Department of Italian
DESIRING DIVAS: THE DIVA IN MODERN ITALIAN CULTURE
Thursday September 22nd and Friday September 23rd 2011
Downing College, Cambridge
The Italian Department of the University of Cambridge and the Society of Italian Studies are very happy to announce that a conference entitled Desiring Divas: The Diva in Modern Italian Culture will take place at Downing College on September 22nd and 23rd 2011. The two-day conference will explore and attempt to account for the 'mythification' of performing female artists as a phenomenon of modernity in Italy, and will investigate the historical, cultural, regional, geo-political and social contexts in which the Italian diva has gained notoriety. Areas which will be addressed include: Hollywood divas; the female singer as diva; the diva's production, consumption and reception in local, regional, national and international contexts; drawing-room and concert hall divas; child divas; diva fandom; male divas; diva rivalry and solidarity; TV and internet divas; divas in literature, opera and theatre. Film screenings, generously sponsored by the 'Association for the Study of Modern Italy', of Febo Mari's Cenere and Peter Delpeut's Diva Dolorosa will be shown at the Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge, under the auspices of the Cambridge Film Festival 2011, during the course of the event.
The keynote speakers are:
Dr Susan Rutherford (University of Manchester)
Professor Lucia Re (University of California Los Angeles)
Professor Mary Wood (Birkbeck College, University of London)
If you would like to download a copy of the conference poster please click on this link.
REGISTRATION DETAILS
If you would like to register online for this event and pay the conference fee of £75 (£65 for student delegates) by credit card please go to this link: Diva conference registration. For those who prefer to register on paper and pay by cheque (made payable to 'University of Cambridge'), please download a registration form. All registrations, together with the conference fee, must be received by September 20th. It will not be possible to accept late registrations.
CONFERENCE VENUE
The conference will be held in the West Range of Downing College, Cambridge. The conference rooms are located on E staircase. You can find a plan of the College here. For directions on how to get to Downing, please go to Getting to Downing.
PROGRAMME
Please click on this link to download the conference programme.
Important message: We have managed to arrange a drinks reception and silver service dinner at Downing College on Thursday September 22nd, starting at 7pm. The price is £30 all inclusive, payable in cash on the day. We have to give final numbers to the College very shortly, so if you would like to attend please email Kate Mitchell or Nan Taplin by Wednesday evening, September 14th. Please note that the numbers can not be changed once they have been finalised.
ACCOMMODATION
For information about various accommodation possibilities (all price ranges), you may find the following sites useful:
- For rooms in one of Cambridge's many colleges, go to this page.
- For the University's accommodation page (B & B's, hotels), go to this page.
TRAVELLING TO CAMBRIDGE
Cambridge is readily accessible from various locations. The nearest airport is Stansted, and direct trains from Stansted Airport to Cambridge leave hourly. Trains from London terminals (Kings Cross, Liverpool Street) are even more frequent than that.
Getting to Cambridge from different airports
GATWICK
Direct bus
- National Express coach (i.e. bus), directly from Gatwick Airport to Cambridge (Parkside, Parker's Piece). Coaches leave hourly. Allow up to 3 hours 30 mins for the journey. Online timetable and fare calculator: www.nationalexpress.com. Pre-booking is possible on the website, but tickets can also be bought at Gatwick (at National Express office, or from the bus driver). More information: www.nationalexpress.com/Airport/gatwick.cfm
Train + metro + train:
- A fast train service (Gatwick Express) from Gatwick Airport to London's Victoria railway station. Journey time up to 30 mins. More information: www.gatwickexpress.com
- From London Victoria, take the underground/metro (Victoria line) to King's Cross St. Pancras. More information and map: www.tfl.gov.uk/tube
- From King's Cross railway station, take a direct train to Cambridge. Journey time: from 50 mins to 1 hour 40 mins, depending on whether the train is a King's Cross to Cambridge express or a stopping train.
- Note also that you can buy one Gatwick - Cambridge ticket at Gatwick Airport, instead of getting separate tickets for each leg of the journey. Online timetable and fare calculator: www.nationalrail.co.uk
Train + short walk + train:
- First Capital Connect train service from Gatwick Airport to London's St. Pancras railway station. Trains leave roughly every 15 mins. Journey time up to 1 hour. More information: www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk, or www.nationalrail.co.uk (select destination: 'London St. Pancras Domestic', and click on 'only show direct trains').
