[ilds] OMG XV

[John Kvammen]

 Hello and thank you James for your account of OMG XV.  It was nice to see old friends from Corfu and meet new friends in Paris.  I am in Cairo and will be going to Alexandria in a few days with plans to visit Durrell sights.  I have misplaced my notes and hope the group can help me with the location of Darly's tower (the Villa Ambrose I think).  Thanks, John Kvammen> Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 10:31:29 -0600> From: odos.fanourios at gmail.com> To: ilds at lists.uvic.ca> Subject: [ilds] OMG XV> > Hello all,> > > An account or six of OMG 2008 would be > > wonderful for those of us who were> > unable to go.> > I can only offer one perspective on OMG XV in Paris, so I'd like to see > others! I also had a more sedate time since I chose to stay in > Nanterre, nor do I have any significant photos from within the > conference that I can share, but I know others do. Perhaps someone with > a more adventurous spirit (or set of forced circumstances) can share a > more exciting rendition of events...> > The conference began with a lovely reception at the home of Corinne > Alexandre-Garner. Corinne is a gracious host, and it was a great chance > to meet everyone and to have a quick chat before the academic talk got > underway. Ian MacNiven was there after an absence in 2006, as were many > long-time Durrellians, and it was good to see so many familiar faces.> > The conference itself took place on the campus of the Université de > Paris X in Nanterre, which despite its penchant for self-criticism, I > think is a lovely and convenient location. It made history in 1968, and > its past faculty list is a vertiable "who's who" of the French > intelligentsia. The peacocks were chiming in from time to time at the > South of the campus, and the location was delightful in the beautiful > conference salon.> > Naturally, on the first morning, the RER went on strike... Innovation > and improvisation developed rapidly, and while Fiction didn't rush to > the aid of Reality prime, we did at least have cab drivers and the train > system above ground. This was my most confusing morning, since I > foolishly adhered to my taboo against staying further than walking > distance -- I woke, had coffee, established proof positive that French > are fully capable of baking sad pastries from time to time, and then > strolled for 30 minutes along the Seine until I arrived at the > Université -- and an empty conference hall...> > The recovery was quick, and after a few programme shuffles, things were > underway with some very fine papers. During the whole of the > conference, the level of discussion and degree of engagement was > stunning. I had (boastfully) thought Victoria developed a new level of > discussion, and I was extremely happy to see the Parisians proving me > wrong. My personal highlights included some strong discussions of > Auden's and Durrell's poetry (though a piece still needs to be written > on their mutual interest in Groddeck); Seferis and /Bitter Lemons/; a > moving poetry reading by H.R. Stoneback; a great panel on the Villa > Seurat; another on the Quintet with several very new ideas; and a > beautiful bilingual production of "Sappho."> > Another strong feature of the conference was the presentation of the > British Library and the Bibliothèque Lawrence Durrell, which described > the nature of the works and their history, as held in Nanterre and > London. Several presentations during the conference (I think in > particular of the Quintet and Caesar's Vast Ghost) benefited from the > potential to continue discussions over the mss. of these works held only > a 5 minute walk away!> > We had several special events during the conference as well, all > graciously organized by Corinne, Isabelle Keller, Murielle Phillips, and > V. Maylin. These special events included not only the production of > Sappho, but also a musical concert "Swing Between the Lines" by Cristina > Delume and Beranrd Wystraete, a guided tour of Paris of the 1930s, > Frédéric-Jacques Temple's film on Lawrence Durrell from just after his > move to France, a beautiful lunch at La Procope on the 4th of July, and > (I was sad to miss this) a farewell dinner cruise on the Seine.> > Personally, my finest memories of the conference (apart from the > excellent presentations and discussions) centre around Shakespeare and > Company and delightful lunch-time conversations with friends and colleagues.> > The organizers, I say "Brava!" 2010 will have much work to do for our > next French excursion to New Orleans, which I am already anticipating.> > Best,> James> _______________________________________________> ILDS mailing list> ILDS at lists.uvic.ca> https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/ilds
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