ARTS & EVENTS
OXFORDSHIRE www.oxfordinspires.org
l OXFORD OPEN DOORS l OXFORD LIEDER FESTIVAL l CHRISTMAS ACROSS OXFORDSHIRE l
AUTUMN/WINTER 2011 Issue: 03 Volume: 03 2011 www.oxfordinspires.org
Oxford Open Doors
10 - 11 September 2011
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ARTS & EVENTS
OXFORDSHIRE Contents
Oxford Open Doors 5 6 What’s On September What’s On October 9 The Oxford Lieder Festival 10 14 What’s On November
Christmas Light Night 18 Christmas In The City 20 Christmas Across The County 22 What’s On December 24 Calendar 26
Autumn is upon us and with it the approaching festive season. As the nights grow longer and the weather colder, let's celebrate the last of the festivals that marked the summer months so significantly and welcome instead a new series of events, exhibitions and performances, all designed to add a little sparkle to the wintery months that lie ahead. As usual, there are plenty of fantastic events planned to entertain and inspire the whole family. Highlights include Oxford Open Doors in September, The Oxford Lieder Festival (which celebrates its 10th anniversary!) this October and, as we begin the countdown to Christmas, the many festive light switch-on events, pantomimes and carol concerts that help make the season so special. So to ensure you don’t miss a thing, let us guide you through our selection of the best cultural events and activities on offer over the coming months.
10 > The Oxford Lieder Festival Front Cover Image: Oxford Open Doors. Photo by K T Bruce
18 > Christmas Light Night
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Welcome to Oxfordshire - Offering so much to see and do all year round, Oxford and Oxfordshire make an excellent destination whatever the season or weather. With its varied landscape, rural heritage and visitor attractions to explore, Oxfordshire is the ideal location for a short break or longer holiday. To make the most of the autumn months, a visit to Oxfordshire is a must. From the many cultural events taking place across the county to the wondrous autumnal colours on display, Oxford and Oxfordshire offers something for everyone. For further information go to www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com or visit the Oxford Tourist Information Centre, 15/16 Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3AS. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information within this publication, which was assumed to be correct at the time of printing, Oxford Inspires cannot accept liability for any inaccuracies. Designed by Torpedo torpedogroup.com Printed by Fine Print www.fineprint.co.uk
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER Arts & Events Oxfordshire
OXFORD OPEN DOORS
New Biochemistry Building – Greg Smolonski
All Souls Chapel – KT Bruce
Real Tennis Court, Merton College – Greg Smolonski
10 – 11 September 2011 Tickets: Free Admission
Once again, Oxford will open its doors for this annual weekend in celebration of everything that makes the city so special – its historic, modern, green, urban and suburban spaces, but most of all its people.
Celebrating Oxford’s Sporting Heritage and Excellence In anticipation of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, this year’s Open Doors theme will be Oxford’s Sporting Heritage and Excellence. Clubs, arenas and pavilions will be some of the hidden corners to explore this weekend, alongside a dazzling array of architectural gems and little known spaces. Explore Oxford University’s world-famous Roger Bannister Running Track, discover the art of punting at the Cherwell Boat House or be inspired by the Health and Life Sciences open day at Oxford Brookes. Over the course of the weekend there will also be plenty of opportunities to watch sporting demonstrations, test your own abilities in workshops and taster sessions and learn more about the city’s sporting history through exhibitions and displays.
Explore Your City! But it’s not just about sport this year, as the event once again sees colleges, libraries, museums, arts venues and faith buildings opening their doors to the public. Visit some of Oxford’s oldest and newest buildings, climb towers for spectacular city views or descend staircases leading to darkened underground tunnels – let your curiosity get the better of you this weekend, we promise you won’t be disappointed! Oxford Open Doors is organised by Oxford Preservation Trust in partnership with the University of Oxford. Special thanks also go to Infineum and Lucy Properties for their support of the event. For the full programme, please visit
www.oxfordopendoors.org.uk www.oxfordinspires.org
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SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
ART MARKETS
FESTIVAL
MUSIC
Oxfordshire Art Markets
Oxford Castle Food and Wine Festival
Miss P Foundation: Nurturing Visions in the Arts
17 – 18 September 2011
24 September 2011
Venue: Oxford Castle Tickets: Free Admission Info: www.oxfordcastle.com
Venue: New Theatre, Oxford Tickets: £12 Info: www.newtheatreoxford.org.uk
Whether you have gusto for gourmet cooking, a taste for Texan food, a soft-spot for sushi, or a preference for truly great British produce, you’re bound to enjoy a different kind of culinary adventure at Oxford Castle’s two day food and wine extravaganza. With live cooking demonstrations, wine tasting classes, dietary discussions and some of the world’s best chefs revealing their kitchen secrets, Oxford Castle Food and Wine Festival will give you some truly great cooking ideas by stimulating your brain as well as tantalising your taste buds!
The annual Miss P fundraiser showcases some of Oxford’s most talented performers and raises money for young people pursuing a career in the Arts. This year’s exciting theme explores the vibrancy of Motown and new urban music. This all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza, featuring locals such as KC’s School of Dance and the Miss P Performers, promises to be a fun filled family event.
11 September – 18 December 2011 Venue: Wantage, Banbury and Oxford Tickets: Free Admission Info: www.oxonarts.info/artmarkets Working in association with Boffy Markets, Oxfordshire Arts Partnership are running three markets in Oxfordshire this autumn, offering high quality, handmade, original and affordable arts and crafts by local artists. Visit the Wantage market on 11 September, the Banbury market on 2 October and the Oxford market – which will be held on Broad Street – on 18 December; the perfect opportunity to support local makers and purchase something unique prior to Christmas!
TALK Saturday Spotlight Gallery Talk: Captured By Women
EXHIBITION
17 September 2011
Worn to be Wild
Venue: Pitt Rivers Museum Tickets: Free Admission Info: www.prm.ox.ac.uk
17 September 2011 – 15 January 2012
Anthropologist and filmmaker Alison Kahn will talk about a digitisation project with the Pitt Rivers Museum Film Archives. Alison worked with film from the 1930s, captured by Beatrice Blackwood in Papua New Guinea and Ursula Graham Bower in Nagaland, India. The final documentary includes interviews and ‘magical sequences’ to bring the silent film to life, making connections between the filmed footage, photographs and collections held at the Museum.
Venue: River and Rowing Museum Tickets: Free with admission to the museum (£8, £6 concession) Info: www.rrm.co.uk An exciting exhibition of theatrical costume inspired by British birds and mammals, created by the acclaimed film and theatre costumier Kate Plumtree. A family friendly interactive show, this visual feast includes location photography, fabric sample touch pads, design construction portfolios and costumes for you to try on.
Taking Part in the Arts! Showcasing the Arts for Older People in Oxfordshire 27 September 2011 Venue: Oxford Town Hall Tickets: Free Admission Info: angeli.vaid@oxfordshire.gov.uk Visit the Town Hall between 9.30am and 1.00pm to learn about the growing opportunities for older people to take part in the arts; from music, dance and literature to theatre, film and singing, the health and wellbeing benefits of participation are proven. Artists and arts organisations from across Oxfordshire working with older people will share their good practice, inspire, challenge and support us to encourage participation.
EXHIBITION
MUSIC
Abraham Cruzvillegas – Autoconstrucción: The Optimistic Failure of a Simultaneous Promise
Oxford Concert Party 17 September 2011 Venue: Broughton Castle, Banbury Tickets: £25 (including refreshments) Info: www.oxfordconcertparty.org Take 300 years of music from around the world, infuse it with humour, energy, passion and pathos, and you have the recipe with which the Oxford Concert Party delights their audience wherever they go. Be it Vivaldi, French café music, Argentinean tango, Irish laments or Finnish polkas, this ‘bunch of superb musicians’ (Daily Telegraph) create a rich, expressive sound, and their vibrant virtuosity and zany off-beat humour make for an unforgettable performance. This fundraising concert celebrates the 20th anniversary of Katharine House Hospice. All funds raised benefit nursing care.
Winter 2011
SHOWCASE
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27 September – 20 November 2011 Venue: Modern Art Oxford Tickets: Free Admission Info: www.modernartoxford.org.uk
Worn to be Wild
A major exhibition of new work by Mexican artist Abraham Cruzvillegas, including the latest work in his long-standing project Autoconstrucción. Cruzvillegas will create two new works for Modern Art Oxford: a large-scale suspended ‘mobile’ sculpture, adorned with casts of Amazonian shrunken heads made from animal dung and inspired by the collection of the Pitt Rivers Museum, and a sculpture constructed from a tricycle and sound system, to be cycled around the Gallery and the city.
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SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER Arts & Events Oxfordshire
IN WITH BETWEEN Oxford Brookes University MA Interdisciplinary Arts Festival
Sarah-Ellen Hughes
MUSIC Sarah-Ellen Hughes 30 September 2011 Venue: Cornerstone Arts Centre Tickets: £14, £12.50 concessions Info: www.cornerstone-arts.org Outstanding jazz vocalist Sarah-Ellen Hughes has already established herself as a notable presence on the London jazz scene. Appearing at Cornerstone as part of a UK tour, Sarah will be accompanied by a superb trio who together will play a selection of popular songs set alongside exciting arrangements of some of her own compositions.
EXHIBITION Treasures of the Bodleian 30 September – 23 December 2011 Venue: The Bodleian Library Tickets: Free Admission Info: www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk The Bodleian’s autumn exhibition looks towards the new permanent gallery in the Weston Library. On display will be some of the Bodleian's rarest and most evocative items, ranging from ancient papyri and medieval oriental manuscripts to twentieth-century printed books and ephemera. Some of the items on display will include the Magna Carta, Shakespeare’s First Folio, one of the earliest medieval illustrated manuscripts of Dante's The Divine Comedy, hand-written drafts of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Kafka's The Judgement, Robert Hooke's Micrographia and an illustrated medieval Arabic manuscript.
