Lecture Synopsis

The Art of Ballet

Ballet originated in the Italian Renaissance courts in the 15th century and when Catherine Medici an Italian noblewoman married the French King Henry II in 1533, she brought Ballet to the French court. A century later, King Louis XIV, a passionate dancer, popularised and standardised the art form and in 1661 he founded the Royal Academy of Dance.

The popularity of ballet soared in Russia in the late 19th century when Russian choreographers and composers took it to new heights. And in the early 20th century, Sergei Diaghilev went beyond the confines of classical ballet fusing together the latest in art, music and dance in spectacles that dazzled and astonished audiences around the world.

George Balanchine changed ballet even further when he created neo-classical ballet and he was the greatest innovator of the contemporary “plotless” ballet. Today, ballet is multi-faceted.Classical forms, traditional stories and contemporary innovations intertwine to produce the character of modern ballet.

 In this lecture we will take an exciting and colourful look at ballet from its origins to modern day ballet bringing it alive with video clips and music as well as stills.

The Ballet Russes - When Art Danced with Music

When Diaghilev created ballet in the west in the early twentieth century, he brought extraordinary revolutionary energy from Russia. By bringing together talented artists of different disciplines; choreographers, dancers, musicians, designers and painters; Fokine,Nijinsky, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Picasso and Coco Chanel to name but a few, Diaghilev fused the latest in art, music and dance in spectacles that dazzled and astonished audiences around the world. The dream Diaghilev created of dance joining hands with the other creative disciplines to create a total work of art changed the course of ballet forever.

Using stills and video clips we take an exciting look at the Ballets Russes that dominated the ballet stages of the world from its explosion in Paris in 1909 until Diaghilev’s death in 1929.

The Art of Modern Dance

This lecture looks at the explosion of modern dance that took place during the 20th century after Isadora Duncan introduced a new free flowing form of dance at the turn of the century. Modern dance pioneers included Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman and these in turn were succeeded by post WW2 choreographers such as Merce Cunningham who broke the rules paving the way for post-modern dance from the 1960s, We’ll also take a look at hiphop, street dancing, jazz and some extraordinary site specific works that take us up to the present time.

In all these lectures, we’ll take an exciting and colourful look at the different forms of dance bringing it alive with video clips and music as well as stills.

Our Lecturer

Jennifer Toynbee-Holmes is an experienced guide at Tate Britain and Tate Modern and lectures at various art societies and institutions. She has a special interest in British art of the late 18th, 19th and early 20th century.

Having gained an MA in film and television practice, Jennifer had a long-standing career spanning fifteen years as a television producer/director making documentaries and factual programmes for the BBC including ‘Tomorrow’s World’,ITV and Channel 4. 

She was also a visiting lecturer at Goldsmiths College and Birkbeck: University of London and a senior lecturer at Southampton Solent University in the Faculty of Media, Arts and Society.

Old Peking was an Imperial city of walls and palaces, dominated by the Forbidden City, narrow lanes called hutongs and sacred rituals at the Temple of Heaven. Suzhou (once known as Soochow) is an ancient city of culture with canals, gardens - such as the picturesque Master of the Nets garden, pagodas and tea-houses. Shanghai is a city of the river, a vibrant architectural synthesis of East and West. Discover the history of three unique cities of China.

Lecture 1, Beijing – is a majestic capital city of walls, power and secrets situated close to the ancient Great Wall of China. It was the seat of power of two Imperial Dynasties: the Ming and the Qing and is the site of the Forbidden City - the palace of the Emperors from the early 15th century to the abdication of the Last Emperor of China in 1911. This former Imperial palace is now a vast museum – a walled compound visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, adjacent to Tiananmen Square where Chairman Mao reviewed his army. The lecture focuses on old Beijing, the monumental palace at its heart and the symbolism of symmetry which characterised the structure of the city and its traditional architecture of courtyard houses. We will look at ancient monuments such as the Temple of Heaven, the remnants of the old city wall and the traditional lane houses called hutongs

