Vladimir Horowitz: 20th Century Piano Virtuoso
Presenter: Judith Alstadter        
Tuesday, January 17 at Lake Seminole Square
Thursday, January 19 at Largo Royal Palms and Palm Harbor
Friday, January 20 at the Eckerd College Continuing Education Center

Vladimir Horowitz was one of the 20th Century's greatest piano legends. Hailed for his virtuosity, his sonorous tone that made the piano sound orchestral, his delicate nuances, and for his refined phrasing. His repertoire ranged from early Baroque works of Scarlatti through the Romantics to his demonically difficult transcriptions of such works as "Stars and Stripes Forever."

Born in 1903 near Kiev, he left Russia in 1925 with a reputation as a virtuoso. He made his American debut in 1928 with the New York Philharmonic playing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 under the baton of Arturo Toscanini (later to become his father-in-law). He was a close friend of the great Sergei Rachmaninoff, whose Concerto No. 3 was a hallmark of his repertoire along with the Tchaikovsky No.1.

Horowitz suffered intermittent bouts of anxiety and depression, requiring long breaks from public appearances. He returned to Russia in 1986 where he made a triumphant and emotional tour. Horowitz died in New York in 1989 and is buried in Italy in the Toscanini family tomb.

We will see and hear Horowitz in performances and commentary on CD and DVD.

3823SE Seminole Square
3824LG Largo
3825PH Palm Harbor
3826CE Continuing Education Center

Member: $10; Non-member: $15

Francis I
Presenter: John Schloder       
Tuesday, January 24 at Lake Seminole Square
Thursday, January 26 at Largo Royal Palms and Palm Harbor
Friday, January 27 at the Eckerd College Continuing Education Center

Francois I ruled during a period of cultural renewal, Protestant revolution, and wars. He expanded the boundaries and power of France, sent French fleets to the Americas and the Far East and founded the French seaport now known as Le Havre. He established relations with the Ottoman Empire, scandalizing the Christian world. Patron of the arts, he persuaded da Vinci to leave Italy for France where the aging artist died leaving paintings such as the Mona Lisa which adorn the Louvre today. He transformed the medieval palace of the Louvre in Paris, a project that his successors would continue for centuries. His greatest architectural undertaking  was at Fontainebleau, where the hunting lodge of his ancestors became the center of a new era of artistic creation in France.

3827SE Seminole Square
3828LG Largo
3829PH Palm Harbor
3830CE Continuing Education Center

Member: $10; Non-member: $15

Cleopatra: The Last Pharaoh
Presenter: Dedee Aleccia        
Tuesday, January 31 at Lake Seminole Square
Thursday, February 2 at Largo Royal Palms
and Palm Harbor
Friday, February 3 at the Eckerd College
Continuing Education Center

Passion and power, drama and intrigue describe the life of Cleopatra, the last leader of the last Egyptian dynasty. As ruler of the most opulent empire in the ancient Mediterranean world, she associated herself with the goddess Isis, commanded respect and homage from Egyptian subjects, and showed off her political acumen in decisive matters. By aligning herself with Julius Caesar she not only provided him with political support, but also bore his child, securing her connection to the new and expanding Roman world. After the death of Caesar, she forged an alliance with Mark Antony in an effort to form a larger empire, providing him the armies and monies needed to conquer eastern lands and, via military successes, oppose Octavian, his counterpart in the west. She also bore three children by him, securing her and their future as Roman leaders. When plans failed and Octavian subjugated Egypt to Roman rule, she followed Mark Antony in committing suicide, thus ending Egypt's long history of dynastic power. Posthumously, her life has been the subject of legends, some true and some exaggerated, and has served as a source of inspiration for art, literature, opera and film.

