New this year!This workshop will focus on understanding today's Europe in all its complexity. Why? After the Cold War ended, there was a widespread sense that democracy would prevail, peace and prosperity would follow, and the horrors of fascism and communism were past. In the intervening years, that quaint notion has fractured: war in Yugoslavia…
New this year!This workshop will help you go beyond the headlines to explore the complex issue of climate change and its global impact. Grounded in science and cutting-edge research, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the science behind climate change, its current and projected effects on the environment, and the societal challenges it presents.…
Join our continuing exploration of artists’ lives and artwork spanning a variety of time periods, geographies, cultures, identities, art forms, and media. We’ll also analyze representation of these lives and consider connections to our own world. As a member of our workshop, you will present once, selecting your own focus, e.g. the artist’s life, artwork,…
Come and join a Zoom discussion group of film lovers. Participants will each select a contemporary film available on Netflix that they wish to introduce to the group. Two films are discussed at each workshop. Participants are expected to have viewed the two films recently in advance of the workshop to ensure lively and congenial…
New this year!Thornton Wilder regarded theatre as "the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being." Join us as we explore selected classic plays from the 19th and 20th centuries. We will read aloud…
This workshop aims to touch the entire world of opera: from its early beginnings in the 16th C. to the modern day. We will learn about and listen to the music of the historic opera repertoire, the most beautiful music in the world, and view exciting performances on stage by the most enthralling voices. There…
1. The Crash of '29: A turning point in global economic history Could our current economy be on the same path as the economy of 1929? Academy member Barry Arbus examines the causes of the 1929 stock market crash, the resulting Depression, and the rise of active government intervention in the economy. He also compares…
Nobel Prizes for Science and Medicine have been awarded since 1901. In this workshop, participants will explore the winners in the four categories: Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine and the additional Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences (in Memory of Alfred Nobel). Participants will investigate what the winners discovered and what the impact of the…
New this year!Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, Johnny Carson, Frank Sinatra, Jackie Gleason, Mary Tyler Moore, Ed Sullivan, Alan Alda, Bea Arthur, Carroll O’Connor, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Sammy Davis Jr. These are just some of the legendary performers who defined the golden age of entertainment. These stars from the world of TV, film and…
Songs are a vital part of our lives. First, participants will give presentations on their choice of performers (e.g., Tiny Tim, the Beatles, Mel Torme), composers (e.g., Cole Porter, Jim Webb, Lennon & McCartney), historical period or favourite songs. Second, we can choose to sing the songs we discuss acapella or with accompaniment. Just listening is welcome…
Devoted film buffs want to share their love of fine films by viewing them together and having great discussions about them. This in-person workshop is designed for just that. The 12 films will be chosen by Workshop members and the Co-facilitators. The films will be drawn from the list of 100 Best Films as ranked…
At the start of each session the participants suggest topics from the recent newsworthy of further discussion. The discussion of each topic starts with a brief introduction by the person suggesting the topic followed by a general discussion. Facilitators Joan Bartel has lived in four countries, ending up happily in Canada. She enjoyed a long…