Event

Thursday, 24 October – ‘Verdi in Verona’

 

‘Verdi in Verona’

– An illustrated talk by Canon David Nason.

Canon David Nason

THE VERONA OPERA FESTIVAL takes place each summer in the open air Roman Amphitheatre built in the 1st century AD.   It began with a performance of Verdi’s Aida on 10 August 1913, the centenary of the composer’s birth.   .  It will also cover the founding of the Festival and highlights from it over the last hundred years together with musical quotes from the most popular operas performed there.  

CANON DAVID NASON has recently retired from the role of Priest Vicar in Chichester Cathedral and that of Senior Master in the Prebendal School, posts that he held for twenty five years.   For over ten years he also worked as a ‘music host’ for Saga Holidays at the opera in Verona, lecturing to the guests and indulging in a personal passion for grand opera.

Now you can find him speaking on-board river cruises for Noble Caledonia. David still has an active ministry as chaplain to the Festival Theatre, Regional Chaplain for the Royal Force Air Cadets.   In ‘retirement’ he finds himself busier than ever taking Sunday services in churches around Chichester and fulfilling speaking engagements on opera and musical theatre.

On Thursday, 24 October, commencing  at 7:30pm

 THE ASSEMBLY ROOM, COUNCIL HOUSE, NORTH STREET, CHICHESTER.

Price: £10 members, £12 non members

We welcome payment via BACS, to Friends of Ravenna, Barclays Bank, Sort code 20-20-62,  account No. 73194604. Please put ‘Verdi’ in the reference area when you make your payment

 If you prefer to pay by cheque Please send  it to ‘The Treasurer’, 9 Dolphin Court, Bognor Regis. PO21 1TP

See our full programme of events for 2024/25

Monday September 9 – ‘In the steps of Piero della Francesca’ also ‘Land of the Moon’

We are delighted to have a ‘double bill’ at the first event of our new 2024/25 programe.  … details are below.

‘In the steps of Piero della Francesca – An exploration of his life and painting’.

An illustrated talk by Brenda Gay.

 

A Classicist and former University lecturer, Brenda Gay has used the opportunity of retirement to pursue her interests in Art History. She has travelled extensively in Italy, particularly in Umbria and Tuscany.

Brenda is a tour guide at Goodwood House.

In this talk Brenda will be looking at the life and work of Piero della Francesca and will focus on the paintings which remain in Tuscany, Umbria and Urbino.

 

ALSO

‘Land of the Moon’

An illustrated talk by Andrew and Julie Wyatt.

   

Julie and Andrew have owned their property in Italy for nearly 20 years. They are interested in the history, culture and natural environment which can be found in the Lunigiana valley located in the far North Western corner of Tuscany. Their house is located along the Via Francigena route which links Canterbury to Rome and also the Via del Volto Santo which links Pontremoli to Lucca.

Julie is a commercial Insurance Broker by profession whilst Andrew is a Chartered Engineer. After retiring from full time work they opened a B&B in the Yorkshire Dales which they ran successfully for 9 years. Now based at Rowland’s Castle from where they can more easily visit their four children and eight grandchildren, they are active in the U3A, the Ramblers and of course the Friends of Ravenna.

AT THE ASSEMBLY ROOM, COUNCIL HOUSE, NORTH STREET, CHICHESTER.

Price: £10 members, £12 non members

We welcome payment via BACS, to Friends of Ravenna, Barclays Bank, Sort code 20-20-62,  account No. 73194604. Please put ‘Piero’ in the reference area when you make your payment

 If you prefer to pay by cheque Please send  it to ‘The Treasurer’, 9 Dolphin Court, Bognor Regis. PO21 1TP

See our full programme of events for 2024/25

Tom Brown in Conversation – Monday 24th June 7.30pm

A ‘Four Cities’ event celebrating the twinning of Chichester
with Chartres, Valletta, Ravenna & Speyer 

Tom Brown in Conversation

Tom Brown, Head Gardener at West Dean College

At the Assembly Room North Street, Chichester

Monday 24th June 7.30pm

The talk will be followed by refreshments taken from the four twinned countries, France, Italy, Malta and Germany.

Tom Brown is the Head Gardener at West Dean College.  He has also previously worked at Wisley and Parham House. He is also a magazine writer and broadcaster.

Tickets cost £12 and may be purchased either from the box office at the Novium Museum in Chichester or by BACS payment to: Friends of Chartres, Sort Code: 20-20-62 a/c: 90403822 Please use the Reference ‘Gardens’

Alternatively cheques may be sent to to The Treasurer 9 Dolphin Court Bognor Regis PO20 1TP

* Please note that theTreasurer will not be issuing tickets but will record your payment. If you require formal confirmation of payment please email him at foctreasurer1959@gmail.com)

The Chichester Gala, Saturday, 29 June 2024

The Chichester Gala

In Priory Park, Chichester at 11am-9pm

Saturday, 29 June 2024

To include a celebration of Chichester’s 4 x twinning associations – Chartres, Ravenna, Valletta and Speyer

This event provides the Friends of Ravenna with a wonderful opportunity to promote our own wonderful organisation!

