The gem of the kingdom of France, medieval Paris boasted cathedrals, palaces, famous scholars, scandals, and royal pomp.  Join us on a virtual tour through the city that showcases both its bygone glories and the lingering relics of the medieval world still visible today.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

In honor of St Patrick's Day, this lecture will explore the mystical landscape and saints' experiences that shaped religion on the Emerald Isle. From St Patrick's own gates to Purgatory, to holy wells, to places of miracles and demonic torments, we will uncover some unique aspects of medieval Ireland.

A list of suggested whiskies will be provided to registered students in advance of the class, for those who would like to pre-purchase and sample some Irish Whiskies that will be discussed during the lecture in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Cheers!

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

This lecture showcases the written word of female authors in the Middle Ages, both well-known and grievously understudied!  Records of mystical visions, allegorical moral tales, and romantic poems number among the texts we will investigate in our hunt for the preserved voices of medieval women.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

In advance of the central Christian holiday, join us for a survey of medieval ideas and attitudes towards Easter.  From depictions of Christ resurrected, to medieval celebrations, to the origins of Easter eggs, this lecture will touch on a variety of aspects of the medieval experience.
Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

Join Ginny Poleman on a virtual walk up Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue as she shares photos and tells stories about the homes and their owners, people like Henry Clay Frick, Andrew Carnegie, Joseph Pulitzer, and other wealthy New Yorkers who spared no expense on these magnificent homes that still stand today. Learn about the Beaux Arts architectural style that defined the era and the aesthetic of New York during the City Beautiful Movement, and the architects that designed them, names like Stanford White, Whitney Warren, and the team of Carrère & Hastings. This presentation will give you a glimpse of life on one of New York’s most prestigious avenues during the Gilded Age when these homes held fancy costume balls, musical concerts, and museum-quality art collections. 

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

The name Vanderbilt calls to mind men of wealth, power, and greed. But these three Vanderbilt women: Alva Smith Vanderbilt Belmont—the Gilded Age Suffragette; Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney—Artist and Founder of the Whitney Museum; and Gloria Vanderbilt—Fashion Icon and Designer,  were instrumental in making their own marks beyond their names in politics, art, and fashion.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

An exploration of the art and architecture of the Islamic worlds from Spain to India. What do the arts of many distinctly different Islamic cultures over millennia reflect about their sensibilities? How did Islam interact with other world cultures, especially those of Europe? A comparative experience and exploration at the crossroads of art, history, and cultural sensibility.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

There is nothing like sitting in a small dark club with your favorite cocktail and seeing a cabaret artist tell you an intimate story through music that makes you discover something new about a song you’ve known for years. Cabaret performances are often known for bringing alive the Great American Songbook from the 1920s through the 1950s for contemporary audiences. But modern-day cabaret does much more than preserve the past—it also promotes and fosters the new generation of American composers and creates a uniquely vibrant musical and theatrical experience for its audiences. Join Dr. Regina Zona, an award-winning cabaret artist herself, for some history of the artform and to hear classic performances of some of the world’s best cabaret artists from yesterday and today.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

Russian music emerged in the 19th century, along with literature, and quickly took a leading role in world culture. This class will examine the developments in Russian society that made this flowering of culture possible, and consider the ways in which the music can be heard as distinctively Russian. We will listen to and discuss music by the composers Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Musorgsky, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev and Shostakovich.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

Whodunits are entertaining and intriguing — the best upend our social expectations. These memorable directors present a singular vision of the mystery/suspense genre, which has captivated moviegoers for generations. Directors and films to be discussed: Otto Preminger's Laura, Hitchcock's North By Northwest, Rian Johnson's Knives Out, Christopher Nolan's Memento and the Coen Brothers' The Big Lebowski.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.