What’s On
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Tours
Free
Exhibition Tours
Wednesday 20 February 2019 - Wednesday 29 April 2020
Join a member of our team for an informal tour of the current Firstsite exhibitions. Meet in the Welcome Area at the front of the building at 2:30pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. View our current exhibitions here.
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Free
What’s the problem? A YAK & flyingleaps exhibition
Saturday 5 October 2019 - Sunday 12 January 2020
Climate change, politics, rights, capitalism and health – these are the pressing issues facing young people today, according to Young Art Kommunity (YAK), Firstsite’s young people peer-led group which organises events and activities within the gallery and the wider…
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Free
Super Black
Friday 11 October 2019 - Sunday 12 January 2020
In the first of its brand-new series of Arts Council Collection National Partner exhibitions, Firstsite is staging Super Black – an exhibition that asks, ‘What does it mean to be black in England today?’. Led by people from Essex’s…
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Free
Chance & Control: Art in the Age of Computers – Created by the V&A – touring the nation.
Saturday 26 October 2019 - Sunday 26 January 2020
Since the 1960s, artists and programmers have used computers to create prints, drawings, paintings, photographs and digital artworks. ‘Chance and Control’ draws on the V&A’s rich international collection of computer-generated art and includes work by pioneering digital artists such…
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Free
Antony Gormley: Field for the British Isles
Saturday 16 November 2019 - Sunday 8 March 2020
Experience this vast and iconic artwork at Firstsite, celebrating community, individuality and togetherness. Join us for the opening celebration of Field for the British Isles from 7-9pm on 15 Nov and be one of the first see this world…
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Hard of Hearing: Farming
Starts Monday 18 November 2019
Based on his own life story, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s ‘Farming’ charts the extraordinary journey of a young fostered Nigerian boy who, struggling to find an identity, falls in with a skinhead gang in 1980s England. At six weeks old, Enitan…
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Non-Fiction
Starts Monday 18 November 2019
A well-read bed-swapping comedy of manners set in the French publishing industry from director Olivier Assayas (Personal Shopper, Clouds of Sils Maria). Editor Alain (Guillaume Canet) rejects the latest piece of veiled autobiography from author Léonard. But that’s OK:…
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The Amazing Johnathan + live broadcast q&a with Louis Theroux
Starts Tuesday 19 November 2019
Louis Theroux, director Ben Berman and special guests feature in a live satellite broadcast following the film. What begins as a film on a unique magician who built a career out of shock and deception in the 1980s becomes…
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Hard of Hearing: The Day Shall Come
Starts Tuesday 19 November 2019
The return of satirical mastermind Chris Morris, following his explosive, critically acclaimed Islamist satire Four Lions. Moses is ready to lead a global uprising against the ‘accidental dominance of the white race’. The only trouble is that he only…
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Parent and Toddler Art Club
Thursday 21 November
These artist-led sessions provide a safe and fun environment for children under 5 and parents/carers to use their imagination and curiosity to explore, test and experiment with a range of art activities and materials. Parents and guardians go free.
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Free
YAK | Young Art Kommunity
Thursday 21 November 2019
5:00 pm
More times available
Develop your approach to and understanding of art with other young people. YAK is Firstsite’s young-people peer led group which organises events and activities within the gallery and in the wider community. Our aims are: • To develop young people’s…
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The Day Shall Come
Thursday 21 November 2019
6:00 pm
The return of satirical mastermind Chris Morris, following his explosive, critically acclaimed Islamist satire Four Lions. Moses is ready to lead a global uprising against the ‘accidental dominance of the white race’. The only trouble is that he only…
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Tai Chi | Beginners
Thursday 21 November 2019
7:30 pm
Please note Thursday 10th October has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Increase your flexibility, improve your balance and help lower your stress and anxiety, with relaxing sessions of Tai-Chi at Firstsite. This…
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Depeche Mode: Spirits in the Forest
Thursday 21 November 2019
8:00 pm
Across 2017/2018 Depeche Mode embarked on their Global Spirit Tour, in which they performed to more than 3 million fans at 115 shows across the globe. This new visually-striking film, directed by award-winning filmmaker and longtime artistic collaborator Anton…
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Dance and Movement for Wellbeing | For over 60s
Friday 22 November 2019
10:30 am
A gentle session for over 60s to ease joint mobility, improve agility, balance and self-awareness in movement. Every Friday 10:30am during term times. During term time only.
