Prior registration required.

Prior registration required.

Prior registration required.

This historical novel recently won the Man Booker Prize. The book is set in England in the 1520's. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage and marry Anne Boleyn. He is opposed by the Pope and Catholic Europe, creating a power struggle between Church and Crown. Thomas Cromwell steps into the impasse, a charmer and bully, idealist and opportunist. Mantel presents a picture of a society on the cusp of change with an array of historical characters, where success brings unlimited power, but failure brings death.

First performed in London in 1724, George Frederick Handel's opera, Giulio Cesare is now regarded as one of the pinnacles of the operatic repertoire and one of the finest examples of Baroque music drama. There will be a brief overview of Handel's life, a synopsis of the opera, and CD and DVD excerpts from the opera. Based on Caesar's romance with Cleopatra, this opera is both a romance and a political drama, a tale of lust and intrigue, boasting some of the finest music penned by Handel.

Prior registration required. Contact Fran Zino, at 516-365-7168 or frzbayview@aol.com.

The National Gallery of Ireland houses the national collection of Irish and European fine art, including extraordinary works by Caravaggio and Vermeer. "The Book of Kells" (c.800 AD) is one of the finest examples of Celtic Art in existence today, and is housed at Trinity College, Dublin. The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) is Ireland's leading national institution for the collection and presentation of modern and contemporary art. Begun in 1990, it now houses a permanent collection in excess of 4,500 works.

Prior registration required.

Prior registration required. Contact Vera Eli at 516-829-9864 or at veraeli@optonline.net.

Born March 22, 1930, Stephen Sondheim reached age 80 in March 2010, and numerous special events have occurred to celebrate this former "wunderkind" of the American Musical Theater.