Chopin 2010 - the bicentenary year
'In the Footsteps of Chopin'To celebrate the bicentenary of Chopin's birth, the Chopin Society arranged a year of concerts and talks under the title In the Footsteps of Chopin. We were honoured that HRH Princess Alexandra accepted to be our Royal Patron for 2010 and that the Polish Ambassador HE Barbara Tuge-Erecinska was our Honorary President for the year. In 1848, following a revolution in France, Chopin was persuaded to visit London, and spent a total of 4½ months there, giving private and semi-public concerts as well as teaching. The bicentenary concerts and talks were all held in or near the venues used by Chopin, mostly in the St James's area where Chopin stayed during his visit to Britain in 1848. The venues for the concerts included St Paul's Church Covent Garden, the Royal Over-Seas League, The Wigmore Hall, The Arts Club, Lancaster House, The Athenaeum, The Naval & Military Club, Brown's Hotel and Guildhall, where the Grand Concert, Dinner and Ball took place. A few of these events were by invitation or for Chopin Society Members only, but the majority were open to the general public. Read about the events celebrating the 200th anniversary of Chopin's birth, and see some photographs of the special bicentenary Gala Concert at Lancaster House. |