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By the Grace of God
Friday 22 November 2019
7:30 pm
More times available
Highly controversial in its native France, François Ozon’s (Frantz, Swimming Pool) brilliant new film follows the survivors of an ongoing child abuse scandal in the Catholic church as they seek justice. With deep compassion and sensitivity, we follow three…
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Art Class: Clay Workshop for 5 to 8 years old
Saturday 23 November 2019
12:00 pm
More times available
Come and play with clay at Firstsite! Working with clay in a relaxed environment, local artist Iris Gunnarsdottir will guide you in molding your very own figure inspired by our current exhibition, Antony Gormley: Field for the British Isles….
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Art Class: Clay Workshop for 9 to 12 Year Olds
Saturday 23 November 2019
2:00 pm
More times available
Come and play with clay at Firstsite! Led by local artist Iris Gunnarsdottir and inspired by our current exhibition Field for the British Isles by Antony Gormley, this course gives you the opportunity to work with clay in a…
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Art Class: Clay Workshop for 13 to 17 Year Olds
Saturday 23 November 2019
3:30 pm
More times available
Come and play with clay at Firstsite! Led by local artist Iris Gunnarsdottir and inspired by our current exhibition Field for the British Isles by Antony Gormley, this course gives you the opportunity to work with clay in a…
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Met Live: Akhnaten
Saturday 23 November 2019
5:55 pm
Phelim McDermott returns to the Met with a new staging of Glass’s Akhnaten, originally created by LA Opera, Improbable, and English National Opera, where it premiered, winning the 2017 Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production.
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Official Secrets
Sunday 24 November 2019
2:30 pm
More times available
This gripping political thriller tells the real life story of a government whistleblower who exposed the unlawful basis for the 2003 Iraq War. Katharine Gun (Keira Knightley) is working at GCHQ, watching Tony Blair justify the invasion on evidence…
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Tehran: City of Love
Starts Monday 25 November 2019
A tale of three lost souls, searching for romance in Iran’s capital. An overweight beauty salon receptionist charms men over the phone, certain they would never date her in real life. A religious singer looks to find his true…
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Free
CLIP | Experimental Music & Sound Collective
Monday 25 November 2019
5:00 pm
More times available
FREE CLIP is a weekly meet up for anyone with an interest in the more experimental side of music and sound. An opportunity for sonic exploration through collaboration, discussion, sharing ideas, jam sessions, installations, live soundtracks and workshops. Alongside…
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Hard of Hearing: Official Secrets
Starts Tuesday 26 November 2019
This gripping political thriller tells the real life story of a government whistleblower who exposed the unlawful basis for the 2003 Iraq War. Katharine Gun (Keira Knightley) is working at GCHQ, watching Tony Blair justify the invasion on evidence…
Find out moreCourses, Clubs & Classes
Art Class: Life Drawing – Beginners to Intermediate
Tuesday 26 November 2019
3:00 pm
More times available
Led by Colchester Art Society artist Sally Delany, this 13 week course gives you the opportunity to work with a variety of media, including charcoal, pencil and pastels, to explore the human form. Drawing from clothed and nude models,…
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Limitless | Junior Street Dance
Tuesday 26 November 2019
4:00 pm
More times available
Breakdance skills for 8 – 14 year olds. Join the Limitless dancers Andi Mill and Isaac James to try out the basics of street dancing in a cool, fun and energetic environment. Please wear comfortable clothing – loose t-shirts,…
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Art Class: Life Drawing and Painting (intermediate to advanced)
Tuesday 26 November 2019
6:30 pm
More times available
Join artist Sally Delany to discover life drawing and painting. Working from a life model, you will study methods of how to represent the human form with both drawing and painting techniques – using pencil, charcoal and acrylics. This…
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Tai Chi | Intermediate
Tuesday 26 November 2019
7:30 pm
More times available
Tuesdays during term time Please note that Tuesday 8th October has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Increase your flexibility, improve your balance and help lower your stress and anxiety, with relaxing sessions…
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NT Live: Present Laughter
Thursday 28 November 2019
7:00 pm
Matthew Warchus directs Andrew Scott (BBC’s Sherlock, Fleabag) in Noël Coward’s provocative comedy Present Laughter. As he prepares to embark on an overseas tour, star actor Garry Essendine’s colourful life is in danger of spiralling out of control. Engulfed…