Lecture 2, Suzhou: the land south of China’s mighty Yangtze  river is a fertile region of canals, ancient villages and cities, including Suzhou, well-known for its classical gardens. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) it was home to members of China’s literati class of scholar gentry, former civil servants or mandarins who practised painting, calligraphy and poetry composition. They savoured the companionship of tea-drinking and collecting antiques whilst appreciating the pierced rockwork, carp pools, bamboo and seasonal flowers in their gardens. Good Confucians serving their Emperor as officials, they dreamed of Daoist mountain retreats in retirement. The lecture explores the white-washed canal-side domestic architecture of this beautiful city with its temples, markets and gardens such as the Master of the Nets and Humble Administrator’s gardens.

Lecture 3, Shanghai: China’s vibrant and modern financial powerhouse has an astonishing range of avant-garde architecture but has ancient origins as a walled city on the Huangpu river, close to the estuary of the mighty Yangtze River, it was forcibly opened to the West as a Treaty Port in 1843 after the first Opium War. Famous for its hybrid East/West architecture, the city enjoyed a golden age during the 1930's when its unique atmosphere of gangsters, automobiles and tea-dances was suffused with a cocktail of opium, jazz music and revolution. It was immortalised in literature and by the Shanghai film industry. Expatriate European traders, Sephardic Jews, White Russian refugees and local merchants seeking their fortune all made their mark on Shanghai's grand merchant houses, banks, luxury apartment blocks, hotels and half-timbered gabled villas. The historical, modernist and Art Deco influences on the city's art and architecture are explored using original photographs taken in the city during the speaker's 7-year residence there.

Our Lecturer

Anne has been a lecturer and guide at the Victoria and Albert Museum for more than 20 years and has given regular gallery talks at the British Museum. She was a lecturer for the Royal Collection Trust for 14 years, including 10 years guiding private tours of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace. She is a visiting lecturer for Sotheby's Institute and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London.

Since 2008, she has been a member of the London faculty of Eckerd College, Florida, teaching Art History. She lectures extensively for private groups, including the Arts Society and has lectured on William Morris for the British Council and British Higher School of Art and Design in Moscow. After studying Modern History at Durham University, she trained and became a senior specialist in ceramics at the head offices in London of Bonhams (1981-1986) and Christie's (1987-1995).

From 1995 to 2002, she was resident in Shanghai, China and gave lectures on the history of the China trade and European Chinoiserie to the international community of diplomats and expatriates in Shanghai and Beijing. On returning to London in 2002, she worked on a short project cataloguing Chinese ceramics at Kensington Palace and became Hon Membership Secretary and Treasurer of the French Porcelain Society.

From the beginnings of the Renaissance in 13th century Italy to the birth of Abstraction in the 20th century, this lecture charts the main developments of Western European painting. Focusing on a selection of acclaimed masterpieces, this dynamic lecture charts both the stylistic and thematic development of European painting alongside the historical contexts in which they were created.

Our Lecturer

Born in Paris in 1976, Aliki studied at The Ruskin School of Fine Art, Oxford, The Slade School of Fine Art, London and The Courtauld Institute where she was awarded a distinction for her masters in 17th century painting. After working for the National Gallery for 20 years, she now teaches for Christie’s Education and the Wallace Collection, and is an Associate Lecturer for the Camberwell College of Art, University of the Arts London. Aliki is also a practicing artist who regularly exhibits her photographic work internationally. 

For more details of the day's programme please Click Here

Lecture Synopsis

The day commences with in-depth looks at the history and architecture of the building.  We then discover the way that daily performances and rehearsals of opera and ballet and much else besides all fit into this elegant Victorian theatre – the flagship of the British arts world and the workplace of more than a thousand people.  Includes several performance video clips and additional focus on costume and set design, production values and how the digital age has been embraced by the opera and ballet worlds.  Includes many performance audio and video clips.

Nigel Bates

Nigel has been a performer for more than forty years in and out of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, including seventeen years as Principal Percussionist with the Orchestra and eight years as the Music Administrator of The Royal Ballet.

