linale, the group’s members were part of the former Ensemble Utopía. Their names are: Cibrán Sierra,violín; Aitor Hevia, violín; Lander Extebarria, viola , and Elena Escalza, cello.

The ensemble has won important competitions in Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands and the United States. Its members are currently continuing their education at Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía, under the tutorship of professor Rainer Schmidt.

Tickets cost $30.00 ($15.00 for musicians and $5.00 for students), for sale at the National Concert Association. Call: 214-7236.

Hotel El Panama recently hosted a Culinary Week to mark the national holiday of the Republic of Colombia (Jul. 20) and closed the activity with a special party featuring Colombian folklore dance troups and a number of invited guests, including Miss Colombia 2005, seen here in the photograph below.

The Colombian community in Panama is large. Many of its members have fostered major projects and developments in the country's tourist and commercial sectors in recent years.

A pair of beautiful Colombian visitors.

Take a stroll through the banking district of Panama City any day at closing time and it will be evident that Panama is well-endowed with beautiful girls.

This fact is recognised every year by. The Banking Association, a normally austere and serious body which sponsors a beauty (and brains) contest among the city’s banks.

This year’s queen is María Eugenia Ducasa, a 24-year-old administrative assistant at the international transfer department of Banistmo. Ducasa was crowned in a gala ceremony at Atlapa Convention Center after competing against representatives of ten banks: Banco Continental, Global Bank, Banco General, Credicorp Bank, Banistmo, Bac Panamá, Citibank, N.A., Banco Atlántico, Banco Cuscatlán Panamá, Caja de Ahorros and Banco Nacional.

María Eugenia holds a university degree in business administration with emphasis in marketing.

One of the largest in Latin America, Panama's banking center is one of the most important pillars of the country's economy, comprising over 80 national and international banks.