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Sorry We Missed You
Friday 29 November 2019
6:00 pm
More times available
Director Ken Loach teams once again with Daniel Blake screenwriter Paul Laverty for another powerful indictment of the capitalist forces shaping modern Britain. No one else is making films with the urgency of Loach, and the performances here have…
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Monos
Friday 29 November 2019
8:00 pm
More times available
On a remote mountaintop, a rebel group of commandos watch over a prisoner for a shadowy force known only as ‘The Organization’. But after a series of unexpected events drive them deep into the jungle, their mission begins to…
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Art Class: Christmas Wrapping Paper
Saturday 30 November 2019
10:00 am
Design and Decorate your very own Christmas wrapping paper! Join artist Amanda Blair for an all day workshop and learn skills in printmaking to design and decorate your very own roll of wrapping paper. Be inspired by seasonal foliage…
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The CBeebies Christmas Show
Saturday 30 November 2019
2:00 pm
More times available
This year’s highly anticipated CBeebies Christmas Show is once again coming to the big screen from the theatre stage for a family-friendly feast of Christmas fun, including interactive content exclusively created for cinemas alongside the Hansel & Gretel stage…
Find out moreBrittany Runs a Marathon
Saturday 30 November 2019
5:50 pm
More times available
Hilarious, outgoing and always up for a good time, New Yorker Brittany Forgler is everybody’s best friend – except maybe her own. At 27, her hard-partying ways, chronic underemployment and toxic relationships are catching up with her, but when…
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Art Class: Christmas Clay Workshop for Adults
Sunday 1 December
Come and get festive at Firstsite! Led by local artist Iris Gunnarsdottir, this workshop gives you the opportunity to create unique Christmas gifts and decorations. Inspired by our current exhibition Field for the British Isles by Antony Gormley,…
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Hard of Hearing: Sorry We Missed You
Starts Monday 2 December 2019
Director Ken Loach teams once again with I, Daniel Blake screenwriter Paul Laverty for another powerful indictment of the capitalist forces shaping modern Britain. No one else is making films with the urgency of Loach, and the performances here…
Find out moreCommunity and Partners
Free
Art in the Community
Monday 2 December 2019
2:00 pm
More times available
Art in the Community sessions are for people who use creativity to improve their well-being, and for recovery from mental and physical issues. Led and supported by Clive Wakeford, new participants are always welcome to come and join this…
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Branagh Theatre Company: The Winter’s Tale
Wednesday 4 December 2019
7:00 pm
More times available
Another chance to see Shakespeare’s timeless tragicomedy of obsession and redemption, reimagined in a new production co-directed by Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh. Originally broadcast live from London’s Garrick Theatre, following their triumphant staging of Macbeth in Manchester and…
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Gremlins (4K restoration)
Friday 6 December 2019
7:30 pm
The 1984 classic Gremlins returns to the big screen with a stunning 4K Restoration. “Don’t expose him to bright light. Don’t ever get him wet. And don’t ever, ever feed him after midnight.” This comic Joe Dante effort is…
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Friends 25th: The One With the Anniversary (Part One)
Starts Sunday 8 December 2019
Our friends are still there for you, 25 years later! Celebrate the milestone anniversary of the beloved sitcom, coming to the big screen for the first time ever! Part One: The One Where Monica Gets a RoommateThe One…
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ROH: Coppélia (Live)
Tuesday 10 December 2019
7:15 pm
A classic returns to The Royal Ballet repertory with Ninette de Valois’ charming and funny Coppélia – a story of love, mischief and mechanical dolls. The intricate choreography is set to Delibes’ delightful score and shows off the technical…
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Friends 25th: The One With the Anniversary (Part Two)
Starts Wednesday 11 December 2019
Friends 25th: The One With The Anniversary will reunite fans with their longtime BFFs — Ross, Rachel, Joey, Monica, Chandler and Phoebe — to re-live some of their funniest moments. Part Two: The One With the Prom VideoThe…
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Free
Colchester Record Fair
Saturday 14 December 2019
10:00 am
More times available
Colchester’s Record Fair returns to Firstsite – a treat for both enthusiasts and casual collectors alike. Come browse through stall holders’ collections of vinyl and CDs from a vast range of genres. Grab yourself a bargain – or perhaps something a little rarer.
