The Imperial Apartments of Hofburg have assembled an exhibition dedicated to Crown Prince Rudolph. Most famous for the 1889 suicide pact with his lover Maria Vetsera, the exhibition brings to life aspects of Rudolf’s grim childhood, avid interest for ornithology and belief in the inevitable fall of the House of Habsburg. Personal objects such as the encoding kit used for writing his pseudonymous political articles, numerous paintings and photographs and a splendid reconstruction of his ‘Turkish Room’ help to create a fascinating portrait of the enigmatic prince.
Archive for March, 2009
Museo di Pietro Micca
The Museo di Pietro Micca deals with the siege of Turin and includes a guided tour of the siege tunnels. It is one of the most interesting museums I have visited, but unfortunately they do not have any English-speaking guides. However, if you ask, as I did, you can be guided individually (at no extra cost), and the guide spoke slowly and clearly for me.
The Tallis Scholars
One of the most acclaimed groups specialising in Renaissance-era acapella polyphony, The Tallis Scholars kick off this year’s Boston Early Music Festival series with a programme entitled ‘Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina: The Armed Man’ featuring works by Palestrina, Lassus, Gallus, Gesualdo and Gombart.
International Documentary Film Festival 1999
Besides the traditional screening and competition of the latest video and film documentaries from around the world, IDFA is also notable for its thematic programming, which this year includes ‘The Memory of the 20th Century’, which gives a tour of the defining icons of the last 100 years; a Werner Herzog retrospective, along with his own ‘Top Ten’ favourites of the genre; and the clearly titled ‘Kids and Docs’.
