Friday, 14th July
Beethoven & Byron
7:30pm
Villiers Quartet
Martin Berry, speaker
Programme
Ludwig van Beethoven – String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 130
Lord Byron (George Gordon) – Poetry & Letters
Step back in time to the 19th-century Regency period (think Bridgerton!) with this dramatic concert of two giants from music and literature: Ludwig van Beethoven and his Nottingham counterpart, the poet Lord Byron. We bring their words to life in the mystical atmosphere of St Mary’s in the Lace Market – Nottingham’s oldest medieval building.
The Villiers Quartet perform Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 130, with its famous slow Cavatina movement. Martin Berry, of Nottingham Playhouse, reads excerpts from Lord Byron’s poetry and letters. Join us for this magical evening of love, history, and music.
Where: St Mary’s in the Lace Market, High Pavement, Nottingham NG1 1HN
When: 7.30pm
Tickets £16 General / £13 Concession
This concert lasts approximately 1 hour 10 minutes
Villiers Quartet
Katie Stillman, violin 1
Tamaki Higashi, violin 2
Carmen Flores, viola
Leo Melvin, cello
Named after Villiers Street in London, the Villiers Quartet encompasses the grand and iconic spirit of the extraordinary music tradition in Britain and has been praised for “exquisite ensemble playing” (Seen & Heard International), and their absolute “commitment and virtuosity” (The Sunday Times). The Villiers Quartet is the Quartet-in-Residence at the Jacqueline Du Pré Music Building at St. Hilda’s College, Oxford University.
Hailed as “Champions of British Music” (The Observer), the Villiers Quartet has been broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and on NPO Radio 4 live from the Concertgebouw. They were also featured on BBC One’sThe Andrew Marr Show, and on the score to the BBC film Lady Chatterley’s Lover. The broad curiosity of the Villiers Quartet and its passion for teaching and performing have made the VQ a valuable resource for students and audiences alike. Inspiration comes from the heart of the Villiers Quartet’s philosophy: to believe in the art of string quartet. www.villiersquartet.com
Martin Berry
Martin Berry is Director of Participation at Nottingham Playhouse and until 2022 sat on the Board of Stage Directors UK, a body supporting the rights of theatre directors. He has directed 48 shows for stage and radio, including productions for The Globe, Greenwich Theatre, Queens Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse. His work also includes being Midlands representative for the JMK Trust, assistant to Lyndsey Turner at the National Theatre, international consultant for Trinity College London and creating theatre productions in China, Malaysia and the US.