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Friends 25th: The One With the Anniversary (Part Three)
Starts Sunday 15 December 2019
Our friends are still there for you, 25 years later! Celebrate the milestone anniversary of the beloved sitcom, coming to the big screen for the first time ever! Part Three: The One With Chandler In A BoxThe One With…
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ROH: Coppélia (Encore)
Sunday 15 December 2019
2:00 pm
A classic returns to The Royal Ballet repertory with Ninette de Valois’ charming and funny Coppélia – a story of love, mischief and mechanical dolls. The intricate choreography is set to Delibes’ delightful score and shows off the technical…
Find out moreCinema
Royal Opera House: The Nutcracker (encore)
Tuesday 17 December 2019
7:15 pm
More times available
Certificate: 12ALength: 150 minsDirector: TBCCast: TBC The Royal Ballet’s glorious production of The Nutcracker, created by Peter Wright in 1984, is the production par excellence of an all-time ballet favourite. It is Christmas Eve and Herr Drosselmeyer the magician…
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Free
Bazaar | Art & Food Market
Saturday 21 December 2019
10:30 am
Bazaar is a monthly market of unique items by local makers, artists, upcyclers and crafters. Support your local community and small businesses while personalising your home and life in a way no one else can – and grab a…
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The King and I: From the London Palladium
Starts Monday 30 December 2019
The multi-award winning and critically acclaimed Lincoln Center Theater’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King And I comes to cinemas in this unmissable event presented from London’s iconic Palladium. Reprising her Tony Award-winning role, ‘Broadway musical’s undisputed Queen’…
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André Rieu: 70 years young
Saturday 4 January 2020
7:30 pm
More times available
70 YEARS YOUNG is André Rieu’s ultimate concert featuring musical highlights chosen by André himself. This unique anniversary event will take you on an unbelievable journey around the world to André Rieu’s most amazing concert locations, such as Schönbrunn…
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Met Opera: Wozzeck (Live)
Saturday 11 January 2020
5:40 pm
Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts William Kentridge’s new production of Alban Berg’s expressionistic masterpiece Wozzeck, regarded for its intense emotional power and brilliant score as one of the most significant operas of the 20th century.
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Exhibition on Screen: Lucian Freud – A Self Portrait
Tuesday 14 January 2020
7:30 pm
For the first time in history the Royal Academy of Arts in London, in collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, is bringing together Lucian Freud’s self-portraits. The exhibition will display more than 50 paintings, prints and…
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ROH: The Sleeping Beauty (Live)
Thursday 16 January 2020
7:15 pm
A perennial delight and a much-loved classic, The Royal Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty combines the best of classical ballet, with all its charms and virtuosity, splendid music and talented dancers. First choreographed to Tchaikovsky’s great musical score by Marius Petipa in…
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Art Class: Clay Workshop for Adults
Sunday 19 January 2020
10:00 am
Come and play with clay at Firstsite! Led by local artist Iris Gunnarsdottir and inspired by our current exhibition Field for the British Isles by Antony Gormley, this course gives you the opportunity to work with clay in a…
Find out moreCinema
Royal Opera House: La Bohème (Live)
Starts Wednesday 29 January 2020
Puccini’s opera of young love in 19th-century Paris is packed with beautiful music, including lyrical arias, celebratory choruses for Act II’s evocation of Christmas Eve in the Latin Quarter and a poignant final scene over which the composer himself…
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Met Live: Porgy and Bess
Saturday 1 February 2020
5:40 pm
The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess returns to the Met for the first time since 1990, in a new co-production with English National Opera and Dutch National Opera, hailed as a triumph at its premiere in London earlier this year.