Each of the twinning associations – Chartres, Ravenna, Valletta and Speyer – will host a “stall” near the entrance. Liz, Jennifer, Alastair, Carrie and Jacky, have formed a small team to “man” our own Friends of Ravenna Stall,  with the support of other volunteers.  There will be information to hand out, a display to show some of the things we’re been involved in and opportunities to chat about our experiences of twinning. There will also be some activities for children.

Do come and say hello any time between 9-4. Bring a friend or family member! We’d love to see you !

Each of the twinning associations – Chartres, Ravenna, Valletta and Speyer – will host a “stall” near the entrance. Liz, Jennifer, Alastair, Carrie and Jacky, have formed a small team to “man” our own Friends of Ravenna Stall,  with the support of other volunteers.  There will be information to hand out, a display to show some of the things we’re been involved in and opportunities to chat about our experiences of twinning. There will also be some activities for children.

Do come and say hello any time between 9-4. Bring a friend or family member! We’d love to see you !

Gardens of the Italian Lakes – Monday 8 April 2024

Gardens of the Italian Lakes

 

Alan Mason, An illustrated talk on gardens of the Italian Lakes

An illustrated talk by Alan Mason,

This event will take place on Monday 8 April 2024 at 7:30pm.

Alan Mason is one of the most experienced and qualified garden designers in Europe, as well as a TV presenter and founder member and Chairman of the Professional Gardeners’ Guild

 

AT THE ASSEMBLY ROOM, COUNCIL HOUSE, NORTH STREET, CHICHESTER.


Price: £10 members and £12 non members

We welcome payment please via BACS, please make your transfer to Friends of Ravenna (Barclays Bank) Sort code 20-20-62 a/c 73194604. Please put your name and ‘Gardens’ in the reference area when you make the payment

 If you prefer to pay by cheque Please send  it to ‘The Treasurer’, 9 Dolphin Court, Bognor Regis. PO21 1TP

‘When is an invasion not an invasion?’ – Tuesday 12 March 2024

When is an invasion not an invasion? Cultural appropriation at the edge of the Empire:

 

Rob Symmons has been the Curator of Fishbourne Roman Palace, Chichester

An illustrated talk by Dr Rob Symmons

This event will take place on 12 March 2024 at 7:30pm.

This talk will unpack a series of new ideas that are starting to shed light on the true nature of the Roman invasion in the Chichester area.

To what extent was it truly an invasion? New evidence suggests it was really an annexation of a region that had already embraced Roman culture and, if anything, welcomed the new imperial regime.

Dr Rob Symmons has been the Curator of Fishbourne Roman Palace for over 18 years. During this time he has supported hundreds of research projects, a number of which have started to hint that the AD 43 Roman invasion of Britain was more complicated than the traditional view of brutal military conquest. Rob’s talk will explore these new ideas. While none are the fruits of his labour, he will happily represent the work of others, taking as much credit for it as he possibly can.

 

THE ASSEMBLY ROOM, COUNCIL HOUSE, NORTH STREET, CHICHESTER.

Prices: £10 members and £12 for non-members

Please send your payment via BACS transfer to: the Friends of Ravenna (Barclays Bank) Sort code 20-20-62 a/c 73194604. Please put your name and ‘Invasion’ in the reference area when you make the payment

If you prefer to pay by cheque Please send  it to ‘The Treasurer’, 9 Dolphin Court, Bognor Regis. PO21 1TP

‘Mosaics of Ravenna’ – Tuesday 20 February 2024

Mosaic in Ravenna's Basilica di San Vitale

Mosaics of Ravenna: For the Glory of Kings and Emperors

This event will take place on 20 Febuary 2024 at 7:30pm.

 

Dr Helen Rufus Ward - The Mosaics of Ravenna

Speaker: Dr. Helen Rufus-Ward

Dr Rufus-Ward is a published art historian and university lecturer with a BA, MA and an AHRC funded doctorate (DPhil) from the University of Sussex. Helen lectured at the University of Sussex for seven years on all aspects of art history but with a specialism in early Christian and Byzantine art.

In her lecture Helen will explore the magnificence of the mosaics at Ravenna, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

“In 402AD Ravenna became the capital of the Western Roman Empire and continued to prosper under Ostrogoth and then Byzantine rule. This past eminence left Ravenna with a legacy of richly decorated early Christian buildings, which has earned it UNESCO World Heritage site status. This lecture will explore some of these buildings and their magnificent mosaics: The octagonal church of San Vitale, home of the celebrated portrait panels of the emperor Justinian I and his wife, the notorious empress Theodora; the basilica church of S. Apollinare Nuovo decorated with spectacular processions of male and female saints, and with surprising evidence of its past life as the palace chapel of Ostrogoth King Theodoric; the basilica church of S. Apollinare in Classe featuring a magical starry sky apse mosaic; and the exquisite mosaic decoration of the cruciform oratory of imperial princess Galla Placidia. …”   Dr Rufus-Ward.