Patrick Farmer – by Sarah Hughes
27 September – 2 October 2011 At the end of September, venues across Oxford will showcase the results of the creative processes of established and emerging artists from the Oxford Brookes MA Interdisciplinary Arts programme. Over the course of this six day festival, twenty-one artists will transform their thoughts into works of art spanning painting, music, photography, performance, storytelling, installation, video and social sculpture. Pieces will be displayed on the streets of Oxford and in the heart of Jericho, as well as within venues such as the Museum of the History of Science, Meller Merceux, Adderbury House, Science Oxford and the Jacqueline du Pre Music Building.
In with between begins on the 27 September with a special one-day showing of French artist Camille Baziadoly’s video installation at the O3 Gallery, and continues with the festival launch event the following evening. Held at the city’s newly refurbished Old Boot Factory, the launch offers attendees the chance to preview works by participating artists Veronica Cordova de la Rosa, Ian Castles, Aya Kasai and Natasha Solomons. During the remaining four days of this eclectic festival, there will also be the opportunity to enjoy highlights such as a film screening and open dialogue event by writer and activist Clare Cochrane, experimental storytelling by London-based artist Jo Kernon, and a session examining the relationship between medicine and imagination held by neuroscience lecturer and prolific blogger Richard Rosh. For more information about in with between, visit
www.inwithbetween.blogspot.com www.oxfordinspires.org
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SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
LITERATURE IN OXFORDSHIRE The Wantage Betjeman Festival of Literature 11 – 17 September 2011 Tickets: Starting from £4 The inaugural Wantage Betjeman Festival of Literature is, according to the festival’s Artistic Director Jim Mitchell, “the culmination of a vision which has been coming to fruition over many years.” It is therefore unsurprising to learn that the programme on offer for this week long event is varied, exciting and incredibly well thought out, including something for all ages and levels of interest in reading and poetry. John Betjeman had a long association with Wantage, and the festival aims to celebrate both his work and that of other poets and authors. As well as film screenings, walks and musical performances, residents and visitors to the town will also be given the opportunity to take part in readings, workshops and discussions with a stellar line up of locally and nationally recognised writers. Tim Pears, Sir Max Hastings, Jim Powel, Valerie Laws, Lucy Cavendish and Bill Heine are just a selection of those taking part. www.wantagebetjeman.com
The Independent Woodstock Literary Festival 14 – 18 September 2011 Tickets: Starting from £5 Founded in 2005 by Sally Dunsmore and her mother Jill – who is also the Town Mayor – the Independent Woodstock Literary Festival has since grown from a three to five day event, has seen David Cameron attend three of the six years, and has played host to a staggering array of literary luminaries and experts on topics ranging from art and politics to history and science. This year sees Margaret Drabble on her Collected Stories, Colonel Tim Collins talking about Iraq, Richard Dawkins launching his book The Magic of Reality, David Crystal on The King James Bible, and an extended discussion on Afghanistan and the Arab Spring, chaired by Martin Bell. Visitors will also have the opportunity to take part in the much-loved walking tour, to be conducted this year by Alistair Lack, and on the Friday evening a grand dinner with a special guest speaker will take place in the Orangery at Blenheim Palace.
Woodstock Literary Festival – Oxford Picture Library, Chris Andrews
www.woodstockliteraryfestival.com
The Henley Literary Festival 28 September – 2 October 2011 Tickets: Starting from £4 This September, the Henley Literary Festival will celebrate a great occasion – its fifth anniversary. And with close to 100 novelists, politicians, actors and journalists taking part, there promises to be something on offer for everyone, no matter what your interest.
Henley Literary Festival
The festival takes place over the course of five days and sees events staged in a range of stunning venues throughout Henley, including the beautiful 17th century Bix Manor and the Kenton Theatre, the fourth-oldest working theatre in the country. Audiences will be treated to readings and talks from the likes of Melvyn Bragg, Pam Ayres, Alan Titchmarsh, Larry Lamb and Sarah Brown, as well as being given the opportunity to join wine tastings, cookery demonstrations and other alternative events. In fact, don’t miss the festival’s ever popular River Readings, which invite audiences to enjoy prose and poetry (plus a glass of fizz!) as they sail down the Thames on elegant cruise boats; superb. www.henleyliteraryfestival.co.uk
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SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER Arts & Events Oxfordshire
FESTIVAL
EXHIBITION Clouet to Claude: French Master Drawings
Thame Arts and Literature Festival
1 October – 23 December 2011
14 – 16 October 2011
Venue: Christ Church Picture Gallery Tickets: £3, £2 concessions Info: www.chch.ox.ac.uk/gallery
Venue: Various venues throughout Thame Tickets: From £3 Info: www.talfestival.org
While the Ashmolean is celebrating the inventor of landscape painting, Claude Lorrain, in a solo exhibition this autumn, Christ Church will give a broader overview on French draughtsmanship by showcasing its collection of French drawings. This exhibition will allow the viewer to celebrate the singular elegance and spirit of this original artistic school.
This year's festival promises another exciting weekend of talks, debates and workshops right in the heart of Thame. As well as visits from established, local and new authors, there will also be a programme of music, performance and poetry on offer to visitors. Highlights of the festival include children's author and poet Michael Rosen, novelist Barbara Trapido and travel writer Matthew Teller, who will be discussing his book A Rough Guide to the Cotswolds.
EXHIBITION Chemistry in the Botanic Garden 1 October – 31 December 2011 Venue: The University of Oxford Botanic Garden Tickets: Free with admission to the garden (£3.80, £3 concession) Info: www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk Because 2011 is the International Year of Chemistry, this exhibition will celebrate the importance of chemistry in the world around us – especially in the context of plants. Come and discover the chemical treasures hidden inside everyday plants. There will be a display of posters, special trails to follow and some interactive sessions bringing the posters to life.
THEATRE Kupenga Kwa Hamlet 6 – 7 October 2011 Venue: The North Wall Arts Centre Tickets: £12, £10 concessions Info: www.thenorthwall.com In the twilight of a pre-colonial Zimbabwe, a world of unyielding beliefs and ritual where the afterlife and the present co-exist, there are two young men: Hamlet and Leartes. Two actors, two props and the convergence of two cultures are all it takes to create an urgent, poetic and spiritual re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic.
Hamlet
EXHIBITION Claude Lorrain: The Enchanted Landscape 6 October 2011 – 8 January 2012 Venue: The Ashmolean Museum Tickets: £9, £7 concessions Info: www.ashmolean.org In partnership with the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, this major exhibition will bring together 140 works from international collections, created at different points in Claude Lorrain’s career. By uniting ‘pairs’ of Claude’s paintings and making a comprehensive survey of his work in different media, the exhibition brings new research to bear on his working methods, to reveal an unconventional side to the artist which has previously been little known.
THEATRE Black History Month – Araba’s Song: A Slave’s Story 7 – 8 October 2011 Venue: Pegasus Theatre Tickets: £12, £8 concessions, £6 under 18’s Info: www.pegasustheatre.org.uk A young woman leaves her village in West Africa never to return. Over 300 years later, her children walk amongst you… Following nine generations of women from the time they were stolen from their homeland in Africa to the present day, this is a story of pain, tears, and brutal punishment as well as a story of cunning, wit and ruthless survival – above all it is a story of women standing their ground so that YOU would triumph!
Araba's Song
EXHIBITION Pin-Hole Photography by Mary Foulkes 15 October – 13 November 2011 Venue: O3 Gallery, Oxford Castle Tickets: Free Admission Info: www.o3gallery.co.uk Pin-hole photographer Mary Foulkes presents a series of work which highlights Oxford Castle’s most secret and unexplored corners. A Ruskin School graduate of 2001, Foulkes uses experimental photography to explore the distinctive atmospheres of deserted places during the transition from day to night. This eerie series of photographic shots are guaranteed to make your hair stand on end!
Osney Lock – Mary Foulkes
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The Oxford
Lieder Festival
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of this world renowned festival of song 14 – 29 October 2011 This year, the esteemed Oxford Lieder Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary in style, bringing together internationally acclaimed artists and emerging talent in its most ambitious and exciting programme to date. Founded by Sholto Kynoch with a series of just seven concerts, it has since grown to become our leading song festival and one of the most respected in Europe. It now features a staggering 47 events and offers something for all ages, from having a go at singing and learning about song, to hearing famous performers up close. Each recital is a story-telling in song; the engagement between audience and singer is personal, and gripping. And just as in previous years, audiences are invited into one of the best recital rooms that the world has to offer: the Holywell Music Room. Mozart stepped into it – and we all can too this October! The festival’s 10th Anniversary celebrations include an exciting variety of events: a free Radcliffe Square concert, Schubert and Swedish Weekends, a fun singing workshop plus talks and master classes open to all. Concerts range from classical through to contemporary and feature a plethora of great performers, including Charlotte Bray as Composer-in-Residence, the brilliant Aurora Orchestra, the Barbirolli Quartet and an amazing array of major prize-winning young artists. For more information about the Oxford Lieder Festival and to view a full programme of events, visit
www.oxfordlieder.co.uk Highlights Schubert Weekend During the Schubert Weekend, uniquely, you can hear every song Schubert wrote in the last few years of his life, from Die schöne Müllerin onwards.
Die schöne Müllerin 15 October 2011 Tickets : £15 (concessions £12) Venue : New College Ante-Chapel Performing : Marcus Farnsworth (baritone) and Elizabeth Burgess (piano) Marcus Farnsworth is already well-known to Oxford Lieder audiences, who first heard him before he won the Song Prize at this year’s Kathleen Ferrier Awards. In the magical setting of the New College Ante-Chapel, he and pianist Elizabeth Burgess perform Schubert’s tragic song cycle Die schöne Müllerin.
