Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
We set off from Wimbledon Park station for our Capital Ring walk, heading towards Petersham Nurseries in Richmond, and couldn't believe our luck with the weather. After nearly a week of relentless rain, the skies cleared, offering us a bright, crisp day perfect for walking.
We crossed Wimbledon Common, its open expanses and wooded paths offering a peaceful escape from the city. As we entered Richmond Park, we spotted a herd of deer grazing in the distance, and a majestic solitary stag standing proudly away from the herd.
We ended our 3 hour walk at Petersham Nurseries, a charming oasis tucked away along the Thames. The nursery also features a delightful café and teahouse, where some of us enjoyed a well-deserved break and drink.
The Kensington and Chelsea Music Society hosted the opening concert of the season with Beethoven violin sonatas in the beautiful surroundings of Leighton House. With its richly decorated interiors and intimate atmosphere, the venue provided the perfect backdrop for this classical recital, enhancing the experience with its unique blend of art and history.
We enjoyed Beethoven's powerful and expressive violin and piano sonatas, Fauré’s graceful and haunting Sicilienne, and Bartók’s vibrant and rhythmic Romanian Folk Dances, all exquisitely performed by Sara Trickey (violin) and Daniel Tong (piano).
Akram Khan’s Giselle reimagining of the classic 19 th -century ballet, blending traditional elements with contemporary dance and story was striking, timeless and hauntingly modern.
The dancers, who represented a marginalised, dispossessed class, moved with a blend of classical ballet precision and contemporary fluidity. Akram Khan’s intense, rhythmic and
expressive style created a sense of urgency and unease right from the start, echoing themes of social exclusion and betrayal.
Tim Yip’s set design reflected a bleak and otherworldly environment. The decaying factory wall served as a physical and symbolic barrier between the elite and the workers Composer Vincenzo Lamagna’s score alternated between lyrical beauty, raw industrial noise, but also silence, playing a crucial role in building tension throughout the ballet.
The choreography was compelling with the expressive but also eerie and synchronised movements of the English National Ballet. The use of shadow and light by Mark Henderson enhanced the eerie atmosphere.
This version of Giselle felt urgent and modern. The shift from pastoral fantasy to industrial
dystopia gave the story a new relevance in today’s world. Going beyond the romantic
tragedy of the original, highlighting issues of class, power and marginalisation, it was a
stunning and thought provoking production, highly to be recommended.
Our knowledgeable guide gave us a very interesting tour, full of quirky anecdotes, of the Houses of Parliament. We started with the oldest part of the building, the Westminster Hall,dating back to 1097. The original Norman wall can still be seen behind a window. The Hall witnessed the trials of King Charles I and Guy Fawkes. Its vast oak roof is one of the largest medieval timber roofs in Europe using short horizontal beams, hammer beams, that project from the walls and support the roof without the need for vertical supports in the middle of the hall.
We went to the House of Lords and Commons. The Lords Chamber is more ornate, featuring red benches and a grand throne for the monarch during the State Opening of Parliament. The House of Commons is famous for its iconic green benches and lively debates particularly during Prime Minister’s Questions. It was almost completely ruined by fire during World War II and was rebuilt by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott whose goal was to retain the essence of the original chamber designed by Sir Charles Barry after the 1834 fire.
In the heart of the building lies the Central Lobby, an octagonal room under the Big Ben clock tower, symbolising the meeting place of the two houses of Parliament where MPs meet constituents and each other. It is beautifully decorated with mosaics representing the four nations of the UK, a vaulted roof as well as the bronze statues of Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George, Clement Atlee and Margaret Thatcher who complained that her statue should have been made of iron!
Some of us enjoyed a pub meal at the Westminster Arms, a stone’s throw away from the Houses of Parliament popular with politicians and featuring a division bell so that MPs can dash back to the House in time for the vote.
Copyright © 2023 The International Lyceum Club of London - Tous droits réservés.