11.15am–12.30pm PART ONE: AN OVERVIEW OF THE SALON
For centuries, salons have been spaces where artists and audiences, prima donnas and patrons, and radicals and revolutionaries could mix. While some salons were semi-public in nature, others operated below the radar, providing a haven for new, sometimes forbidden thought. This overview introduces some key salons through the ages, considers their importance for musicians and other attendees, and draws us into their uniquely intimate sound-world. Natasha Loges, always one of our most popular speakers, is joined by a team of brilliant young musicians who illustrate both parts of this event.
1.45pm–3.00pm Part Two: Eavesdropping on Pauline Viardot
Linchpin, tastemaker and networker extraordinaire, Pauline Viardot hosted glittering salons at which the great and good of European music congregated. This lecture-recital allows us to eavesdrop on an imaginary evening at 48 rue de Douai, her Paris home.