The concert line-up for Hogmanay (New Years Eve) has been announced; The Concert in the Gardens with Forth One and the Royal Bank of Scotland Friday 31 December 2004   Direct from New York Scissor Sisters and Blondie Set in one of the world's most impressive natural venues, beautifully framed by the backdrops of Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Bank Street Party, the music and fireworks spectacular is back and is bigger and better than before! The Concert in the Gardens takes place in West Princes Street Gardens and is an outdoor event (all standing) Ticket prices are £35 Enclosure and £30 Gardens Tickets include a Royal Bank Street Party pass Tickets are subject to a booking fee There's more information at http://www.edinburghshogmanay.org/

: 

Posted on: Sat, Oct 16 2004 11:41 PM

 

The BBC reports that Edinburgh is to be named the world's first City of Literature by the United Nations' cultural body UNESCO. The preamble to the constitution [PDF] of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation states "since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed." The bid was spearheaded by James Boyle, the chairman of Scotland's cultural commission. He said: "I'm overwhelmed. As soon as we heard we jumped up in the air and toasted Edinburgh." The campaign team said the city could point to literary greats including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson and Robert Burns, who all lived and wrote in Edinburgh. There is also a growing contemporary literary scene which most famously includes J.K. Rowling, Ian Rankin and (Prof.) Alexander McCall Smith. It is thought that Edinburgh could officially receive its title in April 2005.

:

Posted on:Wed,Oct13200411:57PM

 

On Saturday my old flatmate Norette & I went to the summer exhibition at the National Galleries RSA building, "The Age of Titian: Venetian Renaissance Art in Scottish Collections." The exhibition in the newly refurbished galleries included twelve works by Titian (Tiziano Vecellio - c. 1485-1576) and numerous others by his contemporaries Tintoretto, Bellini, Lotto, Veronese and Bassano. Lorenzo Lotto's work particularly appealed to me - for example in Portrait of an Architect - though I don't understand why - there did seem to be in his work a vibrancy and attention to detail which appealed to me. It was a fascinating exhibition with some amazing pieces of art, and for only five pounds was exceptional value for money. I'm keen to understand more about the period and Titian and his contemporaries - perhaps I'll go back and this time take the audio tour which would shed more light on the subject.