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Oxford Lieder Young Artists Recital
Schwanengesang
16 October 2011
Tickets : £22 (concessions £19) Venue : Holywell Music Room Performing : Daniel Norman (tenor), Angela Barnes (horn) and Sholto Kynoch (piano)
Tickets : £12 (concessions £9) Venue : Holywell Music Room Performing : Benjamin Appl (baritone) and Bernadette Bartos (piano) This outstanding duo were highly commended by Ian and Jennifer Partridge when they auditioned recently for the new Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform, particularly impressing with their Schubert songs. Their programme includes settings of Schlegel, Schober, Mayrhofer and Schulzer.
16 October 2011
The Schubert weekend concludes with Schubert’s Swan Song, a collection of settings of Heine and Rellstab, put together by his publisher after his death. The programme also includes the glorious Auf dem Strom, for tenor, horn and piano.
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Sholto Kynoch – Benjamin Harte
Bernadette Bartos
Marcus Farnsworth
Sarah Connolly
The Wagner Effect Over the 18 and 19 October, a range of talks and recitals will be held looking at Wagner and his influence, especially on composers Hugo Wolf and Franz Liszt.
Transcriptions of Wagner
Songs by Franz Liszt
18 October 2011
19 October 2011
Tickets : £6 Venue : Jacqueline du Pré Music Building Performing : Martin Sturfält (piano)
Tickets : £17 (concessions £14) Venue : Holywell Music Room Performing : Andrew Tortise (tenor) and Nicola Eimer (piano)
This renowned Swedish pianist makes a welcome return to the festival in a programme that highlights the late 19th century fascination with Wagner. Wolf’s early paraphrases are almost never performed and cast a new light on this composer. Also included are works by Liszt: his remarkable transcription of the Liebestod from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde and his distinctly operatic Vallée d’Obermann.
In his bicentenary, the Lieder Festival celebrates Liszt’s remarkable contribution to the song repertoire, which is often overlooked when cast alongside his epic reputation as a pianist and composer for that instrument. The songs show a different side to him and include many masterpieces from a composer who was fully engaged with the texts he chose. This aspect of this fascinating man will be brought to life by two artists of international standing.
Swedish Weekend The festival’s Swedish Weekend features performances from world famous Swedish singers, including Miah Persson, Anna Larsson and Ida Falk Winland.
The Aurora Orchestra
Songs by Rangström, Sjögren and Grieg
21 October 2011
23 October 2011
Tickets : £25 (concessions £15) Venue : University Church of St Mary the Virgin Performing : The Aurora Orchestra, Ida Falk Winland (soprano) and Njabulo Madlala (Baritone / Bass)
Tickets : £22 (concessions £19) Venue : Holywell Music Room Performing : Miah Persson (soprano) and Matti Hirvonen (piano)
Oxford Lieder makes its first foray into orchestral lieder with the Aurora Orchestra. They perform the chamber version of two of Mahler’s great works with Njabulo Madlala, winner of the 2010 Kathleen Ferrier Awards, and Ida Falk Winland, one of Sweden’s brightest young stars. In between they perform a work commissioned by the orchestra from Swedish composer Tobias Broström.
Miah Persson is in demand on all the world’s major stages. She draws the Swedish weekend to an impressive close with a programme of works by three of the great Swedish song composers, Rangström, Sjögren and Nystroem, as well as a selection of songs by their Scandinavian neighbour, Grieg.
Other Concerts Sir Thomas Allen and Joseph Middleton
Sarah Connolly and Eugene Asti
24 October 2011
29 October 2011
Tickets: £25 (concessions £22) Performing : Sir Thomas Allen (baritone) and Joseph Middleton (piano)
Tickets : £25 (concessions £22) Performing : Sarah Connolly (mezzo-soprano) and Eugene Asti (piano)
Together, Sir Thomas Allen and Joseph Middleton perform Schumann’s best-known song cycle, Dichterliebe, a selection of French songs by Ravel and Poulenc, and some traditional Northumberland folk songs; an unmissable concert!
Sarah Connolly is a true international star, hailed in concert halls the world over for her exceptional voice and remarkable presence. She is welcomed back to the festival this year with renowned pianist Eugene Asti. Together, they present a programme of Clara and Robert Schumann, Alma and Gustav Mahler, and a selection of English song.
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SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
FAMILY FRIENDLY
FAMILY FRIENDLY
FAMILY FRIENDLY
Halloween Family Activities
Halloween Horrors
Autumn Lanterns
18 – 29 October 2011
22 – 30 October 2011
25 October 2011
Venue: Museum of Oxford Tickets: Activities cost between £1.00 and £1.50 Info: www.museumofoxford.org.uk
Venue: Oxford Castle – Unlocked Tickets: £7.95, £5.65 children Info: www.oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk
Venue: University of Oxford Harcourt Arboretum Tickets: Free with entry to the Arboretum (adults £3.80) Info: www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk
Visit the museum to take part in some fantastic family friendly Halloween activities and trails. Wander through the museum looking for wicked witches and wonderful wizards, make your own themed spoon puppet or get ready for Halloween with some super scary masks; which one will you choose?
Half Term frightful family fun with the Oxford Castle witch and spooky trails. Throughout Halloween week, fearless young explorers can take part in pumpkin trails and search for the chilling clues to win a spooky prize. Join in with Halloween arts and crafts in the Prison Gallery and hear spine-tingling tales from the Oxford Castle Witch.
FAMILY FRIENDLY
FESTIVAL Art in Woodstock 2011
FUNomusica Family Concert – The World at Your Feet
22 – 30 October 2011
23 October 2011
Venue: Various venues throughout Woodstock Tickets: Free Admission Info: www.artinwoodstock.com
Venue: Oxford Town Hall Tickets: £8, £2 children Info: www.oxfordphil.com
During the festival, forty local, national and international artists will exhibit their work throughout Woodstock, transforming the historic market town into a celebration of the visual arts. Contemporary pieces and conceptual installations will be shown alongside fine art in a range of interesting and unusual venues, including shops, churches, restaurants and more. Highlights include shows by invited artists – including Jeffrey Kroll, fresh from his solo exhibition at The Saatchi – as well as children’s workshops, live art events and the ever-popular evening talks by arts practitioners and curators.
Let Oxford Philomusica transport you to distant destinations in this toe-tapping trip around the world. With Alasdair Malloy as your tour guide, find out about many international traditions and celebrations including dances from the South of France, an oasis in the Sahara Desert and the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Take part in the fun-filled quiz and dress up in your favourite national costume – just don’t forget your sunglasses!
THEATRE Some Like It Hotter 25 October 2011
FAMILY FRIENDLY Monster Mash Trail 22 – 30 October 2011 Venue: Blenheim Palace Tickets: Adults £11, concessions £8, children £5.50 (park and gardens) Info: www.blenheimpalace.com Families can enjoy plenty of Halloween entertainment at Blenheim Palace this October half-term with a spooky ‘Monster Mash’ trail. Visit the Pleasure Gardens where the search for monster parts will commence the moment you enter the Marlborough Maze, hear spine-tingling stories in the Courtyards or take a spooky family tour of the Palace… come along if you dare!
Venue: Village Hall, Goring-On-Thames Tickets: £10, £7.50 concessions Info: www.oxfordshiretheatrecompany.co.uk Oxfordshire Theatre Company in association with the Watermill Theatre present this brand new, fast moving fantasy comedy starring the sparkling team of Monroe, Curtis and Lemmon. Daring dialogue, razor-sharp wisecracks and red-hot musical numbers combine as the three screen icons reunite - dead, uncut and hotter than ever, now that’s entertainment! Touring 21 October – 19 November 2011, visit the website for other locations.
Visit the Arboretum to see some vibrant autumn colours and join in with a family friendly craft activity to make your own lanterns to take home.
WORKSHOP Come and Draw Workshop 26 October 2011 Venue: The Oxfordshire Museum Tickets: £1.50 Info: www.tomocc.org.uk Learn about objects from the past through sketching. This is a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in learning to draw (or those who already have experience) to receive guidance and tuition from a trained artist. Pop in for a brief sketch or why not stay for a few hours?
FESTIVAL Witney Film Festival 26 – 27 October 2011 Venue: Various venues throughout Witney Tickets: Free admission (donations recommended) Info: www.witneyfilmfestival.blogspot.com The Witney Film Festival showcases rare and innovative works from local, student, established and international film-makers. Created three years ago following a request to screen a short film at the town’s independent cinema, the idea quickly evolved into a fully-fledged exhibition of film designed to spotlight the hidden creativity of directors, screen-writers, cinematographers and editors from around the world.