3831SE Seminole Square
3832LG Largo
3833PH Palm Harbor
3834CE Continuing Education Center

Member: $10; Non-member: $15

Irving Thalberg
Presenter: Ron Sommer       
Tuesday, February 7 at Lake Seminole Square
Thursday, February 9 at Largo Royal Palms and Palm Harbor
Friday, February 10 at the Eckerd College Continuing Education Center

At the Academy Awards the Thalberg Award is presented to an individual whose work represents a consistently high quality of motion picture production. Born of immigrant parents in 1899, Thalberg suffered rheumatic fever at 17. Fascinated by the film industry, in 1918 at age 19, he got a job at Universal Film Manufacturing Company. He became the owner's secretary and then went to Hollywood as production head at 21.

Dissatisfied with Universal, he left to join Louis B. Mayer Film Corporation which later became part of MGM. Mayer and Thalberg made MGM the most successful studio of the 1920s and 30s. Returning to the studio after a heart attack in 1932, Thalberg found he had been demoted to production chief. He persevered as the creative mind behind The Big Parade, Grand Hotel, Mutiny on the Bounty and The Good Earth. He made his wife, Norma Shearer, queen of the studio and fostered the careers of Clark Gable, Helen Hayes, Joan Crawford and Jean Harlow. He oversaw the Marx Brothers' most popular comedies.

A modest man, Thalberg never allowed his name to appear on screen as producer; yet his innovations in film production, his insistence on a sophisticated and literate product, his impeccable taste and creativity, still impact the film industry years after his death in 1936.

3835SE Seminole Square
3836LG Largo
3837PH Palm Harbor
3838CE Continuing Education Center

Member: $10; Non-member: $15

Enzo Ferrari
Presenter: Hal Hultman
Tuesday, February 14 at Lake Seminole Square
Thursday, February 16 at Largo Royal Palms and Palm Harbor
Friday, February 17 at the Eckerd College Continuing Education Center

Enzo Ferrari was known for fast cars and racing. As an Italian car driver and businessman, he founded the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix racing team, the most successful Formula 1 team ever. His Ferrari factory produced super-fast sports cars.

Ferrari's career began when he joined Alfa Romeo and proved successful as a racer throughout the 1920s. He followed his business instincts, managed a team of drivers, and became responsible for the development of Alfa's cars. In 1947 Ferrari resigned to set up his own company and participate in the first Formula 1 Championship Race in 1950. Ferrari's first victory came at the 1951 British Grand Prix, followed by the first circuit championship in the 1952-53 season. Building on name recognition of his race cars, Ferrari started building sports cars to finance Grand Prix and Le Mans ventures, heading the company until 1971.

His intense behavior directed toward his drivers was well known in the racing community and was described on occasion as psychological terror. Outside the track his demeanor was pleasant and amicable and his manner was considerate with both his family and his mistress! As we will see – he was an interesting man.

3839SE Seminole Square
3840LG Largo
3841PH Palm Harbor
3842CE Continuing Education Center

Member: $10; Non-member: $15

Johnny Carson
Presenter: Joy Katzen-Guthrie
Tuesday, February 21 at Lake Seminole Square
Thursday, February 23 at Largo Royal Palms and Palm Harbor
Friday, February 24 at the Eckerd College Continuing Education Center

A true Television legend, mutli-award winning late night talk host Johnny Carson was a genius of casual conversation and comedy. Born in Corning, Iowa, he called Norfolk, Nebraska home from age eight. Carson displayed budding entertainment talent when he purchased a mail order magic kit as a kid. By 14, he was "The Great Carsoni." He continued to perform with the cards and tricks in the Navy, college, as a local emcee, and in broadcasting beginning in 1950. Extraordinary skills as a comic, satirist and host were apparent as Carson expanded into game shows, prime time, interview and variety programs. Some were forgotten overnight. Others rocketed him to fame for his wit as a daytime and nighttime sensation. Debuting as host of the Tonight Show with his sidekick Ed McMahon, Carson blazed new territory with continuing characters and a format that became the template for all late night interview shows to follow. We'll view his extraordinary life from his childhood to his final show and enjoy highlights from the best of a career that spanned five decades and influenced popular television culture perhaps more than that of any other individual in history.

3843SE Seminole Square
3844LG Largo
3845PH Palm Harbor
3846CE Continuing Education Center

Member: $10; Non-member: $15