All events are free, unless otherwise noted. Seating reservations are required. For reservations and information, please call (310) 440-7300 or see information on planning a visit.

Lectures

Tales of Byzantium from Greece

Join Maria Andreadaki-Vlazaki of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports and Anastasia Drandaki of the Benaki Museum, Athens, for a closer look at the masterpieces on view in the exhibition, including newly discovered and previously unpublished objects from recent archaeological excavations in Greece. Free; a ticket is required.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014; 7:30 p.m.
Getty Villa: Auditorium

Collecting and Displaying Byzantine Art in the Medieval, Renaissance, and Modern Periods

In the Middle Ages, Byzantine objects served purposes that ranged from utilitarian to devotional. Renaissance collectors displayed Byzantine works to suggest their high artistic value, but the full appreciation of the artifacts in the exhibition depends upon the Modernist revolutions of the 19th and 20th centuries. Art historian Robert Nelson discusses the ways Byzantine collections evolved during these periods. Free; a ticket is required.

Thursday, May 1, 2014; 7:30 p.m.
Getty Villa: Auditorium

Lecture and Dinner

At the Byzantine Table: Greek Traditions, Roman Tastes

Indulge in the culinary pleasures of Byzantium with a dinner inspired by the foods of ancient Greece infused with Roman spices. Historian Andrew Dalby sets the stage with a lecture on the distinctive cuisine of this distant empire.
Tickets: $175 each (includes wine). On sale Tuesday, July 1 at 9:00 a.m.

Saturday, July 19, 2014; 5:30 - 10:00 p.m.
Getty Villa: Auditorium and Inner Peristyle

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Symposium

Heaven and Earth: Perspectives on Greece's Byzantium

Focusing on the artistic legacy of Byzantine culture in Greece, this two-day symposium foregrounds the important role of this region throughout late antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Early Modern period and addresses themes from the exhibition. Co-presented with UCLA's Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Free; a ticket is required for each day.

Day 1: Friday, May 2, 2014; 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Getty Villa: Auditorium

Day 2: Saturday, May 3, 2014; 9:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
Saint Sophia Cathedral, Los Angeles: Huffington Center

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Gallery Courses

Reflecting the Divine: A Cross-Cultural Look at Greece and China

Compare status and religious expression across the arts of two different ancient peoples in this two-session class. First join educator Shelby Brown to explore the collection and exhibition, then investigate the art of Chinese ritual objects at the USC Pacific Asia Museum with curator Yeonsoo Chee. Course fee $60 for both sessions (includes refreshments). Complimentary parking at both sites.

Day 1: Saturday, April 26, 2014; 1:00–4:00 p.m.
Getty Villa: Meeting Rooms and Museum galleries
Day 2: Saturday, May 3, 2014; 1:00–3:00 p.m.
USC Pacific Asia Museum

The Art of Byzantium: Origins and Influence

Share curators' perspectives on two exhibitions of Byzantine art in this two-session class. Join curator Mary Hart at the Getty Villa to explore the Greco-Roman roots of spectacular Byzantine objects on loan from Greece. Then, at the Getty Center, discover with curator Elizabeth Morrison how Byzantine manuscripts inspired diverse cultural traditions from Europe to Ethiopia. Course fee $35 per session; sign up for one or both. Complimentary parking.

Day 1: Saturday, May 10, 2014; 1:00–4:00 p.m.
Getty Villa: Meeting Rooms and Museum galleries
Day 2: Sunday, May 18, 2014; 1:00–4:00 p.m.
Getty Center: Research Institute Lecture Hall and Museum galleries

Byzantium in Art and Music

Explore the art and culture of Byzantium in a daylong program inspired by the exhibition and LA Opera's production of Massenet's Thaïs, which is set during the Byzantine Empire. The program includes talks, tours of the exhibition, and musical performances by LA Opera artists. Program fee $60 (includes lunch). Complimentary parking.

Saturday, May 31, 2014; 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Getty Villa: Auditorium and Museum galleries

Studio Courses

Icon Painting Workshop

Discover the art of icon painting using modern methods and materials in this daylong painting workshop with contemporary iconographer Father Michael Courey. Participants learn to develop the figure and apply colors following Byzantine layering techniques developed in antiquity while using contemporary acrylic pigments. Each participant completes a small icon painting. Course fee $125 (includes lunch and materials). Open to 24 participants. Complimentary parking.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014; 10:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Getty Center: Museum Studios and galleries

Repeats Saturday, June 14, 2014; 10:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Getty Villa: Meeting Rooms and Museum galleries

Studio Workshop: Mosaics

Join Greek mosaics conservator George Karabalis for a one-day workshop on mosaic techniques from antiquity through the Byzantine era. Explore the history, evolution, and conservation of mosaics in a lecture and tour of the exhibition Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections. In the studio, learn traditional techniques of selecting and applying tesserae to create your own mosaic tile. Course fee $150 (materials and lunch included). Open to 20 participants. Complimentary parking.