The Bullpen Iron Pour – Nigel Watt
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SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER Arts & Events Oxfordshire
WORKSHOP Iron Pour 29 October 2011 Venue: The Bullpen Foundry, Faringdon Tickets: £2 Info: www.thebullpen.co.uk The Iron Pour is a one day sculpture festival: a unique spectacle! Visitors are invited to come and watch a team of artists operating The Bullpen’s largest furnace. See the raw materials being put into the top of the furnace, poured into ladles as molten iron and then into artist’s moulds in order to create a new sculpture. Visitors can make a simple mould and watch it being cast into an iron tile (advance booking required). Lantern Vase by Emily Myers
THE BATE COLLECTION Ask anyone what they would expect to get out of a visit to a museum, and you can imagine the answers... Naturally most people would say they get a sense of history, and of how people used to live, work or play. Others might consider the educational value of importance. But whatever the case may be, there is always an instinct to want to hold these objects and experience them – something that the University of Oxford’s Bate Collection is all too aware of. The Collection, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, is home to the most comprehensive assortment of European woodwind, brass, percussion and harpsichords in Britain. But these important instruments – which span from the Renaissance period right through to the modern day – are not just for observation; many are kept in working condition and can be picked up and even played by visitors to the museum. The Collection itself consists of instruments that have been loaned and donated, and still includes the original gift of European Woodwind instruments made by BBC Producer Philip Bate, who founded the Collection on the condition that it would be used for teaching and education. Highlights include a saxophone by the inventor Adolph Sax and a collection of violin, viola and cello bows by Dodd, Bultitude and Retford – widely regarded as being the finest bow makers of all time. The Bate Collection’s activities also extend to workshops, guided tours and access to an extensive library, as well as regular concerts and recitals both within the museum and at Oxford’s Holywell Music Rooms. For more information about what’s on from September, visit
www.bate.ox.ac.uk
EXHIBITION The Oxford Ceramics Fair 29 – 30 October 2011 Venue: St Edward’s School, Oxford Tickets: £5, free admission for under 16’s Info: www.oxfordceramicsfair.co.uk Now in its twelfth year, The Oxford Ceramics Fair will showcase the work of seventy of the UK’s best ceramics makers. As well as being able to meet the makers and see or purchase their work, visitors can also watch a varied programme of practical demonstrations and talks.
www.oxfordinspires.org
The Bate Collection
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SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
OPENING OF THE
OLD FIRE STATION
THEATRE
LECTURE
Earthquakes in London
The Science of Happiness
1 – 5 November 2011
3 November 2011
Venue: Oxford Playhouse Tickets: £9.50 - £24.50 Info: www.oxfordplayhouse.com
Venue: Science Oxford Live Tickets: £5 Info: www.scienceoxfordlive.com
Experience a fast and furious metropolitan crash of people, scenes and decades, as three sisters attempt to navigate their dislocated lives and loves while their dysfunctional father predicts global catastrophe. Written by awardwinning Oxford playwright Mike Bartlett and directed by Headlong Artistic Director Rupert Goold, Earthquakes in London is a whirlwind of a show not to be missed.
Join Professor Andrew MacLeod as he asks “What is Happiness? Can we really study happiness scientifically? And can we use that to make ourselves happier?” He will explore the issues behind these crucial questions and suggest some simple things that people can do that may make themselves feel happier.
Earthquakes In London Old Fire Station
Tickets : Free Admission Info: www.oldfirestation.org.uk
The building will be open from 9.30am to 5.00pm with animated tours at 10.00am, 12.00pm, 2.00pm and 4.00pm (please book in advance to guarantee a place on the tour).
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4 November 2011
Led by the Reverend Bazil Meade, the London Community Gospel Choir was the first concert gospel choir in Britain. Performing to their mission statement ’one voice out of many’, the choir use their fantastic sound to encourage unity, love and respect. With funky gospel flair, swing beat and traditional and soulful arrangements, this concert will be packed full of songs and spirituals to soothe the mind and cheer the heart.
On Saturday 5 November, the Old Fire Station opens its doors to the public and invites you to explore the stunning new design spread over five floors.
Arts at the Old Fire Station is a new social enterprise supporting emerging artists to create and showcase work, and offering the people of Oxfordshire the opportunity to experience great art. Crisis Skylight will also share the building, offering opportunities for homeless and other vulnerable people to develop skills and confidence through training.
Gospel Greats Venue: Cornerstone Arts Centre Tickets: £17, £15.50 concessions Info: www.cornerstone-arts.org
5 November 2011
UnderConstruction Theatre Company will join some of Oxford’s finest musicians and dancers to guide you through the brand new spaces. View the opening urban art exhibition, which features the work of Harry Simmonds, Ian Hodgson, Motorboy and more, admire a newly commissioned sculpture produced in collaboration with homeless artists, browse in the art and design shop or pause for a snack in the café, where you can learn about how Crisis and Aspire will be helping homeless people gain the skills and confidence they need to move on and start afresh.
MUSIC
MUSIC Ice Music 5 November 2011 Venue: The North Wall Arts Centre Tickets: £14, £10 concessions Info: www.thenorthwall.com
THEATRE Shylock 3 November 2011 Venue: The Mill Arts Centre Tickets: £12, £10 concessions Info: www.themillartscentre.co.uk Following his recent performance of Under Milk Wood, Guy Masterson returns with his acclaimed Shylock. Villain..? Victim..? Or is Shylock someone even more intriguing? One of the most globally successful shows of the last 15 years, Shylock reveals the tragic, tempestuous and often unbelievable life of fiction's most famous Jew.
Terje Isungset is a pioneer of ice instruments, extraordinary feats of sculpture, crafted from solid blocks of pure ice brought direct from the mountains of Norway. He opens Ice Music with Tribute to Nature, a set dedicated to his birch and granite percussion. The sublime Norwegian singer Lena Nymark then joins him for a set with his ethereal ice instruments, including ice horns, an iceophone and ice percussion.
Terje Isungset – Bjørn Furuseth Ir
www.oxfordinspires.org
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER Arts & Events Oxfordshire
DANCE
COMEDY
Appalachian Roots: Ira Bernstein and Riley Baugus
Dave Gorman PowerPoint Presentation
5 November 2011
8 November 2011
Venue: The Mill Arts Centre Tickets: £15, £13 concessions Info: www.themillartscentre.co.uk
Venue: New Theatre, Oxford Tickets: £21 Info: www.newtheatreoxford.org.uk
Appalachian Roots is a dynamic mix of traditional dance, song and instrumental music from the southern Appalachian region of the USA, with a few global twists thrown in. Performed by internationally renowned percussive step dancer Ira Bernstein and virtuoso old time musician Riley Baugus, this concert includes percussive flat-footing and buck dancing, rhythm tap dancing, French-Canadian step dancing, English clogging, South African boot dancing, fiddle tunes and fiddle sticks!
The man behind Are You Dave Gorman? and GoogleWhack Adventure returns with a brand new show. Always one of comedy’s most innovative thinkers, this genre-stretching performer has formed a double act – with a projector screen. Cast your PowerPoint prejudice aside: it’s not just for business meetings.
FAMILY FRIENDLY Oxford Round Table’s 44th Annual Fireworks Display 5 November 2011 Venue: South Park, Oxford Tickets: £6 on the night, £5 in advance, free admission for under 8’s Info: www.oxfordfireworks.co.uk Now in its 44th year, Oxford Round Table’s annual firework display and bonfire attracts spectators from across the UK. This year’s event will include entertainment from Jack FM and local performers, plus the spectacular burning of a 42ft Wickerman sculpture on the bonfire.
Woyzeck on the Highveld 8 – 12 November 2011 Venue: Oxford Playhouse Tickets: £9.50 - £24.50 Info: www.oxfordplayhouse.com From the South African company behind the astonishing horses in the global smash hit War Horse, comes the innovative and spellbinding Woyzeck on the Highveld. Woyzeck is a man with a tortured mind, who struggles against an uncaring society. Set in 1950s industrial Johannesburg, this extraordinary production uses puppets and animation to tell the classic story of jealousy and murder that has captivated audiences all over the world.
Earth Trust Autumn Festival 5 November 2011
EXHIBITION Time Machines 15 November 2011 – 15 April 2012 Venue: Museum of the History of Science Tickets: Free Admission Info: www.mhs.ox.ac.uk In this special exhibition, the mischievous scholar Nicholas of Oxford (as featured in Chaucer's The Miller's Tale) takes us back to the future for a whistlestop tour of the history of time-telling. For him a Roman sundial is yesterday's news, but what will the medieval scholar make of a marine chronometer, a Renaissance sundial, a revolutionary decimal clock, a stopwatch or the most recent physics of time?
MUSIC
Venue: Earth Trust Centre, Little Wittenham Tickets: £12 per family Info: www.earthtrust.org.uk
Death’s Cabaret – A Love Story 18 November 2011
Woyzeck on the Highveld
MUSIC Alternative Thursdays: Adam Barnes and Lewis Watson 10 November 2011 Venue: O3 Gallery, Oxford Castle Tickets: £3 Info: www.o3gallery.co.uk Adam Barnes is an up and coming musician with strong influences from the American
www.oxfordinspires.org
Detail of a Medieval Astrolabe made in 1370 in England
THEATRE
FAMILY FRIENDLY
Join Earth Trust for a day of fun at Wittenham Clumps; warm up with delicious food, bring your left over pumpkins to make a recycled autumn soup or cook a baked apple dessert on an open fire. The day will be focused on having fun outdoors in the autumn and will feature an array of activities including craft workshops, outdoor cooking, storytelling, singing and dancing.
folk movement. He has shared the stage with performers such as The Charlatans, William Fitzsimmons and Slow Club, and has been seen in venues up and down the country. Following the release of his debut single Blisters, the O3 Gallery welcomes him to play an ‘Alternative Thursday’ gig with support provided by Lewis Watson, another local budding acoustic musician.
Venue: The North Wall Arts Centre Tickets: £14, £10 concessions Info: www.thenorthwall.com This is the story of a man’s search for truth, of an all-consuming love for a dangerous woman and the ultimate sacrifice... Death’s Cabaret is a groundbreaking new kind of concerto, a unique and thrilling marriage of the 19th-century concerto form with the grime and sensuality of cabaret. Commissioned for outstanding cellist, baritone and story-teller Matthew Sharp and the acclaimed Sacconi Quartet, this promises to be an unforgettable night.
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SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
The Royal String Quartet – Blow Up Agency, Poland
MUSIC Banbury Symphony Orchestra 50th Anniversary Concert 19 November 2011 Venue: St Mary’s Church, Banbury Tickets: £10, £4 children Info: www.banburysymphony.org The Banbury Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 50th anniversary with this special concert at St Mary’s Church in Banbury. Enjoy a varied programme of music featuring a selection of classic pieces - Elgar’s Cello Concerto and Holst’s Planets Suite – alongside a newly commissioned piece of work by local composer and BSO member Nick Planas.