 He has worked with many of the leading figures in the classical music industry and was also a producer for both the BBC's Maestro at the Opera and Pappano's Classical Voices documentary series. He is a regular contributor to the printed and online content of the ROH.

He has given lectures for over thirty years, including many arts societies and conservatoires in the UK and across Australia.

Lecture Synopsis

Much richer than the Guggenheims, the Rockefellers - even today the richest and most powerful family in the USA – not only amassed one of the greatest art collections of the 20th Century, including superb impressionists, but also donated their 9 storey New York townhouse on Fifth Avenue to found the Museum of Modern Art, MoMA. An incredibly private family, mostly the family avoided scandal, but some time back I worked for a year in one of Harvard University's research institutes, whose director had been married to a Rockefeller, so I learnt some of their secret and shameful stories.

The Guggenheim family managed to amass extraordinary art collections, and design or acquire astounding buildings to display their art, their name even becoming a brand. This talk, based on my experience working at the Guggenheim in Venice, examines the celebrated museums in New York, Venice and Bilbao, as well as the stunning works they display.

One of the richest and most famous families of 19th century Europe, the various branches of this banking family had outstanding residences filled with their collection across the continent, as well as in London and in Buckinghamshire. This richly illustrated talk looks at their most important properties and art works, including Waddesdon Manor.

Andrew Hopkins

Previously Assistant Director of the British School at Rome from 1998 to 2002 and since 2004, Associate Professor at the University of L'Aquila. Part of his PhD (Courtauld Institute 1995) on Venetian architecture was awarded the Essay Medal of 1996 by the Society of Architectural Historians (GB). A Fellow at Harvard University's Villa I Tatti in Florence in 2003-2004, and in 2009 was the Paul Mellon Senior Visiting Fellow, Center for Advanced Studies in the Visual Arts, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. Amongst his many publications are, with Arnold Witte, Alois Riegl, The Origins of Baroque Art in Rome (2010), and Baldassare Longhena and the Venetian Baroque (Spring 2012).

For the series Downton Abbey, Andrew was commissioned to produce many jewels for the main characters, and this inspired him to create a talk based on Downton and the changing styles of the time portrayed.

Jewellery and Fashion are often seen as two entirely separate and distinct fields of design, but this is very far from the case.

In his talk Andrew guides you through the extraordinary periods and events between 1890 and 1929, where the great fashion houses collaborated with the finest of jewellers to produce works of art of outstanding quality and glittering opulence. Along with this he discusses the clients and patrons who commissioned the jewels and how they were worn with the sumptuous gowns.

To accompany his study day, he brings with him many of the pieces used in Downton, so the audience can see what was worn, close up.

In this talk that follows on from Downton to Gatsby, Andrew shows how the rise of Cinema and Hollywood had such an important impact on fashion and jewellery design.

From Dietrich to Grace Kelly, he guides you through the Screen Goddesses and how they were portrayed.

He discusses that with the development of advertising, labour saving machines and leisure time, people had more opportunities to enjoy themselves and spend money on the finer things in life and later how political events influenced what was worn. He also shows how the Edwardian and Art Deco styles did not in fact end with the outbreak of the Second World War, rather, they slowly combined to finally flower again in the late 1940s and 1950s with Christian Dior’s 'New Look'.

Andrew Prince has had a passion for the jewellery since he was a small child. In fact his enthusiasm can be traced back to the time when, at the age of three, he swallowed his one of his mother’s pearl earrings having found her jewel box hidden from him in a cupboard. The very first piece of jewellery he created was a ring made of copper wire pulled from the back of a television. He presented it to his grandmother (it turned her finger green and gave her a rash). He then created a necklace for his mother using beads taken off her wedding dress (she was not at all happy).

