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The Athenaeum sponsors an ongoing series of popular evening lectures in arts appreciation, including topics in classical music and jazz, visual art, art history, and architecture.



Looking at the Athenaeum's Artists' Books Collection
Presented by Cornelia Feye and Kathi Bower Peterson
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Ed Ruscha: Paintings, Photographs, Prints and Influences
12 noon, free

A new series of noontime presentations is designed to highlight the Athenaeum's significant artists’ books collection. The Athenaeum's Erika and Fred Torri Artist' Books Collection was started by Executive Director Erika Torri in 1991 with a book by Harry Sternberg: A Life in Woodcuts. Today it includes more than 1,200 volumes by various artists and has become one of the most important collections in the region.

The collection includes almost complete series of artists' books by important conceptual artists like Ed Ruscha, John Baldessari, Lawrence Weiner, Sol Lewitt, Bruce Nauman, Christian Boltanski, and Ido Applebroog. For each talk we will introduce the work of one of these artists and then invite our patrons to look at the valuable artists' books themselves (under the supervision of our head librarian Kathi Bower Peterson and while wearing white cotton gloves). The series will continue monthly in the fall with presentations on John Baldessari and Ida Applebroog.

 

The Art of Ancient Greece and Rome
James Grebl, Ph.D.
Thursdays, May 1, 8, 15, 22, 7:30-9 PM
Series: $40/60; individual lectures: $12/17 


Art historian James Grebl, Ph.D., presents a series of four lectures exploring the artistic achievements of ancient Greece and Rome from the Bronze Age through the fall of the Roman Empire. Lavishly illustrated with images of the key monuments and sites, the lectures trace the development of art forms that served the religious, political and social aims of their era, and that profoundly shaped the art and architecture of the Western world from the mid-14th century until the revolutionary changes that occurred in the mid-19th century. 

May 1

Beginning with the emergence of Geometric art in the 9th century B.C.E., the first lecture traces the gradual development of distinctly Greek types of art and architecture through the Archaic and Early Classical periods.  This development culminated in the High Classical era of the 5th century B.C.E. when artists achieved strikingly realistic though idealized images of the human form as well as extremely refined and harmonious architectural creations.

May 8

The temples and sculptures erected on the Athenian Acropolis shortly after the middle of the 5th century B.C.E., which many consider to be the climax of the High Classical style, served as a basis for the further evolution of Greek art in the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C.E.  The art of the Late Classical and Hellenistic periods was marked by increasing diversity, complexity and elaboration as Greek art forms were adapted and transformed through colonial contacts and the conquests of Alexander the Great.

May 15

The Etruscans of Italy were among those profoundly transformed by contact with the Greeks, and they in turn had a crucial impact on the development of the art and architecture of their neighbors, the Romans.  During the Republic (509 - 27 B.C.E.), the Romans developed a new type of architecture based upon the use of concrete and the vault, while in the pictorial arts they created a unique blend of native Italic, Etruscan, and Greek elements.  During early imperial times (27 B.C.E. – 98 C.E.) Rome came increasing under the spell of Greek culture, and much of their formal, public art was cast in a very refined classical mode.  

May 22

The High Empire (98 – 192 C.E.) saw a continuing dialogue between the classical and the native or plebian forms of art while Rome ’s architectural achievements reached new levels of monumentality and technical daring.  With the demographic, economic and military challenges that occurred from the 2nd century C.E. onward, Roman official art turned increasingly toward its native, popular roots.  Late Roman (192 – 400 C.E.) art exhibits the sort of symbolic and non-naturalistic qualities that are characteristic of much of the art of the Middle Ages.

Film & Wine Summer Series on Three Thursdays in August
Thursdays, August 7, 14, 21, at 7:30 PM
Series: $30/45; individual films: $12/17


Join us for three warm summer nights on the patio of the Athenaeum in La Jolla for classic films and wines! Wine expert Barbara Baxter will introduce the wines that each relate to the movies on screen!

August 7: Watch the classic 1946 Hitchcock movie Notorious in which Ingrid Bergman must try to catch a spy in an Argentinean wine cellar. Sip some choice Argentinean wines while enjoying the movie outdoors.

August 14: Join Anthony Quinn as “Zorba, the Greek” in the 1964 film of the same name, as he enjoys Greek wine—a lot of it—and women! Barbara Baxter will introduce a white and red Mediterranean wine with this movie!

August 21: The 2006 film A Good Year takes place on a vineyard in the Provence, France! Just like the stars of the movie, Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard, you can enjoy a glass of French wine of that region, while you revel in the beauty of the French countryside!

 

San Diego Book Arts Lecture
Where I Have Been and Where I Am Going
Emily Martin
Friday, June 13, 7:30 PM, FREE

The Athenaeum, in conjunction with San Diego Book Arts, will present a visual lecture by Emily Martin, owner of Naughty Dog Press, entitled Where I Have Been and Where I Am Going, a survey of recent and ongoing projects. Martin’s recent books have addressed both her past and her future in artist’s books combining images, texts and sculptural formats. Her work can be seen at www.emilymartin.com.

Lecture Series on the Decorative Arts
Our 2008-09 series will be announced soon.

 


Metropolitan Opera Preview Lecture Series
January 7, February 11, March 10, March 17, March 31, April 21
7:30 PM
Members $12/Nonmembers $17

The Athenaeum is proud to present a lecture series by Dr. Ronald Shaheen on six of the operas that will be broadcast to local theatres by the Metropolitan Opera. A knowledgeable and entertaining speaker, Dr. Shaheen will present background on the composers and the stories of the operas, insights into the music, discussions of the starring singers, and how the operas themselves fit into the overall history of opera. Dr. Shaheen employs a rich array of multi-media resources in lectures that appeal to general audiences as well as to longtime opera aficionados. All lectures fall on the Mondays before the simulcasts. For information on tickets for the simulcasts visit www.metoperafamily.org.

January 7
Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi

Verdi's longstanding affinity for Shakespeare is explored in Adrian Noble's dark yet exhilarating vision for this disturbing work. James Levine conducts and acclaimed baritone Lado Ataneli stars in the towering title role.

February 11
Manon Lescaut by Giacomo Puccini

Diva Karita Mattila adds another landmark role to her rep with the free-spirited Manon Lescaut. The story of the magnetic attraction between two young lovers.  James Levine conducts. Ron Shaheen explores the details that make this opera such a favorite.

March 10
Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten

Ron Shaheen discusses Peter Grimes, who is under investigation for unthinkable transgressions. Shaheen explores the nature of guilt and judgment, implicating an entire fishing village. Featuring what may be 20th century opera's most impress tenor role, Peter Grimes, with its sweeping orchestral beauty, will be an engrossing and haunting theatrical journey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 17
Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner

Deborah Voigt, one of the world's most celebrated Wagnerian sopranos, undertakes this iconic role for the first time at the Met. Ron Shaheen gives you the low down on the archetypal couple on their mystical journey of love, sex, and death.

March 31
La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini

Ron Shaheen discusses Franco Zeffirelli's iconic production of the Puccini favorite. The mesmerizing diva, Angela Gheroghiu, sings Mimi for the first time in twelve years, opposite golden-toned tenor Ramon Vargas as her lover, Rodolfo.

April 21
La Fille du Regiment by Donizetti

Fresh from Covent Garden, Natalie Dessay's fearless coloratura and impeccable comic timing dazzles all as the daughter of the regiment.  Coupled with Juan Diego Florez's musicality (along with all those high CDs), this is opera at its funnest!

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