MUSIC Welcome to all the Pleasures 19 November 2011 Venue: SS Peter and Paul Church, Deddington Tickets: £10 Info: www.warrinerchoralsociety.co.uk This evening concert of glorious music by Purcell – including Funeral Music for Queen Mary, Welcome to all the Pleasures and Dido and Aeneas – will herald the Warriner Choral Society’s approach to its 40th Anniversary. Accompanied by string octet, the performance will be under the Musical Directorship of Martin Quinn.
WORKSHOP The Fundamentals of Colour 20 November 2011 Venue: West Ox Arts Gallery Tickets: £40 (materials not included) Info: www.westoxarts.com Join this workshop to develop an understanding of the three fundamental parts of colour: hue, saturation and tonal value. Practice manipulating these, increase your sensitivity to colour and learn enough to get going yourself at home. Participants will work with acrylic paints and a limited palette on a variety of short exercises, with a focus placed on making links with other artists’ work.
The Fundamentals of Colour
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MUSIC
MUSIC
Harold Budd and The Necks time being
Royal String Quartet and Alessandro Taverna
22 November 2011
25 November 2011
Venue: Holywell Music Room Tickets: £14, £10 concessions Info: www.ocmevents.org
Venue: The Sheldonian Theatre Tickets: £42, £28, £18 and £10 Info: www.musicatoxford.com
A historic double-bill featuring two pioneers of mesmerising music, exploring improvisation, groove, texture and motif. Cult Australian trio The Necks conjure unique music that can’t be pinned down to avantgarde, minimalism or jazz. Harold Budd, “possibly the world’s finest Ambient keyboard composer”, will be joined by improvising musician Werner Dafeldecker, who has previously worked with musicians including David Sylvian and Christian Fennesz. An OCM season highlight not to be missed!
An irresistible programme of Polish music performed by a superb Polish ensemble. For this performance they are joined by Leeds and Chopin Competition medal winner Alessandro Taverna. The Independent wrote of his interpretation of tonight’s concerto: “the world was suffused with grave beauty: flawless minutes of poetry.”
MUSIC Mabon 29 November 2011
THEATRE The Barber of Seville: Welsh National Opera 24 – 26 November 2011 Venue: New Theatre, Oxford Tickets: £15 - £49.50 Info: www.newtheatreoxford.org.uk Count Almaviva has everything a man could wish for. He’s young, rich and handsome – although one thing is missing…a wife. He is head over heels in love with Rosina, but has had to admire her from afar as she is kept under constant lock and key. Help is at hand however, when Almaviva hires the city’s Mr Fix-It, Figaro, the Barber of Seville! This comic masterpiece is a ray of sunlight that has uplifted audiences the world over for almost two centuries.
Venue: The Mill Arts Centre Tickets: £12 Info: www.themillartscentre.co.uk It’s all change for one of the most energetic and unique-sounding instrumental bands on the UK’s folk and world music scene. Front man and accordionist extraordinaire Jamie Smith’s inspired, eclectic tunes dominate, creating a sound that delves into every Celtic corner imaginable – from their native Wales to Brittany, Scotland, Ireland, Galicia and beyond. Acoustic Magazine said of Mabon: "The band rips up a firestorm on a selection of clever tunes – roots music of the highest order.”
www.oxfordinspires.org
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
HIGHLIGHTS
PANTOMIMES AND CHRISTMAS SHOWS Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Mother Goose
22 November 2011 – 7 January 2012
9 – 30 December 2011
Venue : The Theatre, Chipping Norton Tickets : From £7.50 Info : www.chippingnortontheatre.co.uk This Christmas, The Theatre, Chipping Norton presents Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves – the story of the penniless woodcutter, the greedy brother, the secret cave and the biggest, baddest band of blaggers in all Baghdad! Spectacle, wonder and a swag-bag full of laughs and sweeties amongst the spice-scented splendour of Old Arabia.
Venue : Pegasus Theatre Tickets : £4 - £20 Info : www.pegasustheatre.org.uk
Grimm and Grimmer - Idil Sukan
Mother Goose 2 December 2011 – 15 January 2012 Venue : Oxford Playhouse Tickets : £12 - £22.50 Info : www.oxfordplayhouse.com Dame Mother Goose’s luck is down and out. She’s feeling old and haggard, she can’t pay her bills and the Duke is always nagging her. That is until the Good and Bad Fairies start meddling and a golden egg is laid. Mother Goose’s life changes forever, but will her newfound luck bring happiness? Can the search for eternal beauty ever have a happy ending? And will the Good Fairy conquer all in the end? Be careful what you wish for in panto land… Written and directed by panto king Peter Duncan, this is guaranteed to be an eggs-travaganza of a show!
12 – 17 December 2011 Venue : Cornerstone Arts Centre Tickets : £9 - £35 Info : www.cornerstone-arts.org
One Snowy Night
8 December 2011 – 7 January 2012
Percy the Park Keeper always feeds the animals in the park where he lives. But one cold winter’s night, Percy finds his little friends shivering on the doorstep – they need more than food and he must find a way to help them. One Snowy Night is a snuggly heart-warming Christmas story with furry friends to meet and songs to sing along to. Perfect for little ones and enchanting for older children and adults too, come and see it together and get in the Christmas mood!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Venue : Creation Theatre Company at The North Wall Arts Centre Tickets : From £8.50 Info : www.creationtheatre.co.uk
www.oxfordinspires.org
Bavaria, 1806: Brothers Willhelm and Jacob are collecting what will become the greatest book of fairytales ever published. But when reality and fantasy start to collide, the brothers find they must battle evil queens, dark enchantments and charming princes to escape from the twisted fantasy world that they have become trapped in. Join Pegasus Theatre this December for a Christmas Show with a twist - packed full of hilarious slapstick and magical illusions, this is a whirlwind comic adventure full of funked up fairytales and surreal silliness; not to be missed!
One Snowy Night
A Christmas Carol
Having spent many thoroughly happy and creative Christmases at MINI Plant Oxford’s Mirror Tent, this year Creation Theatre Company are embarking on a new adventure, using the North Wall’s converted Victorian swimming pool as their sumptuous (and slightly spooky!) Dickensian setting. Join the cast of Creation as they take you on a festive adventure through the smoky streets of 19th century England; meet Marley’s ghost, the jolly Mr Fezziwig and cantankerous old Ebenezer Scrooge, and along the way discover the true meaning of Christmas.
Grimm and Grimmer... The Misadventures of the Brothers Grimm
13 – 22 January 2012 A Christmas Carol
Venue : The Mill Arts Centre Tickets : £7 - £9 Info : www.themillartscentre.co.uk When the wicked Queen asks the mystical magic mirror who is the fairest in the land, he replies with "Snow White". Jealous of her beauty, the Queen devises a devious and particularly poisonous plan to eliminate her step daughter… Can the Seven Dwarfs help save Snow White from her evil step mother? Will her Prince Charming save her in time? Cherwell Theatre Company's version of this much loved classic fairy tale will amuse the whole family with plenty of 'heigh-ho' hilarity, leaving its audience enchanted happily ever after.
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Arts & Events Oxfordshire
Christmas
Light Night
Friday 2 December 2011 5.00pm – 10.00pm
Come and celebrate the arrival of the Christmas Season in Oxford with a buzzing evening of processions, lights, dance, art, live music and performance, all thrown together with a generous helping of festive cheer!
“
Oxford’s museums, Castle, Town Hall, theatres and galleries will throw open their doors to the public for one-off late night viewings of their exhibitions and displays enhanced by special performances. Christmas markets, festive food and drink stalls and children’s rides will also be close by to add that extra bit of seasonal sparkle to the evening’s proceedings.
The lantern parade was brilliant – I nearly got run over by a bugler and spent a lot of time finding different spots to watch the whole procession from, which was fantastic fun!
Visitor to Christmas Light Night 2010
”
For more detailed information on Christmas Light Night activities nearer the time, visit www.oxfordinspires.org or see Your Oxford in November. All venues and activities are free, unless otherwise stated.
On The City Streets Lantern Procession 6.15pm – 6.45pm Lead Sponsor
The lantern procession makes a welcome return this year as a dozen Oxfordshire school and community groups each take a theme from the popular carol Twelve Days of Christmas. Watch as they parade their unique puppet style lanterns, designed by local artists, through the centre of Oxford in a magical procession brimming with festive cheer. Follow their route, which starts and ends at the Old Fire Station, through the city streets and catch the spectacular switch on of the city’s Christmas Lights at 6.30pm (see www.oxfordinspires.org for details of the route nearer to the time).
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Creation Theatre Company Sing Carols
Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night
In celebration of its Dickensian Christmas show A Christmas Carol, Creation Theatre Company will be bringing joy to Oxford with the singing of traditional carols throughout the city.