In 1980, when he was nine, Andrew's mother took him to the Princely Magnificence exhibition at the V&A, exhibiting Renaissance jewels dating from 1500 to 1630. It proved a revelation. Dazzled by the splendour and opulence of the jewels on show, Andrew decided then and there that creating jewellery was what he wanted to devote his life to. His passion for jewellery grew when, in 1984 on his first ever visit to Bond Street, Andrew viewed an exhibition by Castellani and Giulianoe at Wartski & Co’s. While there, he was allowed to handle beautiful 18th century gold boxes and magnificent imperial Russian pieces by Fabergé. In 1987, just before leaving school, he took time off to visit Geneva to view the astonishing Sotheby’s auction of the Duchess of Windsor's jewellery collection. Here, for the first time, he held pieces created by some of the world's greatest jewellers, fashioned from only the finest of stones and set in designs of outstanding quality. For the young Andrew, it was a life-changing experience.

In August of that year, two weeks after his 16th birthday, Andrew started work in London’s Bond Street, working for The Antiques Roadshow expert Ian Harris. Under his guidance, Andrew developed an appreciation for jewels that were valued for their quality of design and craftsmanship, rather than for how much the stones in the piece were worth. He then joined the renowned contemporary jeweller Elizabeth Gage and worked with her on the design and production side. Through her and her private collection, Andrew was able to see and handle rare and extraordinary stones with names such as Sphene, Andalusite, Spinel and Dioptase, many of which are far rarer than diamonds. Elizabeth Gage was to have an enormous influence on Andrew's sense of what was possible within the realm of jewellery design.

Andrew's taste for fine 'costume jewellery' can be traced back to an antique market, where he came across a late Victorian brooch set with what he initially thought were emeralds and diamonds. They were, in fact, crystal and green glass set in silver and gold. He realised that beautiful jewellery didn't require expensive stones, and that it was the elegance of the design and the quality of the workmanship that truly mattered. Private commissions then started to trickle in. The trickle turned into a flood, as celebrities such as Michael Jackson (a large crystal and pearl shoulder jewel) and Shirley Bassey (necklaces) were seen wearing Andrew's creations.

In 2002, the V&A commissioned a collection of jewels to accompany the resplendent Tiaras, Past and Present exhibition which became one of their most popular exhibits. The exposure gained by the show then led to Andrew's jewellery appearing in film.

In 2005, he was asked to make tiaras and jewellery for Mrs Henderson Presents starring Judy Dench. In 2009, pieces were commissioned for The Young Victoria starring Emily Blunt and Miranda Richardson. In 2012, he was chosen by the creators of Downton Abbey to supply a large collection of jewellery for the third series. The characters played by Maggie Smith, Shirley Maclaine, Elizabeth McGovern and Michelle Dockery were all adorned with elegant tiaras, combs, earrings and necklaces designed and created by Andrew Prince.

The antiques market has changed dramatically and now pieces that were made during the 1970s can fetch many times more than a piece made in the 1770s. Why has the teak sideboard you threw out become so desirable? Who is this Eames guy? Drawing a blank with Timo Sarpaneva? Who’s buying what and what are they doing with it? This practical and inspirational lecture looks at furniture, ceramics, glass, lighting and metalware, identifies key designs and designers, and the examines the revolutionary design movements they began.

The 1950s–70s saw a renaissance in Czech glass design that re-established the Bohemian region’s global reputation in this area. From behind the Iron Curtain, skilled designers pushed the boundaries of 20th century glass design and produced unique art glass masterpieces that went on to inspire visually stunning, highly innovative and commercial ranges. Despite this, the designers responsible were rarely named. Until today, the designs they produced have been typically forgotten or misattributed. This lecture reveals the work of seven influential designers across cut, blown and pressed glass, and considers the economic and political context that affected it.

