Edinburgh Studio Opera: The Magic Flute. Mozart’s ever popular magical tale set in Persia is ‘a vibrant and colourful re-imagining of a classic’. The two-act opera follows Prince Tamino and bird catcher Papageno as they attempt to rescue the beautiful Princess Pamina; along the way Tamino and Papageno have many adventures, and discover that not all is what it seems ‘A light-hearted but profound examination of man’s search for love and his struggle to attain wisdom and virtue’. 7.30pm tonight and at the same time on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, Lauriston Hall, 28 Lauriston Street, Tollcross. Tickets cost £10/£6 and can be obtained via We Got Tickets here. For further information and ticketing enquiries, please contact esoproducer@gmail.com or call 07946 149968. Edinburgh Studio Opera was founded as Edinburgh University Opera Club in 1968. For some time it has been very successfully run by students, with professional directors and musical directors whenever possible: this production is directed by Lloyd Llewellyn Jones, Senior Lecturer in Ancient History at the University of Edinburgh, with musical direction by renowned conductor and cellist William Conway (Chamber Orchestra of Scotland) ‘an artistic director with an eye for intelligent programming and…a flair for the unpredictable’ (Financial Times), assisted by Peter Keenan.
Bookbug: songs and rhymes for young children and their parents/carers. 10.30am today and every Tuesday and Saturday, Corstorphine Library, 12 Kirk Loan. Free: all very welcome!
Silver Screen Club: if you are over 60 and join this club you can see any Silver Screen show (selected screenings every Tuesday) for £5, which includes a free tea or coffee. (Non-members can attend these shows but pay standard seat prices). Today: 1pm – Cake (15), 1.30pm – Selma (12A), 1.45pm – The Theory of Everything (12A), 3.30pm – The Imitation Game (12A), 4.15pm – Ex Machina (15) and 4.30pm – Ida (12A), Cameo, Home Street. Membership of this club is free – ask at the Box Office for details.
Baronscourt Park Public Meeting: a meeting to discuss the City Council’s plans for improving the park. 7pm, Northfield Willowbrae Community Centre, Byron Square. All welcome. Hosted by Northfield & Willowbrae Community Council.
Lunchtime Concert: John Kitchen and James Ritzema (harpsichords) play Giovani Gabrieli’s Canzon Sol Sol La Sol Fa Mi a 8, Aurelio Bonelli’s Toccata Athalanta a 8 and Soler’s Concierto 1 in C and Concierto 4 in F. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Free and open to all.
Scottish Poetry Library Workshop: Jennifer Williams, poet and SPL Programme Manager, facilitates this workshop in which you can read, discuss and write poems. Please bring paper and a pen/pencil or the electronic device you use for writing. 6.30-8.30pm, Golden Hare Books, St Stephen Street, Stockbridge (please note change of venue owing to building works at SPL). Tickets cost £5/£4 and can be booked via eventbrite here.
Edinburgh College of Art Online Information Session: MA/MFA Design Informatics. If you are interested in this course and you’d like to find out more about this postgraduate programme, join Professor Chris Speed (Programme Director) for a live chat, during which he will provide an overview of the programme and answer your questions. 12 noon-1pm: if you would like to take part click here for further details and registration.
Edinburgh City of Literature: Meet The Literary Salon. A networking event for anyone with a professional interest in literature – an opportunity to make important contacts, discuss literature in Edinburgh and make new friends. Each salon has a guest speaker. 6pm, The Wash Bar, North Bank Street. The Mound.
Filmosophy: a fourth season of original and thought-provoking films, this time focusing on the distinction between appearance and reality. Each film provides a unique perspective on this philosophical problem, using the notions of sight and blindness as powerful metaphors. Each screening will be preceded by a short introduction by James Mooney (University of Edinburgh) and followed by an opportunity to discuss the philosophical issues raised. Tonight: Pi (15). 6.15pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688. The next film in this series will be Proof (15), showing on 24th March 2015.
Wordy Scribblers: a new writing group for 10-12 year olds starts today! Each weekly session will include a fun creative activity and a little bit about writing stories and poems. 4-5pm today and every Tuesday until 31st March, Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road. To book your free place please contact the library.