8.15pm – 9.00pm
www.creationtheatre.co.uk
FilmOxford’s Big Screen on Gloucester Green From 6.00pm Visit FilmOxford’s Big Screen on Gloucester Green to see some of the latest films made by young people from all over the county.
www.ofvm.org
(meet at 8.00pm at Radcliffe Square) Oxford Contemporary Music invites you to bring your portable stereos and join Oxford’s Unsilent Night promenade. Composer Phil Kline’s free outdoor participatory sound sculpture, recorded on cassettes, CDs and mp3s and played through a roving swarm of ghetto blasters and other audio devices, is a winter wonderland of shimmering bells, chimes and grand chorales. To take part, contact OCM for a copy of the music: 01865 488369 / info@ocmevents.org.
www.ocmevents.org
www.oxfordinspires.org
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
Oxford Castle Until 10.00pm Oxford Castle will come alive with Christmas cheer as brass bands and carollers entertain throughout the evening. Lanterns inspired by the Twelve Days of Christmas will illuminate gateways and the arrival of Unsilent Night at 9.00pm will add to the magical atmosphere. Watch as the Castle’s Christmas lights are ignited or take a tour with Unlocked, also open until 10.00pm.
www.oxfordcastle.com
Oxford Christmas Market Until 10.00pm Discover the many delights on offer at the Oxford Christmas Market. Explore the colourfully decorated wooden stalls that fill the streets of Oxford Castle, pick up a beautiful handmade gift and enjoy a delicious glass of mulled wine.
www.oxfordchristmasmarket.co.uk
Modern Art Oxford Until 10.00pm (galleries until 7.00pm) Drop in to find a unique Christmas gift in the Gallery shop and enjoy a festive treat in the café and bar (15% off in the shop, plus a free glass of wine & mince pie with every purchase).
www.modernartoxford.org.uk
O3 Gallery Until 10.00pm The O3 Gallery presents a special exhibition of Flora McLachlan’s enchanting imagery – guaranteed to ignite the imagination of all ages at this magical time of year.
www.o3gallery.co.uk
St Michael at the North Gate Church Until 10.00pm Visit the Saxon Tower, Oxford’s oldest building, which will be open all evening for a great view of the festivities. The church will also be open for quiet reflection in candle-lit spaces.
Museum of Oxford and Town Hall
Museum of the History of Science
Until 8.00pm
7.00pm – 10.00pm
Join the Museum of Oxford and Town Hall for a fantastic celebration of Christmas past and present. Find out about Christmas traditions in the past, see historic Christmas cards, buy Oxford Christmas gifts, drop-in and try family arts and crafts, meet staff in period costume and visit Santa in his grotto!
Christmas may have 12 days, but visit the museum and discover that the number 12 is important in many other ways, from signs of the zodiac and months in the year to hurricanes, inches and old pennies; dozens of things to learn and enjoy, with puzzles, talks, trails and films.
www.museumofoxford.org.uk
www.mhs.ox.ac.uk
Ashmolean Museum
Pitt Rivers Museum
6.00pm – 10.00pm
7.00pm – 10.00pm
Visit the Ashmolean for an evening of music, dance and family fun. The Oxford Gospel Choir will be performing in the Atrium, kids can enjoy activities in the Education Studio and the café will be open for mulled wine and mince pies. There will also be special curatorled tours of the brand new Egypt galleries and the museum’s exhibition ‘Claude Lorrain: The Enchanted Landscape’ will remain open throughout the evening.
Explore the magical Pitt Rivers by torchlight, listen to live music and take part in Ugandan embaire (xylophone) taster sessions (limited spaces, tickets available on the night). Festive refreshments will also be available from the bar to help kick-start the Christmas season. Please note entry is by the South Door in Robinson Close, South Parks Road and not via the Museum of Natural History.
www.mhs.ox.ac.uk
www.ashmolean.org
The Bodleian Library 6.30pm – 8.00pm Visit the most beautiful medieval buildings in Oxford at night time. Explore the Divinity School, a masterpiece in English Gothic architecture, and enjoy entertainment in the 17th century Convocation House and Court. The Bodleian Library shop will also stay open late.
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk
Oxford Playhouse Show starts at 7.00pm Tickets: £12 – £22.50
The Old Fire Station Show starts at 8.30pm Tickets: £7/£5 on the door Experience Oxford’s legendary Catweazle Club in this special one-off session. Showcasing some of Oxford’s finest musicians, song writers, poets and performance artists, this evening promises to be a night of magic and wonder. Afterwards, explore the newly redeveloped building and catch the last day of the Urban Art Exhibition, which features internationally acclaimed artists.
www.oldfirestation.org.uk
The Story Museum
Book a ticket for the opening night of the Playhouse’s Christmas pantomime, Mother Goose. Packed with heroes and villains, boo-ing and cheering and plenty of panto mischief, this is one golden egg of a show!
Programme to be confirmed.
www.oxfordplayhouse.com
Programme to be confirmed.
www.storymuseum.org.uk
OVADA www.ovada.org.uk
www.smng.org.uk Event Partners: Oxford City Council, Oxford Inspires, Ian Nolan, The University of Oxford and The Ark-T Centre.
www.oxfordinspires.org
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Arts & Events Oxfordshire
Christmas IN THE CITY
Family Friendly
Christmas Craft Creation Station 19 November – 24 December 2011
unusual to the stylish and romantic), or simply looking for a moment of tranquillity from the bustling city streets, make sure you visit the Turrill this Christmas.
Venue : Museum of Oxford Tickets : £1.50 Info : www.museumofoxford.org.uk
Christmas Market
Simple gallery based arts activities for families to do together. Drop in to the museum’s winter grotto and make some traditional crafts to decorate your home with this Christmas.
2 – 18 December 2011
Exhibition
Established in 2009 and growing bigger and better each year since then, Oxford Christmas Market has become renowned for its magical location, high quality products and festive atmosphere. Visitors to the Castle will be treated to a truly special experience, with the sound of choirs and brass bands performing carols, market traders offering unusual and handmade gifts, colourful decorations brightening wooden stalls and the aroma of mulled wine and cinnamon drifting in the air. A Victorian carousel will entertain the children and Father Christmas will also visit over the weekends.
Flora McLachlan 26 November – 24 December 2011 Venue : O3 Gallery, Oxford Castle Tickets : Free Admission Info : www.o3gallery.co.uk The O3 Gallery presents Flora McLachlan’s enchanting imagery in a special five week Christmas exhibition. McLachlan’s pictures are records of things seen and imagined by twilight or moonglow; she is inspired by medieval poetry and the powerful, strange images from fairy tales and myths. This is an exhibition to ignite the imagination of all ages at the most magical time of the year!
Exhibition
The Turrill Christmas Exhibition 26 November 2011 – 26 February 2012 Venue : The Turrill Sculpture Garden Tickets : Free Admission Info : www.turrillsculpturegarden.org.uk This winter, the Turrill Sculpture Garden will play host to a special seasonal exhibition of artwork. Showcasing a wide range of styles and subjects, this show offers something for all; whether you’re after that extra special gift (offerings range from the quirky and
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Oxford Christmas Market Venue : Oxford Castle Tickets : Free Admission Info : www.oxfordchristmasmarket.co.uk
Music
Commotio’s Christmas Concert 3 December 2011 Venue : Merton College Chapel Tickets : £12, £6 concessions Info : www.commotio.org Commotio, Oxford’s contemporary voices, offer you Peace on Earth this Christmas with their performance of Schönberg’s Friede auf Erden. Specialising in undiscovered music by known composers and bringing emerging contemporary composers to the fore, Commotio offer a refreshing alternative to the standard festive fare. Works by James MacMillan, Dan Locklair, Richard Rodney Bennett, Frank Ferko and Richard Allain will feature.
Family Friendly
Family Cushion Concert: Christmas Brass 4 December 2011 Venue : Jacqueline du Pre Music Building, St Hilda’s College Tickets : £5 Info : www.st-hildas.ox.ac.uk/jdp At these informal, fun and informative events, Mr Mark introduces children and their families to new musical instruments; in this special Christmas concert, it’s brass. Listen, watch and join in – but don’t forget to bring your own cushion!
Exhibition
The Oxfordshire Craft Guild Christmas Selling Exhibition 6 – 24 December 2011 Venue : The Old Fire Station Tickets : Free Admission Info : www.oldfirestation.org.uk This exhibition will be one of the very first to be shown in the Old Fire Station’s newly created Arts Centre, which is scheduled to open in November after an extensive transformation. A wide variety of high quality contemporary craft by over fifteen members of the county’s top designermakers will be for sale; with all pieces possessing a unique appeal and lovingly crafted with flair, you’re sure to find something perfect here for Christmas. This is one of two Christmas exhibitions by the Oxfordshire Craft Guild. The other will be held at The Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock from 19 November 2011 to 3 January 2012, and will feature work by a further thirty OCG designer-makers.
www.oxfordinspires.org
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
Music
Oxford City Singers Christmas Concert 10 December 2011 Venue : The Oxford University Chaplaincy Tickets : £7, £5 concessions Info : www.oxfordcitysingers.com A special Christmas concert hosted by Oxford’s largest community choir, the Oxford City Singers. Over the course of the evening, 120 voices will entertain the audience with a varied programme of songs including Don’t Stop Believing, Merry Christmas Everyone, Canon Gloria, Jingle Bell Rock and What a Wonderful World. At the interval, treat yourself to wine and mince pies; perfect festive fun for all.
Music
Orchestra of St. Johns Christmas Carol Concert 14 December 2011 Venue : The Ashmolean Museum Tickets : £25 chair, £20 cushion, children’s ticket £10 Info : www.osj.org.uk Throughout 2011, The Ashmolean Museum has invited Conductor John Lubbock and the Orchestra of St John’s to perform a series of promenade concerts inspired by the museum’s collections. In this, the final instalment of the series, the Orchestra will perform selected Christmas carols in the building’s impressive Atrium.
Music
Family Friendly
17 December 2011
17 December 2011 – 6 January 2012
Venue : The Sheldonian Theatre Tickets : £10 - £20 Info : www.oxfordbachchoir.org
Venue : Oxford University Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museum Tickets : Free Admission Info : www.prm.ox.ac.uk
Carols For All
Oxford Bach Choir’s ever-popular Christmas carol concert returns this December after a ‘gap year’, having been cancelled last Christmas owing to heavy snowfall. This traditional festive celebration will be led by Associate Conductor Timothy Byram-Wigfield, and will feature singers from Oxfordshire County Music Service’s Young Choir and Brass Ensemble.