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Royal Opera House: La Bohème (Encore)
Starts Sunday 2 February 2020
Puccini’s opera of young love in 19th-century Paris is packed with beautiful music, including lyrical arias, celebratory choruses for Act II’s evocation of Christmas Eve in the Latin Quarter and a poignant final scene over which the composer himself…
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Kinky Boots: The Musical
Tuesday 4 February 2020
7:30 pm
More times available
Kinky Boots The Musical, filmed live at London’s Adelphi Theatre, is strutting onto the big screen! Charlie is a factory owner struggling to save his family business, and Lola is a fabulous entertainer with a wildly exciting idea. With…
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Met Opera: Agrippina (Live)
Saturday 29 February 2020
5:40 pm
In the Met’s first-ever performances of Agrippina, Handel’s satire of sex and power politics, Sir David McVicar reconceives a production evoking a scandalous world in which the Roman Empire never fell but simply kept going right up to the…
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Met Live: Der Fliegende Hollander
Saturday 14 March 2020
5:40 pm
For the first time at the Met, Sir Bryn Terfel sings the role of the mysterious Dutchman, condemned to roam the seas for eternity, with Anja Kampe as the devoted Senta, whose love can set him free.
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Exhibition on Screen: Easter in Art
Tuesday 7 April 2020
7:30 pm
The story of Christ’s death and resurrection has dominated western culture for the past 2000 years. It is perhaps the most significant historical event of all time, as recounted by the gospels but, equally, as depicted by the greatest…
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Met Opera: Tosca (Live)
Saturday 11 April 2020
5:40 pm
Sir David McVicar’s bold staging of Puccini’s operatic thriller returns with star soprano Anna Netrebko as the passionate title diva, opposite Brian Jagde as her lover, the idealistic painter Mario Cavaradossi.
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Royal Opera House: Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci (Live)
Starts Tuesday 21 April 2020
These two short Italian operas are each regarded as the composers’ masterpiece, and are brought together in a new staging by award-winning director Damiano Michieletto, who sets both operas in a poverty stricken village in 1980s southern Italy, where…
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Royal Opera House: Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci (Encore)
Starts Sunday 26 April 2020
These two short Italian operas are each regarded as the composers’ masterpiece, and are brought together in a new staging by award-winning director Damiano Michieletto, who sets both operas in a poverty stricken village in 1980s southern Italy, where…
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Met Live: Maria Stuarda
Saturday 9 May 2020
5:40 pm
Donizetti’s drama, focused on the political and personal rivalry between two queens, returns to the Met with Diana Damrau as the doomed Mary, Queen of Scots, and Jamie Barton as her rival, Queen Elizabeth I.
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Royal Opera House: The Dante Project (Live)
Starts Thursday 28 May 2020
Dante’s Divine Comedy is an epic journey through the afterlife: it encompasses the horrifying drama of Inferno and its damned, the lyrical mysticism of pilgrims on mount Purgatorio and the dazzling spheres of Paradiso with their endless configurations of…
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Royal Opera House: The Dante Project (Encore)
Starts Sunday 31 May 2020
Dante’s Divine Comedy is an epic journey through the afterlife: it encompasses the horrifying drama of Inferno and its damned, the lyrical mysticism of pilgrims on mount Purgatorio and the dazzling spheres of Paradiso with their endless configurations of…
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Berliner Philharmoniker: Live Season Finale
Starts Friday 12 June 2020
Enjoy the conclusion of the Berliner Philharmoniker 2019/20 Live Cinema with Gustavo Dudamel conducting Mahler’s powerful Symphony No. 2 in C minor “Resurrection”. This spectacular Season Finale Concert will be broadcast live from Berlin and will feature exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews and…
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Royal Opera House: Elektra (Live)
Thursday 18 June
Strauss’s thrilling and audacious adaptation of Greek tragedy receives a new staging by the award- winning director Christof Loy. This uncompromising opera, about a daughter intent on bloody revenge and a mother driven to madness, has provoked critics to…
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Royal Opera House: Elektra (Encore)
Sunday 21 June
Strauss’s thrilling and audacious adaptation of Greek tragedy receives a new staging by the award- winning director Christof Loy. This uncompromising opera, about a daughter intent on bloody revenge and a mother driven to madness, has provoked critics to…
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Exhibition on Screen: Frida Kahlo
Monday 6 July 2020
7:30 pm
This highly engaging film takes us on a journey through the life of one of the most prevalent female icons: Frida Kahlo. She was a prolific self-portraitist, using the canvas as a mirror through all stages of her turbulent…
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