Sunday, July 27, 2014; 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Getty Villa: Meeting Rooms and Museum galleries

Culinary Course

Culinary Workshop: A Taste of Byzantium

Discover the flavors that met at the opulent and spiritual crossroads of the Byzantine Empire, which bridged the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages. Join chef and art historian Robin Trento for a tour of the exhibition, then pick herbs in the Herb Garden. Participants use historic ingredients and recipes to prepare and enjoy a class meal. Course fee $85. Open to 20 participants. Complimentary parking.



Thursday, June 5, 2014; 10:30 a.m. –2:30 p.m.
Repeats Friday, June 6; Thursday, August 14; and Friday, August 15, 2014
Getty Villa: Meeting Rooms and Museum galleries

Demonstrations

Handling Session: Mosaics

How were mosaics created from pieces of stone and glass? Learn how these intricate architectural decorations were made in this multisensory handling session. Touch tools and materials used by ancient mosaicists, including tesserae, slaked lime, marble dust, and nippers. This is a free, drop-in program.

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Sundays and Thursdays, through August 31, 2014; 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Getty Villa: Museum, Floor 2, Reading Room

Artist at Work: Byzantine Chanting

Join chanters Father Konstantine Douvikas, Mario Lazaridis, and Dimitris Liogris for an intimate performance of sacred melodies from ancient and medieval Byzantium. In Byzantine chant, the human voice is regarded as a holy instrument, communicating with the divine through note and pitch. Learn how this form of early Christian music bridged ancient and medieval oral traditions, and continues to be performed today. This is a free, drop-in program.

Saturdays, April 26, June 21, and August 16 and 23, 2014; 11:30 a.m. and 2:30p.m.
Getty Villa: Inner Peristyle

Saturday, May 10, 2014; 11:30 a.m. and 2:30p.m.
Getty Center: Museum Entrance Hall

The Institute for Art and Olfaction: Scents of Byzantium

Which scents wafted through the air of Byzantium? Join Saskia Wilson-Brown of the Los Angeles-based Institute for Art and Olfaction for a historical introduction to perfumery from antiquity to today. Explore the materials used to create incense, fragrance waters, and perfume oils during the Byzantine era. Stay for a smelling session featuring myrrh, frankincense, narcissus, and other historic aromas.

Sunday, June 8, 2014
1:00–2:30 p.m. and 3:00–4:30 p.m.
Getty Villa: Outer Peristyle

Artist at Work: Painting Heaven and Earth

Byzantine artists created luminous icons and frescoes as well as richly embellished manuscripts. Join artist Sylvana Barrett for an in depth exploration into the materials and evolution of Byzantine painting. Watch a demonstration of the traditional water gilding and egg tempera painting techniques employed in painting an icon. This is a free, drop-in program.

Saturdays, July 5 and 12, 2014; 1:30–3:30 p.m.
Sundays, July 6 and 13, 2014; 1:30–3:30 p.m.
Getty Villa: Education Studio

Performance

Cappella Romana

Cappella Romana is the world's leading early music vocal ensemble for the broad exploration of music of the Eastern Orthodox traditions. Founder and artistic director Dr. Alexander Lingas (City University London) leads this international ensemble of Byzantine cantors including Stelios Kontakiotis, principal cantor (protopsaltis) of the Shrine to the Mother of God on Tinos, Greece. Tickets $20; $15 students/seniors.

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Saturday, May 17, 2014; 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 18, 2014; 3:00 p.m.
Getty Villa: Auditorium

Family Activity

Family Day

Immerse yourself in the soul and splendor of the mysterious Byzantine Empire through this interactive family day. Be enveloped in the sounds of another world, explore rich iconography through hands-on workshops, and see the treasures of a cultural millennium that continue to inspire people around the world.

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Saturday, May 3, 2014; 12:00–5:00 p.m.
Getty Villa

Talks

Curator's Gallery Talk

Mary Hart, associate curator of antiquities, leads a one-hour tour of the exhibition beginning with Byzantine art's Greco-Roman roots and focusing on the exhibition's exquisite loans. Sign-up begins 15 minutes before the talk at the Tour Meeting Place.

Thursdays, April 17; May 29; and June 5, 2014; 12; 3:00 p.m.
Getty Villa: Museum galleries

Point-of-View Talk: Byzantine Icons

Join contemporary iconographer Father Michael Courey for an exploration of the sacred icons in the exhibition. The discussion focuses on gold leaf application, techniques of layering painted color, and the theological significance of materials, colors, and images in the Byzantine iconographic tradition. This is a free program. Sign-up begins 15 minutes before the start of the program at the Tour Meeting Place.

Saturdays, May 17 and June 7, 2014; 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Getty Villa: Museum galleries

Multimedia Tour

A FREE multimedia tour of the exhibition is available on your smartphone online, on a downloadable app, and on GettyGuide® multimedia players available for pick up on the first floor of the Museum at the Getty Villa.

More Events

Additional events take place at the Getty Center which compliment the exhibition Heaven and Earth: Byzantine Illumination at the Cultural Crossroads.

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