Little Ducks Club: stories, singing, crafting and playing for children and parents/carers at this city centre toddler group. 10am, Undercroft Cafe, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13 George Street. For more information please contact Angela Grant, Child, Youth & Family Worker, on 07731 465 642. All welcome!
Blossoms: ‘a lighter take on psychedelia, one that’s steeped in classic British pop songwriting’ (NME). 7pm, Sneaky Pete’s, Cowgate. Strictly for over-18s: no refunds will be given for tickets bought for under-18s. Tickets cost £8/£7 and can be booked online here (transaction fee applies).
The Tees Shop: transform your old T-shirt into something awesome! Awesome Folk and The Green Team present their first creative reuse workshop. Bring your T-shirt, get crafty and enjoy a cuppa and quality chat. 8-9pm, Studio 1.22, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Please contact Jaimie Macdonald (studio G9) on 07739 814766, Lorna Brown (studio 1.22) on 07775 622 756 or Kate Burwell (studio 1.22) on 07717 330 338 to indicate your intention to attend, as places are limited. £2.50 for St Margaret’s House residents, £5 all others.
A Delicate Wildness: The Lives & Loves of David Thomson. In A Delicate Wildness, Julian Vignoles explores the contribution – and the soul – of writer and radio documentary producer David Thomson, a relatively unsung but uniquely talented man. Thomson had an impish grin, was wary of the literati and drank with the London homeless. Seamus Heany described him as having ‘a delicate wildness’. 6pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but please book online here or by calling the library on 0131 623 3734.
LGBT Art Therapy: Body Mapping. Facilitated by art therapists, an opportunity to play with art materials to create visual representations that connect to bodily feelings or emotions. No experience or skill in art needed. 6.30-8.30pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing Centre, 9 Howe Street. Booking is essential as places are limited. For more information and to book contact Alison Wren on 0131 652 3283 or email alison@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Oasis Edinburgh: Beyond the Work/Life Balance Myth – ‘from living on a seesaw to making your own pizza’. Grant MacLaughlan, Workplace Chaplaincy Scotland, presents this free lunchtime CPD talk, in which he will suggest that we are perhaps addressing this topic from the wrong starting point. 12.30 for 12.45pm, ends 1.30pm, Anderson Strathern LLP, 1 Rutland Court. Tea, coffee and sandwiches will be provided. Advance registration required: please email janicetodd@oasisedinburgh.com. Oasis is a non-profit organisation offering help and support to all working locally, and exploring connections between business and spirituality: it is sponsored by Edinburgh City Centre Churches TOGETHER.
Talking Heids: spoken word socialites Talking Heids return for a special, one-off, LGBT History month poetry and spoken word extravaganza, which will include an open mic section for budding bards! Hosted by ‘the inimitable and indefatigable McGuire’. 7.30-10pm, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street. Read The Edinburgh Reporter’s round-up of LGBT History Month here.
Non-Aligned Architecture: China’s Designs on and in Guinea and Ghana 1955-92. Led by Dr Cole Roskam, University of Hong Kong, as part of the Architectural History/Theory Seminar Series. 5.15-6.30pm, Common Room, Minto House, 20-22 Chambers Street. Free and open to all.
I Love Hip Hop: Pete Rock – making his Edinburgh debut as part of a UK tour, with support from Richard Ruftone and Nasty P. 11pm-3am, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. £8. The Bongo Club is a nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue, ‘putting the sounds of the underground and imaginative aspirations before the mighty dollar’.
Play Talk Read! The Play Talk Read bus is coming to Gate 55 today! For pre-school children and their parents/carers. Hop on board to read stories, sing songs, play games and have fun. It’s free! 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, Gate 55, 55 Sighthill Road. The bus will be in the big car park at the rear of the building.
Barocco Open Studio: Barocco is a Tribal Fusion Belly Dance performance troupe. All dancers, old and new, and anyone who wants to find out more or just say hello is welcome: please bring a small item of food (fruit, nuts, etc) to share. Anyone who would like to share a song or dance is encouraged to do so! Please note this event is for women only. 6.30pm, Forest Centre Plus, Castle Terrace.