Music
Christmas at Christ Church 17 – 20 December 2011 Venue : Christ Church Cathedral Tickets : £42, £28, £18 and £10 Info : www.musicatoxford.com For some of us, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without Christmas at Christ Church, the annual celebration of words and music from across the ages. This perennial favourite returns once more with the marvellous Christ Church Cathedral Choir and celebrated readers Jean Marsh and Robert Hardy, who will share a selection of Christmas poetry, prose and music from across the centuries. Book early, these events are always enormously popular.
12 Days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas the museums gave to me… a very exciting festive trail! Visit the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museum from the 17th December to enjoy a series of fun, seasonally themed, family friendly activities.
Music
Nine Lessons and Carols 18 December 2011 Venue : St Michael at the North Gate Church Tickets : Free Admission Info : www.smng.org.uk St Michael’s own professional choir offer a spectacular traditional celebration of Christmas in the customary service of Nine Lessons and Carols, followed by a reception.
Music
Lord Mayors Carols 18 December 2011 Venue : Oxford Town Hall Tickets : On sale from 5 December, cost TBC Info : www.oxford.gov.uk Oxford’s annual charity Christmas carol event. A chance to sing your heart out, accompanied by the Oxfordshire County Youth Orchestra, choirs from Oxford’s twin towns and local school children.
Family Friendly Creation’s Cracking Kids’ Christmas
19 – 21 December 2011 Venue : Various locations across Oxford Tickets : TBC Info : www.creationtheatre.co.uk Step into Ebenezer Scrooge’s world with Creation’s magical Christmas Carol workshops for ages 6 - 8 years and 9 - 12 years. Discover the true meaning of Christmas as you work with Creation’s actors to reinterpret this classic festive tale. Christ Church Cathedral – Ralph Williamson
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Arts & Events Oxfordshire
Christmas ACROSS THE COUNTY
Family Friendly A White Christmas at Blenheim Palace
12 November – 16 December 2011 Venue: Blenheim Palace Tickets: Adults £19, concessions £15, children £10.50 (palace, park and gardens) Info: www.blenheimpalace.com Enjoy “A White Christmas” this festive season at Britain’s greatest palace. Experience the magnificent building decorated with sparkling icicles, snowflakes and silver white birches, see the Christmas trees sparkle in the Great Court and discover the stunning display of costumes from the English National Ballet’s The Snow Queen in the Long Library. From 26 – 27 November a ‘Snow Queen’ statue will come to life and perform in the Great Hall and, from 10 – 11 December, choirs from local schools will entertain with traditional Christmas carols.
Family Friendly The Snow Dragon
13 November 2011 Venue: Cornerstone Arts Centre Tickets: £8, £6 concessions Info: www.cornerstone-arts.org The night of the Snow Dragon approaches and Billy has everything a young goat could want. His parents tell him to pick berries to leave out for the Snow Dragon so that it will bring him lots of fantastic presents, but it's hard work and Billy finds it much easier to 'borrow' from his friends. As a result, New Year's Eve does not turn out quite how he expected! Highenergy songs and a mysterious Snow Dragon created by The National Theatre's His Dark Materials puppeteer.
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Craft Show
Living Crafts for Christmas 18 – 20 November 2011 Venue: Blenheim Palace Tickets: Adults £19, concessions £15, children £10.50 (palace, park and gardens) Info: www.blenheimpalace.com This festive craft show is a highlight of Blenheim’s event calendar, transforming the courtyard into a veritable winter wonderland showcasing the best of British produce across 90 stalls. Over one hundred designermakers will offer original contemporary craft, including the finest quality ceramics, textiles, puzzles, millinery, toys, designer fashions, studio glass art, original knitwear and silversmithing. Find inspiration for your seasonal decorations with handmade crackers, traditional and contemporary Christmas wreaths, appliquéd stockings and ceramic and glass ornaments. Also, enjoy a taste of Christmas with artisan-produced food and drink, ranging from innovative seasonal delicacies to traditional treats.
Christmas Market
Waterperry Christmas Market 26 – 27 November 2011 Venue: Waterperry Gardens Tickets: Free Admission Info: www.waterperrygardens.co.uk Get Christmas off to a flying start with Waterperry’s Christmas Market weekend. Find inspirational presents and unique gift ideas courtesy of local artists and craftspeople, watch special wreath and decoration-making demonstrations, pick up a locally grown Christmas tree and enjoy
festive food and produce in the Teashop, where a Christmas menu will be available in the afternoons.
Exhibition
Christmas Crafts Exhibition 26 November – 18 December 2011 Venue: West Ox Arts Gallery Tickets: Free Admission Info: www.westoxarts.com A fantastic high-quality Christmas exhibition showcasing beautifully hand crafted items created by West Ox Arts members and other local artists. The show will be bursting with a colourful and rich selection of unique gifts, including contemporary jewellery, ceramics, textiles, glass, woodwork, handmade books and original prints.
Music
A Celebration of Christmas 3 December 2011 Venue: Banbury Town Hall Tickets: £5 Info: www.banbury.gov.uk Make a date for this annual celebration of Christmas at Banbury Town Hall. Sit back and enjoy a short candle-lit concert of traditional Christmas carols, songs and readings amidst the festive decorations. Ticket price includes a glass of mulled wine, and goes towards raising money for the Royal British Legion.
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Arts & Events Oxfordshire
Music
Family Friendly
9 December 2011
11 December 2011
Venue: The Kenton Theatre Tickets: Adults £20, concessions £18 Info: www.kentontheatre.co.uk
Venue: Sulgrave Manor Tickets: Adults £7.50, children £3.50 Info: www.sulgravemanor.org.uk
After its acclaimed sell-out performance at the Kenton last September, The National Youth Jazz Orchestra returns to give this very special Christmas Concert. The first half of the evening features a presentation of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol with jazz themes by Paul Hart and a live voiceover, while the second half covers a selection of popular Christmas music with vocals; a fantastic evening of entertainment for all music lovers and the perfect way to launch your Christmas celebrations in style!
A chance to experience a slice of past times. The Lord of the Manor and his Cook will entertain you with tales of traditional festivity, feasting and frolicking in the intimate Manor House, decorated for this special season.
National Youth Jazz Orchestra
Dance
The Snow Queen 11 December 2011 Venue: The Kenton Theatre Tickets: Adults £16, concessions £15, children £12 Info: www.kentontheatre.co.uk This beautiful re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s celebrated fairytale follows the story of Gerda and her quest to find her friend Kay, whom the Snow Queen has placed under an evil spell. Ballet Theatre UK’s renowned company of international dancers, elegant costumes and glittering stage sets combine to create a magnificent spectacle, all set to a glorious and magical score.
Marlborough Family Christmas Table at Blenheim Palace
Yuletide
Family Friendly Christmas with Mr Toad and Friends 21 December 2011 Venue: River and Rowing Museum Tickets: Cost of admission plus £3 per child Info: www.rrm.co.uk Join Mr Toad and his family Ratty, Mole and Badger as they celebrate Christmas with crafts, song, dance…and presents! Find out what happens to wildlife in the winter at this family friendly activity session.
Family Friendly Winter Wassail
27 December 2011 Venue: Sulgrave Manor Tickets: Adults £7.50, children £3.50 Info: www.sulgravemanor.org.uk Take part in the ancient custom of wassailing! Sing, shout and make a lot of noise in the orchard to ensure a good crop of apples next year. Be entertained with stories of the twelve days of long ago Christmases.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SWITCH ON! Witney
25 November 2011 Visit Witney for an evening to remember. Meet Father Christmas and his reindeer, watch streets acts and stage entertainment and enjoy the sounds of local bands and choirs; guaranteed to get you in the festive spirit!
Woodstock
26 November 2011 Celebrate the illumination of Woodstock with ‘A Night of a Thousand Candles’. See the lights get switched on whilst enjoying festive songs, entertainers, chestnuts, mulled wine and mince pies.
Faringdon
26 November 2011 Father Christmas will join the people of Faringdon to switch on the Christmas lights at this popular annual event, also featuring craft stalls, carol singing and fairground rides for children.
Banbury
27 November 2011 Celebrate Christmas in Banbury with a three hour programme of stage entertainment incorporating live music and dance. Have fun on the fairground, see Santa on his float and buy stocking fillers from the Christmas Market. Watch as the lights are switched on at 5.00pm and let the firework finale launch you into the festive season.
Abingdon
1 December 2011 A Christmas extravaganza including late night shopping and ‘Kings and Queens’ themed entertainment. Don’t miss the annual parade (6.45pm), lights switch-on (7.00pm) and firework finale (8.15pm).
Carterton
2 December 2011 Mark the start of Christmas in Carterton with the switch on of the town’s lights at 6.00pm, followed by a street fair with festive stalls and a special children’s funfair.
Wantage
2 December 2011 The annual Wantage Dickensian Evening presents a range of fantastic attractions for residents and visitors to the town, including a spectacular seasonal fair, rides, festive food, music, dancing, carols and of course, the big ‘switch on’! www.otcn.co.uk
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SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
THEATRE
THEATRE
At Swim Two Boys
South Pacific
1 – 2 December 2011
6 – 31 December 2011
Venue: Pegasus Theatre Tickets: £12 full price, £8 concessions, £6 under 18’s Info: www.pegasustheatre.org.uk
Venue: New Theatre, Oxford Tickets: £15 - £47 Info: www.newtheatreoxford.org.uk
At Swim Two Boys is inspired by Jamie O’Neill’s award winning novel of the same name. Set in Ireland in 1916, the work juxtaposes the developing love affair between two young men against political turmoil in Ireland and the slaughter on the Western Front. The production, which is staged in a slowly filling lake in front of a waterfall, is performed by two physical performers and two musicians.