THE ASSEMBLY ROOM, COUNCIL HOUSE, NORTH STREET, CHICHESTER.

Prices: £10 members and £12 for non-members

Please send your payment via BACS transfer to: the Friends of Ravenna (Barclays Bank) Sort code 20-20-62 a/c 73194604. Please put your name and ‘Mosaics’ in the reference area when you make the payment

If you prefer to pay by cheque Please send  it to ‘The Treasurer’, 9 Dolphin Court, Bognor Regis. PO21 1TP

‘Matera, A Hidden Gem’ – Tuesday 18 January, 2024

Matera – A Hidden Gem

This event will take place on 18 January 2024 at 7:30pm via ‘Zoom’.

Members will recieve a link and instructions on how to join the meeting via our monthly ‘News’ email

 

Speaker: Daniela Centonze

Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is stunningly beautiful and has a fascinating and remarkable history. Why was this oldest city in Italy and in Europe overlooked for so long?

Daniela Centonze

About the Speaker

Daniela Centonze studied at Pescara, “Gabriele D’Annunzio” University and then gained her Masters at the University of International Studies (UNINT) in Rome. She took part in the Erasmus Programme, spending six months studying in Russia. She is currently teaching English.

Daniela is a native of Matera and her family have lived there for generations. 

 

How to donate: If you’d like to make a donation of £5 towards the costs of the evening, please send your payment via BACS transfer to: the Friends of Ravenna (Barclays Bank) Sort code 20-20-62 a/c 73194604. Please put your name and ‘Matera’ in the reference area when you make the payment

If you prefer to pay by cheque Please send  it to ‘The Treasurer’, 9 Dolphin Court, Bognor Regis. PO21 1TP

A Musical Christmas Celebration, Tuesday 5th December

Jon Grave, Jon Grave BMus (Hons), MA Tenor, Pianist, Director & Conductor

Tuesday 5 December 2023 at 7:30pm.

A Christmas Celebration with music

We look forward to welcoming all our friends to an evening of delightful Italian and English music and singing to celebrate Christmas, with a glass of wine and festive snacks during the evening.

Our Musical Guests

Jon Grave, Jon Grave BMus (Hons), MA Tenor, Pianist, Director & Conductor

Jon Grave. Tenor, Pianist, Director & Conductor, University of Chichester, accompanied by Kiera Smitheram-Roberts, Loula Weller, Carmen Kew, all highly accomplished musicians from the University of Chichester Conservatoire.

Described by Classic FM as ‘one impressive tenor’ with ‘something special in his beautiful voice’, Jon has performed for the Royal Family and in many world famous concert halls. Jon has lectured since 2009 at the University of Chichester Conservatoire in Italian, Opera & Operetta, Music Theatre, Acting for Film, Voice and as a Choral Director.

Kiera Smitheram-Roberts

Loula Weller

Carmen Kew

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kiera is a soprano, actor, saxophonist, and writer. She is also a trained music technician and music teacher. She works extensively in Cornish Academia, specialising in History, Culture, and Musicology.

Loula recently graduated from the University of Chichester Conservatoire, and is working towards a Masters in Music Teaching. She works within the Stroke Association’s Involve Network and is developing a study in the potential benefits of instrumental music playing as a form of neuro-rehabilitation. Her focus is the recovery of fine motor skills in people who have experienced stroke at a young age.

Carmen is a third-generation musician. Women in her family have been singing, plucking harps and fiddling about on violins since the early 1900s. Since moving to the United Kingdom from America, Carmen produced a ‘Melodies of the Great War’ concert in Storrington to coordinate with centennial celebrations.

THE ASSEMBLY ROOM, COUNCIL HOUSE, NORTH STREET, CHICHESTER.

Prices: £10 members and £12 for non-members

‘Blood and Power’ – Dr John Foot will reflect on the rise and fall of Italian Facism ‘. Tuesday 17 October 2023 at 7:30pm.

 

“Italy invented fascism. It was in Italy that the first fascist dictatorship took power in 1922. Without Mussolini, it is unlikely that there would have been Nazism, or World War Two. This talk looks at the rise of Italian fascism, the central role of violence in the movement, and the fall of the regime in 1943-1945”.

John is Professor of Modern Italian History at the University of Bristol, Department of Italian. He has published a number of books around Italian history, culture, politics and sport.

Tuesday 21 October 2023 at 7:30pm. THE ASSEMBLY ROOM, COUNCIL HOUSE, NORTH STREET, CHICHESTER.

Prices: £10 members and £12 for non-members