Events at Westminster Reference Library

Westminster Reference Library - contact details, location and opening hours

Exhibitions at Westminster Reference Library

Special Events

Summer Chorus Concert - Pegasus Opera Company's Community Chorus

Tuesday 7 July 7.30pm to 10pm

The Pegasus Opera Company will perform a series of well loved arias in the library. There are 13 performers, (15 participants in all including the Chorusmaster and Accompanist). The concert will feature performances from soloists Valerie Grant, Denise K Christie, Maxine Anderson, Grace Nyandoro, Toby F Scholz, Preshi Navaratnam and Bernard Abervandana, as well as the Community Chorus itself.

 Arias:

 

• Va pensiero – Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves – Nabucco - Verdi
• Questo é il cielo – Chorus of the Enchanted Islanders – Alcina - Handel
• Placido é il mar, andiamo – Voyagers’ Chorus – Idomeneo - Mozart
• Habañera – Carmen – Bizet
• Bridal Chorus – Lohengrin – Wagner
• Endless Pleasure – Semele – Handel
• Oh I Can’t Sit Down – Porgy and Bess – Gershwin
• It Ain’t Necessarily So – Porgy and Bess – Gershwin
• Oh, We’re Goin’ Around – Treemonisha – Joplin
• Dido’s Lament/With Drooping Wings – Dido and Aeneas - Purcell
• Humming Chorus – Madama Butterfly – Puccini
• Chorus of Wedding Guests – Lucia di Lammermoor – Donizetti - Plus solos and duets

Chorus:

• Maxine Anderson (soloist)
• Sheryl Ann Ashton-Creighton
• Beverley Bobb
• Denise K. Christie (Soloist)
• Glen Grant
• Valerie Grant (Soloist)
• Grace Nyandoro (Soloist)
• Charlie Phillips
• Andrée Rolle
• Toby F Scholz (Soloist)
• Rene Suite

Plus

• Accompanist Mark Kinkaid
• Chorusmaster Michael Harper

The Story of Albert Houthuesen: an illustrated talk by Richard Nathanson on the Dutch-English modernist artist.

Monday 13 July 2009 6pm – 8pm

Richard Nathanson is a Putney author and producer of the biography and documentary Walk to the Moon - the Story of Albert Houthuesen.

Best Books of 2008

'Houthuesen (1903-79) was a Dutch-English modernist whose life story forms one of the most sensational, offbeat, affecting artist’s biographies I have encountered. Told in his own words, it is illustrated with his strange religious paintings, portraits – especially the sombre but high-colour clowns – and landscapes.'

Jackie Wullschlager, Chief Art Critic, Financial Times

Please book in advance by email bip@westminster.gov.uk or telephone 020 7641 5250

Dreams of Progress - philosophical debate

Art videos and utopian visions -  launch party and debate

 Thursday, July 9, 2009 6:30pm - 9:00pm

In these days of economic, environmental and sometimes ideological uncertainties, Dreams of Progress will take a look back at our previous visions of the future, how they materialized and the way that they relate to the dreams we nourish today. The debate will be punctuated by projections of four videos and will question the meaning of progress, between modernism and post-modernism, individuality and utopias, human nature as opposed to mega structures.

6.30pm Reception at the exhibition

7pm - 9pm Philosophical debate and video screening

This is event is free but places are limited - Please see member of staff to book a place or email rblack1@westminster.gov.uk

Dramatic Reading of: The Ram in the Thicket by Adrian Brown

Tuesday 14 July 6.00pm

A dramatic reading by three voices of this epic poem taking a new look at the ancient story of Abraham and Isaac will take place in Westminster Reference Library. To book your place please contact the library.

Here are some quotes regarding the poem:

‘In places like a fantastic pastiche of Milton, the story or Abraham and Isaac is told as a fertility myth, an analogue for our own time, where the young are still sacrificed by their elders, as in Wilfred Owen’s ‘The parable of the Old Men and the Young…’

Andy Croft, The Morning Star

‘Producing a blank verse narrative poem these days is unusual and ambitious enough to deserve commendation…’

Philip Pullman

‘…thank you for the opportunity to experience your acute insights…your book will be archived in my personal library…’

Professor Richard Dawkins

‘…recounts in mesmerizingly sensuous blank verse, the balance between faith and reason, between a Leader and the Leviathan masses, between principle and pragmatism. First performed in Delhi’s prestigious Habitat Centre, a trio of eloquent voices - the author with two accomplished actors - brought a suspenseful narrative vividly to life.’

The Hindustan Times

White Light White Heat 

The Velvet Underground Day-by-day: Rare films, music and Q&A with author of The Velvet Underground Day-by-day

Thursday, July 16, 2009 7:00pm - 9:00pm

An evening with author Richie Unterberger as he screens seldom seen Velvet Underground footage, plays rare examples of the group's music and answers questions about 'White Light White Heat'. Signed copies of his book will be available for sale

This event is free but places are limited - Please see member of staff to book a place or email rblack1@westminster.gov.uk

Outing Hollywood: Suppression of Identity

Two illustrated talks by Sandra Shevey

Sex Appeal 

Thursday 23 July 2009 at 6pm

In the first of these talks, Sandra Shevey will reminisce about her career spanning over 40 years of megastar interviewing whilst playing excerpts from some of her interviews with stars such as Rock Hudson, Lillian Burns Sidney, June Allyson, Myrna Loy, Peter Lawford, Anita Loos and Alfred Hitchcock.

Hollywood and the Corporate Image 

Wednesday 29 July 2009 at 6pm

To illustrate her second talk on Hollywood and the Corporate Image, Sandra will play excerpts from some of her interviews with stars such as George Cukor, Joan Blondell, Ann Miller and Mark Robson.

Both talks are free but places are limited. To book a place for either or both of these talks,

telephone 020 7641 5250 or email:referencelibrarywc2@westminster.gov.uk

Regular events

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