Eurydice and Orpheus: performance exploring the many facets of the myth of Orpheus in music and poetry, with baritone Rory Musgrave, actor Tara Lynne O’Neil, and musician Andrew Synnott on piano. Music by Monteverdi, Glück, Saint-Saëns, Nick Cave, with excerpts from texts by Ovid, Rilke, Yannis Ritsos, Theo Dorgan, Enda Wyley and others. Directed by Conor Hanratty. In partnership with Poetry Ireland.
Kevin Barry Room, National Concert Hall, 7 pm.
Booking: Mon Jan 9th, www.nch.ie
In Conversation: Helen Morales, author of Antigone Rising: the Subversive Power of the Ancient Myths and Professor of Hellenic Studies at the University of California, talks to Classics scholar Stephanie McCarter, author of a newly published, ‘unapologetically feminist’ translation from Latin of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Online Event, from 6pm.
Classical Museum, UCD: Museum tour for the public with curator Dr Joanna Day, and drawing workshop with artist Genevieve Harden.
Ticketed, booking required.
Tour: 11-11.45am; workshop: 12 noon-1.30 pm.
Staging Greek Tragedy: insights into performing and interpreting ancient tragedy for audiences today. With theatre artists Eileen Walsh and Derbhle Crotty, who have played roles including Medea, Clytemnestra and Hecuba, and acclaimed British director of Greek and Shakespearean tragedy, Erica Whyman. Discussion and Q&A chaired by dramaturg Dr Tanya Dean. In partnership with the Abbey Theatre, on Peacock stage, 3 pm. Tickets on sale now from the Abbey.
An evening with Natalie Haynes: live event with the award-winning author, broadcaster and Classicist, with a focus on her new novel, Stone Blind, a dazzling reinterpretation of the myth of Medusa. Abbey Theatre, on Peacock stage.
6 pm.
Sold Out.
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The Odyssey
Nostos: Return to Ithaca: Gavin Kostick’s new version of the Odyssey. Excerpts from this work-in-progress performed with new piano score by composer Andrew Synnott, with dancer Megan Kennedy (Junk Ensemble) and playwright Gavin Kostick.
In partnership with Hugh Lane Gallery, Sundays at Noon series. 12 noon – 1 pm. Admission free; ticketed. Booking from Hugh Lane, opens January 23rd.
Of Gods and Men: John Banville discusses his latest book, The Singularities, whose narrator is the god Hermes, with novelist Laura Beatty, author of Looking for Theophrastus, in which she travels to Lesbos, tracing the life and influence of the ancient Greek natural philosopher, Theophrastus. An ‘In Conversation’ event, chaired by broadcaster and playwright Vincent Woods.
National Concert Hall Studio, 3.30 pm. Booking open now, NCH. www.nch.ie
Orpheus on film: Screening of Orphée, Jean Cocteau’s beautiful, enigmatic version of the Orpheus myth, set in Paris in 1950. Introduced by Director of Literature Ireland, Sinéad Mac Aodh.
Irish Film Institute, 6.15 pm. Booking now from IFI. www.ifi.ie
In Conversation: Shadi Bartsch has published a translation of Virgil’s Aeneid, among many other works on Classics. She is Professor of Classics at the University of Chicago. Her latest book, Plato Goes To China, is just published. She will discuss interpretations of Plato and Aristotle in China today and competing versions of antiquity with renowned Classics scholar and broadcaster, Professor Mary Beard.
Online event, from 8pm.
Book clubs for Classical Studies 5th and 6th-year students, who will read and discuss Stone Blind: Medusa’s Story by Natalie Haynes and prepare some questions for her.
Dublin City Gallery: the Hugh Lane
National Concert Hall
The Abbey Theatre
Irish Film Institute
Trinity College Dublin Classics
Maynooth University Classics
University College Dublin Classics
Classical Association of Ireland – Teachers
Classical Association of Ireland
Poetry Ireland
Irish Film Institute
National Concert Hall
The Abbey Theatre
Dublin City Gallery: the Hugh Lane
ClassicsNow festival invites audiences to discover and engage with the arts and ideas of ancient Greece, Rome and the wider ancient world, as interpreted by leading contemporary writers, artists and thinkers, both international and Irish.
ClassicsNow is funded by the Arts Council of Ireland. It is supported by three leading universities' Classics departments: University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin and Maynooth University, plus the Classical Association of Ireland.
International participants so far have been: Andrea Marcolongo, Daniel Mendelsohn, Madeline Miller, Charlotte Higgins, Natalie Haynes, Mary Norris, Daisy Dunn, hip-hop artist, Akala, and film director Sophie Deraspe.
Irish artists from the first two festivals include Sebastian Barry, Carlo Gébler, Conall Morrison, Junk Ensemble dance company, Alice Maher, Denis Clohessy, Gavin Kostick, Andrew Synnott, Janet Moran, Theatre Lovett, Conall Morrison, Marina Carr, Nick Roth, Caitríona McLaughlin, Colin Murphy, Conor Hanratty, Once Off Productions.
Here is the programme information for the first two festivals, held in November 2020 and in January 2022: www.classicsnow.ie. Due to Covid, the inaugural festival was virtual; 2022’s programme was a hybrid of online and live events in Dublin.
All recordings of online events are still available to watch, free of charge, on www.classicsnow.ie and the Classics Now YouTube channel.
Twitter/ Instagram @ClassicsNowFest