Cohesion 5 Festival
EXHIBITION Revealed: The Underwear Revolution
MUSIC David Miller: Lute, Theorbo and Baroque Guitar 2 December 2011 Venue: Holywell Music Room Tickets: £20, £10 under 18’s, £15 students Info: www.musicatoxford.com David Miller is one of the top early music performers in Europe, working frequently with the Monteverdi Choir, The Sixteen and Dufay Collective. He has compiled this exhilarating programme for lute, theorbo and baroque guitar from the music of the courts of the French kings at the height of their opulence. Dance rhythms, charm and zest throughout.
3 December 2011 – 18 February 2012
MUSIC
Venue: Banbury Museum Tickets: Free Admission Info: www.cherwell.gov.uk/banburymuseum
Handel’s Messiah
An Oxfordshire County Council touring exhibition celebrating the changing role of underwear in our lives. Trace underwear’s evolution from hair shirts to ‘How to Look Good Naked’ and discover how our most intimate garments have been affected by changes in technology, society and taste.
FAMILY FRIENDLY The Elves and the Shoemaker 4 December 2011
FESTIVAL Oxford Improvisers: Cohesion 5 2 – 4 December 2011 Venue: Jacqueline du Pre Music Building (Fri and Sun) and Pegasus Theatre (Sat) Tickets: Fri and Sun £8, £5 concessions; Sat £7, £5 concessions Info: www.oxfordimprovisers.com COHESION 5 is a celebration of ten years of outstanding new music by the Oxford Improvisers Co-operative. Headlining the festival is the world-class Afro-American composer and improvising trumpet player Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith, who has inspired numerous and diverse communities to participate in making new and improvised music. COHESION 5 will also feature the exceptional talents of local new music and improvising musicians, collaborations with Oxford’s outstanding dance artists, along with internationally renowned visiting musicians.
The producers of West Side Story and Guys and Dolls present the breathtaking and lavish production of South Pacific, which comes to Oxford direct from a smash hit season at the Barbican. Set on a tropical island during World War II, this is the sweeping romantic story of two couples threatened by the realities of war. Performed by a cast of 40 and a live orchestra of 25, don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to witness one of the finest musicals ever written.
15 December 2011 Venue: Sheldonian Theatre Tickets: £37, £26, £17.50 and £10 Info: www.oxfordphil.com In the course of thirty-five years as its Director, Edward Higginbottom has elevated New College Choir to a globally admired standard. Both Director and Choir are rightly renowned for their performance of the baroque repertoire and their performance of this most familiar of masterpieces promises a unique insight not to be missed.
Venue: Cornerstone Arts Centre Tickets: £8, £6 concessions Info: www.cornerstone-arts.org
FAMILY FRIENDLY
Elvis Schumacher, cobbler and craftsman, creates the most beautiful footwear. But he's hit hard times...everyone's buying boring shoes from the evil businessman Bunyan Sole-less. With one piece of leather left and Bunyan's factory growing, can anyone help Elvis? Suitable for ages 3+.
22 – 23 December 2011
The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark Venue: The Mill Arts Centre Tickets: £6, £22 family ticket Info: www.themillartscentre.co.uk Plop was a baby Barn Owl. He lived at the top of a tall tree, in a field. He was fat and fluffy. He had big round eyes. He had very knackety knees. Plop was exactly the same as every barn owl that has ever been – except for one thing: he was afraid of the dark! Discover a world of starry nights and moonlit adventures through this irresistible blend of live music, puppetry and storytelling. Suitable for 3 – 7 years and grown-ups who sleep with the light on!
The Elves and the Shoemaker
Winter 2011
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Arts & Events Oxfordshire
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Winter 2011
25
Arts & Events Oxfordshire
CALENDAR
From September
The University of Oxford Bate Collection
18 November
Death’s Cabaret – A Love Story
10 – 11 September
Oxford Open Doors
18 – 20 November
Living Crafts for Christmas
11 September – 18 December Oxfordshire Art Markets
19 November
Banbury Symphony Orchestra 50th Anniversary Concert
11 – 17 September
The Wantage Betjeman Festival of Literature
19 November
Welcome to all the Pleasures
14 – 18 September
The Independent Woodstock Literary Festival
19 November – 24 December Christmas Craft Creation Station
17 September
Saturday Spotlight Gallery Talk: Captured By Women
20 November
The Fundamentals of Colour
Oxford Concert Party
22 November
Harold Budd and The Necks – time being
17 – 18 September
Oxford Castle Food and Wine Festival
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
17 September – 15 January
Worn to be Wild
22 November '11 – 7 January '12
24 September
Miss P Foundation: Nurturing Visions in the Arts
24 – 26 November
The Barber of Seville: Welsh National Opera
27 September
Taking Part in the Arts!
25 November
Royal String Quartet and Alessandro Taverna
27 September – 2 October
in with between – Oxford Brookes MA Interdisciplinary Arts Festival
26 – 27 November
Waterperry Christmas Market
17 September
27 September – 20 November Abraham Cruzvillegas – Autoconstrucción 28 September – 2 October
The Henley Literary Festival
30 September
Sarah-Ellen Hughes
26 November – 18 December Christmas Crafts Exhibition 26 November – 24 December Flora McLachlan 26 November '11 – 26 February '12
The Turrill Christmas Exhibition
29 November
Mabon
30 September – 23 December Treasures of the Bodleian
1 – 2 XXX December
At Swim Two Boys
1 October – 23 December
Clouet to Claude: French Master Drawings
2 December
Christmas Light Night
1 October – 31 December
Chemistry in the Botanic Garden
2 December
David Miller: Lute, Theorbo and Baroque Guitar
6 – 7 October
Kupenga Kwa Hamlet
2 – 4 December
Oxford Improvisers: Cohesion 5
6 October '11 – 8 January '12 Claude Lorrain: The Enchanted Landscape
2 – 18 December
Oxford Christmas Market
7 – 8 October
Black History Month – Araba’s Song: A Slave’s Story
Mother Goose
14 – 16 October
Thame Arts and Literature Festival
2 December ’11 – 15 January ’12
14 – 29 October
Oxford Lieder Festival
3 December
Commotio’s Christmas Concert
Pin-Hole Photography by Mary Foulkes
3 December
A Celebration of Christmas
18 – 29 October
Halloween Family Activities
Revealed: The Underwear Revolution
22 – 30 October
Art in Woodstock 2011
3 December '11 – 18 February '12
22 – 30 October
Monster Mash Trail
4 December
Family Cushion Concert: Christmas Brass
22 – 30 October
Halloween Horrors
4 December
The Elves and the Shoemaker
23 October
FUNomusica Family Concert – The World at Your Feet
6 – 24 December
The Oxfordshire Craft Guild Christmas Selling Exhibition
6 – 31 December
South Pacific
25 October
Some Like It Hotter
A Christmas Carol
25 October
Autumn Lanterns
8 December ’11 – 2 January ’12
26 October
Come and Draw Workshop
9 December
National Youth Jazz Orchestra
26 – 27 October
Witney Film Festival
9 – 30 December
Grimm and Grimmer…
29 October
Iron Pour
10 December
Oxford City Singers Christmas Concert
29 – 30 October
The Oxford Ceramics Fair
11 December
The Snow Queen
1 – 5 November
Earthquakes in London
11 December
Yuletide
3 November
Shylock
12 – 17 December
One Snowy Night
The Science of Happiness
14 December
Orchestra of St. Johns Christmas Carol Concert
4 November
Gospel Greats
15 December
Handel’s Messiah
5 November
Opening of the Old Fire Station
17 December
Carols For All
5 November
Ice Music
17 – 20 December
Christmas at Christ Church
5 November
Appalachian Roots: Ira Bernstein and Riley Baugus
12 Days of Christmas
5 November
Oxford Round Table’s 44th Annual Fireworks Display
17 December '11 – 6 January '12 18 December
Nine Lessons and Carols
5 November
Earth Trust Autumn Festival
18 December
Lord Mayors Carols
8 November
Dave Gorman – PowerPoint Presentation
19 – 21 December
Creation’s Cracking Kids’ Christmas
8 – 12 November
Woyzeck on the Highveld
21 December
Christmas with Mr Toad and Friends
10 November
Alternative Thursdays: Adam Barnes and Lewis Watson
22 – 23 December
The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark
12 November – 16 December A White Christmas at Blenheim Palace
27 December
Winter Wassail
13 November
The Snow Dragon
13 – 22 January ’12
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
15 November '11 – 15 April '12
Time Machines
18 February '11 – 28 March '12
Dancin’ Oxford
15 October – 13 November
3 November
Winter 2011
26
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EXAMINATION
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For more information visit www.examschools.ox.ac.uk or telephone 01865 276905 75-81 The High Street, Oxford OX1 4BG conferences@exams.ox.ac.uk
Oxford Inspires
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Central Library, Westgate, Oxford, OX1 1DJ Tel: 01865 815525 Fax: 01865 810187 Email: info@oxfordinspires.org Printed on material certified in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
OXFORD INSPIRES Encouraging Culture Across Oxfordshire
danci n’ OXFORD 2012 18 February – 28 March 2012 Dancin’ Oxford returns with yet another inspiring and exciting programme of dance, ranging from vibrant, high quality performances by professional artists to workshops and taster-sessions designed to get everyone on their feet and moving to the music. Highlights of the upcoming festival include the return of French aerial dance company Retouramont, who wowed audiences earlier in the year with their breathtaking display on the walls of Oxford Castle. Pegasus Theatre will also be hosting three fabulous national dance companies during the festival – including tango dancer Patrissia Cuberos and cutting edge African/contemporary dance group Tavaziva – and for those wanting to have a go themselves, the ever popular Dance-A-Thon returns along with family friendly workshops and a dancer led activity day at the Old Fire Station. 2012 also sees the festival ‘go digital’, with the launch of ground-breaking digital dance trails and interactive installations located around the city; don’t miss it! www.dancinoxford.co.uk
Tavaziva: Wild Dog – Martina Bussi and Katie Cambridge