Our Lecturer:

Mark studied History of Art & Architecture (BA Hons), and began his career as a porter and Junior Cataloguer at Bonhams, before moving to Sotheby's where he was a Specialist in the Collectors' Department. Became director of an internet company forming and running a ground-breaking deal with eBay Live Auctions. Was co-author of the internationally published Collectables Price Guide with Judith Miller from 2002-17. Founded his own publishing company in 2005 and has since published over 12 books on specialist subjects in 20th century design and decorative arts. A Miscellaneous expert on the Antiques Roadshow since 2007, and has co-presented three primetime factual TV series on antiques and collecting for BBC2. An auctioneer running 20th century design auctions in partnership with Dawsons Auctioneers. Has lectured across the world, including at the V&A in London, and contributed to many newspapers, magazines, radio and TV programmes. A Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Arts Scholars and a Freeman of the City of London

Overview of the study day

It has long been acknowledged that the worlds of the visual and aural arts link with extraordinary power when one medium inspires the other.  This study day, which spans over 600 years of the arts, analyses and discusses a range of related works, bringing together the music of Martinů with the frescoes of Piero della Francesca, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus with Respighi’s Trittico botticelliano, Böcklin’s Isle of the Dead with Rachmaninoff’s symphonic poem, and Piet Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie with the piano playing of Albert Ammons.

The study day is presented with digital images, video, recorded music and live examples sung and played at the piano.

____________________________________

Sample timetable with content
10.30-11.30 – Session 1

After a brief introduction to the subject of ‘music inspired by paintings’, three paintings are discussed that have produced direct musical responses in famous composers.  The couplings are these:

Music: M Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition (1874)

Painting: V Hartman – various paintings displayed in an exhibition in St Petersburg (1874)

Music: S Rachmaninov – Isle of the Dead, tone poem for orchestra (1908)

Painting: A Böcklin – Isle of the Dead (5 known versions of the painting 1880-6)

Music: O Respighi – Trittico Botticelliano (1927)

Paintings: S Botticelli – La Primavera (1482), Adoration of the Magi (1475), The Birth of Venus (1486)

11.30-11.45 – Break

11.45-1.00 – Session 2

The theme of music drawing inspiration from identifiable paintings continues with the following material:

Music: B Martinů – The Frescoes of Piero della Francesca (1955)

Painting: Piero della Francesca – Frescoes in Arezzo, Italy of The History of the True Cross (before 1466)

Music: F Liszt – Hunnenschlacht, tone poem for orchestra (1857)

Painting: W von Kaulbach – Hunnenschlacht (c1850)

Half way through this second session, the theme is reversed and before the lunch break, the subject of ‘paintings inspired by music’ is introduced.  Peter Medhurst plays John Field’s Nocturne No 5 and Chopin’s Nocturne in Em Op 72 No 1 on the piano and discusses the use of the word ‘nocturne’ in the works of James Whistler.

1.00-2.15 – Lunch

2.15-3.30 – Session 3

The last session of the day explores the wealth of 19th and 20th century paintings that connect with specific musical works and musical genres.  The following connections are made:

Painting: M von Schwind – Symphony (1852)

Music: L van Beethoven – Fantasia in C for Piano, Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra (1808)

Painting: F Leighton: Lieder ohne Worte (exhibited 1861)
Music: F Mendelssohn – Lieder ohne Worte (1829-45) Leighton borrowed the title

Painting: W Kandinsky – Impression III – Concert (1911)

Music: A Schoenberg – Three Piano Pieces Op 11 (1909)

Painting: P Mondrian – Broadway Boogie Woogie(1942-3)
Music: Selection of Boogie Woogie music from the late 1930s and early 1940s

Peter Medhurst’s work as singer, pianist and lecturer-recitalist has taken him all over the world, and in the last few years he has toured New Zealand, Australia (twice) and South Africa (four times), and made frequent tours in Europe, giving performances in Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Salzburg, Brussels, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Paris and Spain.  Closer to home, he has presented events at the Barbican, St John’s Smith Square, and the Royal Festival Hall on The Beethoven String Quartets, Mozart Operas, Vermeer’s Music Lesson, The Twelve Days of Christmas, The Golden Age of Vienna, and 18th Century Venetian Art and Music.  He has also directed presentations at the Wallace Collection, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery and the V&A, linking the visual arts with the world of 17th & 18th century music making.

