Art Briefs

Published on February 05, 2010

Renaissance Center's midwinter events

In Greek mythology Anteros was the god of mutual love and the punisher of those who scorn the loving advances of another - in other words, a handy guy to have around. The Renaissance Center in Amherst celebrates the upcoming international romance day by hosting a talk on the myth of Anteros by Craig Stephenson, a Jungian analyst based in Paris. He will present "Wrestling with Eros: The Myth of Anteros and its Meanings" Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the center at 650 East Pleasant St. The talk is free and open to the public.

The center formally known as the Massachusetts Center for Interdisciplinary Renaissance Studies, a research facility of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, announces several other upcoming events to ward off midwinter blahs.

On Sunday, Feb. 20, Honore David will lead a field trip to the Worcester Art Museum to take in the exhibition "Intaglio: Italian Etchings and Engravings." The bus leaves the center at 10 a.m. and returns at 5:30. The cost for the daytrip is $40. In preparation for the trip, David will give a talk about Italian etchings and engravings Feb. 12 at 4 p.m. at the center. The talk is free and open to the public.

The Renaissance Center Theater Company also announces auditions for a spring production of Christopher Marlowe's tale of pride and damnation, "Doctor Faustus." Open auditions take place at the center Feb. 21, from 1-4 p.m., and Feb. 22, from 7-10 p.m. For information or to secure an audition time, call Lucinda Kidder at (413) 577-3600.

And a little something for the kids: During school vacation week, the center hosts the weeklong children's theater workshop "Harry Potter's World on Stage" for ages 8-12. From Feb. 15-19, participants will meet daily from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mount Holyoke College's Williston Library, where they will draw inspiration from the "Harry Potter's World" exhibition to create their own play, which will be performed for family and friends at noon on the last Friday of class.

For information about the workshop and other events, call (413) 577-3600, or visit the Web site www.umass.edu/renaissance.