Bard College Presents Anthony Hecht Lectures in the Humanities Featuring Singer and Scholar Ian Bostridge
Ian Bostridge.
This October, Bard College presents renowned tenor and musical scholar Ian Bostridge delivering the Anthony Hecht Lectures in the Humanities in honor of preeminent poet, alumnus, and former Bard faculty member Anthony Hecht ’44. In his lecture series, “Ancestral Voices Prophesying: Notes on Britten's War Requiem,” Bostridge—who has performed War Requiem nearly a hundred times since 1994—will examine the layers of meaning and context in the piece, one of the most important works of classical music written after 1945.
The first lecture in the series, “Requiem,” takes place on Monday, October 27 at 5:00 pm, and the second, “Anthem,” will be held on Tuesday, October 28 at 5:00 pm. A reception precedes both lectures, which will take place in Olin Auditorium on Bard’s Annandale campus. The final lecture in the series, “Akedah,” will be held on Friday, October 31 at 6:00 pm in the Irving Posner and Herman Ackman Space at Kaufman Music Center located at 129 West 67th Street, NYC. All lectures are free and open to the public. For more information about this lecture series, please call (845) 758-7405.
Ian Bostridge’s extraordinary career has taken him to the foremost concert halls, orchestras and opera houses in the world, and his recordings have been nominated for 15 Grammys. An internationally celebrated author and academic, Bostridge published his book Schubert’s Winter Journey: Anatomy of an Obsession in 2014, and his most recent book Song and Self was published in 2023. In 2004, he was made a CBE, or Commander of the Order of the British Empire, a prestigious British honor recognizing individuals for their significant contributions to their field or community.
Post Date: 09-11-2025
The first lecture in the series, “Requiem,” takes place on Monday, October 27 at 5:00 pm, and the second, “Anthem,” will be held on Tuesday, October 28 at 5:00 pm. A reception precedes both lectures, which will take place in Olin Auditorium on Bard’s Annandale campus. The final lecture in the series, “Akedah,” will be held on Friday, October 31 at 6:00 pm in the Irving Posner and Herman Ackman Space at Kaufman Music Center located at 129 West 67th Street, NYC. All lectures are free and open to the public. For more information about this lecture series, please call (845) 758-7405.
Ian Bostridge’s extraordinary career has taken him to the foremost concert halls, orchestras and opera houses in the world, and his recordings have been nominated for 15 Grammys. An internationally celebrated author and academic, Bostridge published his book Schubert’s Winter Journey: Anatomy of an Obsession in 2014, and his most recent book Song and Self was published in 2023. In 2004, he was made a CBE, or Commander of the Order of the British Empire, a prestigious British honor recognizing individuals for their significant contributions to their field or community.
Post Date: 09-11-2025