The
Austrian Centre London: Green
Plaque Unveiling
Thursday 13 October
124, Westbourne Terrace, London
The
Austrian Centre London received a commemorative plaque at their
former base, 124 Westbourne Terrace in Paddington. The Austrian
Centre was the most important social, cultural and political hub
for Austrian exiles from the Nazis.
Opened
in 1939, its first President was Sigmund Freud. The Centre housed
a library, restaurant, theatre, political cabaret, concert venue
and functioned as a publisher, offered advisory services and served
as a meeting place for thousands of refugees from Austria. This
plaque recognizes the importance of this site and the role it played
in the lives of so many Austrian refugees.
Commemorative
Concert
Thursday 13 October, Austrian Cultural Forum London, ACF London
28 Rutland Gate, London SW7 1PQ, www.acflondon.org
Following
the unveiling of the green plaque at 124 Westbourne Terrace we invited
guests to the ACF London for a special commemorative concert. The
opening of the Austrian Centre on March 11, 1939 was celebrated
with a concert programme consisting of chamber music for string
quartet and a selection of German Lieder.
Ensemble
EMIGRE, based at the Royal College of Music and connected with the
research and performance project Singing a Song in a Foreign
Land presented a concert of a similar nature, incorporating
elements of the original programme as well as compositions by Austrian
musicians such as Hans Gal and Ferdinand Rauter who played an active
role in the life of the Austrian Centre. The programme is curated
and presented by Norbert Meyn (RCM).
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