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LONDON FOR FUN Newsletter: 17 August 2010 Issue No.197

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1.) Top 10 London events
2.) Other Events, Theatre listings, Museums and Galleries
3.) How to unsubscribe

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1. Top 10 London events
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1 - The Deep Sea - Experience life in 4 zones of the deep sea, from top to bottom. Explore a diverse habitat full of floating alien creatures and dazzling lights in the darkness. See rare specimens and models from shimmering jellyfish and scary angler fish to giant spider crabs and colossal squid. At the centre of the exhibition is a real sperm whale skeleton that has never been on display before. Follow ocean exploration from its early days to the present, discovering historic specimens from the famous HMS Challenger expedition and a modern walk-in submersible. Other highlights are a cinema showing videos of life in the depths, an exhibit of myths and monsters, and an interactive sea map kiosk to explore the British sea bed and find out about conservation. Until 5 September. www.nhm.ac.uk

2 - Grace Kelly: Stlye Icon - The spectacular wardrobe of Grace Kelly is on display at the V&A. Tracing the evolution of her style from her days as one of Hollywoods most popular actresses in the 1950s and as Princess Grace of Monaco, the display presents over 50 of Grace Kelly's outfits together with hats, jewellery and the original Hermès Kelly bag. Dresses from her films, including High Society, are on show as well as the gown she wore to accept her Oscar award in 1955. These are accompanied by film clips and posters, photographs and her Oscar statuette. The display also includes the lace ensemble worn by Grace Kelly for her civil marriage ceremony to Prince Rainier in 1956 and 35 haute couture gowns from the 1960s and 70s by her favourite couturiers Dior, Balenciaga, Givenchy, and Yves St Laurent. Until 26 September. www.vam.ac.uk

3 - Camille Silvy, Photographer of Modern Life, 1834-1910 - The first retrospective exhibition of work by Camille Silvy, one of the greatest French photographers of the nineteenth century, will open at the National Portrait Gallery this summer. Marking the centenary of Silvy's death, Camille Silvy, Photographer of Modern Life, 1834 - 1910, will include over a hundred objects, many of which have not been exhibited since 1860. The portraits on display offer a unique glimpse into nineteenth-century Paris and Victorian London through the eyes of one of photography's greatest innovators. Until 24 October. www.npg.org.uk

4 - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater - Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater makes a much anticipated return to Sadler's Wells with two inspirational programmes. Programme One includes Suite Otis, set to the music of Otis Redding, and Programme Two features Judith Jamison's tribute to Alvin Ailey, Hymn. Both programmes include the world's most seen modern dance work, Revelations. From 14 September until 25 September. www.sadlerswells.com

5 - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The journey ends... - Following on from the sold-out performances of the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, experience the final chapter of this thrilling epic trilogy. Howard Shore's Academy award winning score will be performed live on stage by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Ludwig Wicki, to a high definition cinematic screening of the film. Rediscover the power of this gripping adventure as 200 musicians bring Middle-earth to life, performing live to Peter Jackson's award-winning film adaptation of the third part of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. As the Fellowship's journey comes to an end, the Return of the King tells the story of an epic heroic quest of men, their relationships and rivalries, and reveals how through courage, commitment and determination, even the smallest of us can change the world. 28 & 29 September. www.royalalberthall.com

6 - The Planets - An HD Odyssey - Barber Meditation and Dance of Vengeance from Medea, Stravinsky Le Chant du Rossignol and Gustav Holst The Planets. The Planets is among the most iconic pieces of 20th century classical music. Drawing on his interest in astrology, Holst's orchestral suite inventively and memorably captured his impressions of the planets and their mythical associations – from the unsettling martial opening of Mars, through the stirring tune of Jupiter to the mysterious, other worldly Neptune. The power of today's telescope technology would have been unimaginable for Holst back in 1917, but a project involving the Houston Symphony, NASA, The Jet Propulsion Laboratory and producer/ director Duncan Copp will link Holst's vivid musical vision with high-definition images of our solar system that the composer could only have dreamed of seeing. The evening's concert also sees Hans Graf conduct two more 20th century orchestral works, both employing rich thematic material drawn from larger pieces. Meditation and Dance of Vengeance from Medea, in which a wistful opening gradually gives way to a rhythmic urgency, derives from Barber's earlier ballet. Stravinsky's Le Chant du Rossignol was adapted from his opera based on Hans Christian Andersen's story The Nightingale. 16 October. www.barbican.org.uk

7 - La bohème - Puccini's powerfully popular opera returns in a first revival of Jonathan Miller's lovingly intimate staging. Atmospherically updated to 1930s Paris, this uber-romantic story of young love blighted by sudden tragedy unfolds on cinematically realistic sets inspired by the iconic photographs of Cartier-Bresson and Brassaï. Rising star Elizabeth Llewellyn – winner of the inaugural Voice of Black Opera competition – debuts as Mimì, while the role of Rodolfo is shared between Gwyn Hughes Jones (an acclaimed Pinkerton in Anthony Minghella's Madam Butterfly and Calaf in Rupert Goold's Turandot) and Alfie Boe, the Tony Award-winning hero of Baz Luhrmann's Broadway La bohème, who rejoins other key members of the cast of 2009. From 18 October 2010 until 27 January 2011. www.eno.org

8 - Cézanne’s Card Players - Paul Cézanne’s famous series of paintings of peasants playing cards has long been considered among his most important and powerful works. This landmark exhibition will be the first to bring together the majority of these remarkable paintings alongside a magnificent group of Cézanne’s closely related portraits of Provençal peasants and rarely seen preparatory oil sketches and drawings. The Courtauld Gallery’s two masterpieces from this series, The Card Players and Man with a Pipe, will be joined by exceptional loans to offer a visual feast of some of Cézanne’s finest paintings. From 21 October 2010 until 16 January 2011. www.courtauld.ac.uk

9 - Venice: Canaletto and his Rivals - This exhibition presents the finest assembly of Venetian views since the much-celebrated display in Venice in 1967. It features works by Canaletto and all the major practitioners of the genre. Bringing together around 50 major loans from public and private collections across Europe and North America, the exhibition highlights the rich variety of Venetian view painting. The exhibition includes many of Canaletto’s greatest masterpieces, including ‘The Riva degli Schiavoni, looking West’ (Sir John Soane’s Museum, London), The Stonemason’s Yard (The National Gallery, London), and four of the finest works from the Royal Collection. From 13 October 2010 until 16 January 2011. www.nationalgallery.org.uk

10 - Journey through the afterlife: ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead - The ‘Book’ was not a single text but a compilation of spells designed to guide the deceased through the dangers of the underworld, ultimately ensuring eternal life. Many of the examples of the Book of the Dead in the exhibition have never been seen before, and many are from the British Museum’s unparalleled collection. These beautifully illustrated spells on papyrus and linen were used for over 1,000 years, and the oldest examples are over 3,500 years old. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these fascinating and fragile objects on display. In addition to the unique works on papyrus and linen, superbly crafted funerary figurines (shabtis), amulets, jewellery, statues and coffins illustrate the many stages of the journey from death to the afterlife, including the day of burial, protection in the tomb, judgement, and entering the hereafter. From 4 November 2010 until 6 March 2011. www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk

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2. Other Events, Theatre listings, Museums and Galleries:

Events listing:
http://www.londonforfun.com/events-in-London.htm

Theatre listings:
http://www.londonforfun.com/London-theatres.htm

Museum listing:
http://www.londonforfun.com/London-museums.htm

Galleries listings:
http://www.londonforfun.com/galleries-in-London.htm

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