He is a familiar face to audiences of music societies, regional theatres and British festivals (Henley, Isle of Man, Rye, Amersham, Stevenage, Chichester, Leith Hill, The Three Choirs etc) as well as to those of arts based organisations such as The Art Fund, The National Trust and the Arts Society (formally known as NADFAS).  On the radio, his appearances have included Classic FM’s Susanna Simons’ Show, Radio 3’s In Tune, Radio 4’s Arts Programme, and Midweek with Libby Purves.  His recordings number For Two to Play, Schubert Songs, Handel and His Satellites and a CD of 16th and 17th century keyboard music entitled Tyme at the Virginalls.  A new recording with pianist Jeremy Limb has been released entitled On Christmas Night on which he sings a range of Christmas carols and seasonal songs.

Four hundred years of international jewellery design, examining the changing styles from the pomp of High Renaissance enamelled gold work to the glamour of Harry Winston diamonds. This presentation covers many of the key elements of manufacture, including the progress of diamond cutting, Neoclassicism and Romanticism, 19th Century Archaeological and Renaissance Revivalism, the impact of diamond mining in South Africa, Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts and Art Deco, Post War Modernism and designs of the future. Other important areas covered include Cartier and the introduction of platinum jewellery as a statement of style and the jewels of the Duchess of Windsor.

John was with Phillips Auctioneers for 23 years, latterly as International Director of Jewellery. Since 1999 he has been an independent Jewellery Consultant. Lectures, writes and broadcasts (including BBC Antiques Roadshow). Admitted to Goldsmiths' Company in 2000. Author of "Starting to collect Antique Jewellery" and co-author with Paul Atterbury of "The Jewellery and Silver of H.G. Murphy".

A non-technical and not-too-serious account of this masterpiece, its characters and story, with musical illustrations on the piano, focussing on the composer's ability to express character and mood through music and with a brief look at the circumstances and context of its composition. 

Jonathan was educated at St Paul's School & Trinity College, Cambridge. Now semi retired, he was a Principal Coach at Glyndebourne Opera (Head of Music Staff until 1997) and worked as keyboard player and conductor for Glyndbourne Touring Opera, Kent Opera and English Touring Opera. He has also taught at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Royal Academy of Music, the National Opera Studio and the Advanced Performers' Studio.

Ian is a Freeman of the Goldsmiths' Company, Freeman of the City of London. Lecturer University of London, University of Surrey, V&A, National Trust, The Art Fund. He broadcasts on both television and radio. He is also an author and Editor of 'Jackson's Silver & Gold Marks'.

The Study Day comprises three sessions. Andy guides participants through the ages of glass. He displays the contents of several packing cases full of examples from his 25,000 piece collection and encourages those attending to bring along their own glass possessions for discussion and appraisal. The Introduction The Dawn of Glass, how it was first made in the Middle East around 3000 BC and was spread across the Roman Empire, to Venice, then across Europe to Britain. Georgian & Victorian Glass This session examines the development of fine glassmaking across Europe, but most specifically in Britain between 1700-1900. 20th Century Glass The 20th Century witnessed the greatest transformation in the role of decorative glass since it was first formed 5,000 years ago. Historically, glassware had been the preserve of the wealthy, but industrialisation, improving technologies and the enrichment of the working classes combined to a point where it was given away free at petrol filling stations. This talk examines the development of what was termed ‘fancy’ glass over the course of the 20th century.

Andy McConnell is one of Britain’s leading authorities on glassware of all types, and his books have covered the subject from 1650 to the present. He was the first glass specialist recruited to BBC TV’s Antiques Roadshow, for which he is currently recording the seventh series. He lectures widely on glass and has written for journals as diverse as The Times, Country Life, BBC Homes & Antiques and Glass Circle News. He is a witty and spontaneous speaker who delights in sharing his knowledge. His declared mission is to engage, entertain and educate. He says “I am serious about my work, but a lecturer’s primary responsibility is to take the audience along for the ride. I feel that the best way to do this is through a blend of in-depth knowledge combined with clear delivery and a sense of humour.” He owns 25,000 pieces of glass and 20,000 glass-related images.

Linda lectures for the Historic Royal Palaces & National Trust. She is a freelance lecturer at Tate Modern & the National Gallery and is an independent lecture organiser.