- Walk from London St. Pancras railway station to London King's Cross railway station (across the street).
- From King's Cross railway station, take a direct train to Cambridge. Journey time: from 50 mins to 1 hour 40 mins, depending on whether the train is a King's Cross to Cambridge express or a stopping train.
- Note also that you can buy one Gatwick - Cambridge ticket at Gatwick Airport, instead of getting separate tickets for each leg of the journey. Online timetable and fare calculator: www.nationalrail.co.uk
Train + bus:
- A fast train service (Gatwick Express) from Gatwick Airport to London's Victoria railway station. Journey time up to 30 minutes. More information: www.gatwickexpress.com.
- National Express coach (i.e. bus) from Victoria coach station, which is within short walking distance of Victoria railway station, to Cambridge (Parkside, Parker's Piece). Journey time about 2 hours in off-peak hours, longer in peak time. Prices vary. National Express may have special offers on this route. Online timetable and fare calculator: www.nationalexpress.com.
HEATHROW
Direct bus
- National Express coach (i.e. bus), directly from Heathrow Airport to Cambridge (Parkside, Parker's Piece). Coaches leave hourly. Allow up to 3 hours for the journey. Online timetable and fare calculator: www.nationalexpress.com. Pre-booking is possible on the website, but tickets can also be bought at Heathrow (at National Express office, or from the bus driver). More information, including where to find National Express at the different Heathrow terminals: www.nationalexpress.com/Airport/heathrow.cfm
Metro + train:
- Take the underground/metro (Piccadilly line) from Heathrow Airport to King's Cross St. Pancras. Journey time: about 1 hour / 1 hour and 15 minutes. More information and map: www.tfl.gov.uk/tube
- From King's Cross railway station, take a direct train to Cambridge. Journey time: from 50 mins to 1 hour 40 mins, depending on whether the train is a King's Cross to Cambridge express or a stopping train.
- Note also that you can buy one Heathrow - Cambridge ticket at Heathrow Airport, instead of getting separate tickets for each leg of the journey. Online timetable and fare calculator: www.nationalrail.co.uk
Train + metro + train:
- A fast train service (Heathrow Express) from Heathrow Airport to London Paddington railway station. Journey time: around 15-20 minutes. More information: www.heathrowexpress.com
- From London Paddington, take the underground/metro (Hammersmith & City line) to King's Cross St. Pancras. More information and map: www.tfl.gov.uk/tube
- From King's Cross railway station, take a direct train to Cambridge. Journey time: from 50 mins to 1 hour 40 mins, depending on whether the train is a King's Cross to Cambridge express or a stopping train.
- Note also that you can buy one Heathrow - Cambridge ticket at Heathrow Airport, instead of getting separate tickets for each leg of the journey. Online timetable and fare calculator: www.nationalrail.co.uk
STANSTED
Direct train
- Stansted Airport railway station is part of the terminal. Journey time: about 30 minutes. (Note that there are also indirect trains, involving a change at Bishop's Stortford and a longer journey time.) Online timetable and fare calculator: www.nationalrail.co.uk
Direct bus
- National Express coach (i.e. bus), directly from Stansted Airport to Cambridge (Parkside, Parker's Piece). Coaches leave hourly. Journey time: up to 1 hour. Online timetable and fare calculator: www.nationalexpress.com. Pre-booking is possible on the website, but tickets can also be bought at Stansted (at National Express office, or from the bus driver). More information: www.nationalexpress.com/Airport/stansted.cfm
LUTON
Direct bus
- National Express coach (i.e. bus), from Luton Airport to Cambridge (Parkside, Parker's Piece). Coaches leave approximately every two hours. Journey time: about 1 hour 30 mins. (Note that some very early or very late coaches may go via Stansted Airport, which takes longer). Online timetable and fare calculator: www.nationalexpress.com. Pre-booking is possible on the website, but tickets can also be bought at Luton (at National Express office, or from the bus driver). More information: www.nationalexpress.com/Airport/luton.cfm
LONDON CITY
Light railway + metro + train:
- London City Airport is located very close to the centre of London and served by the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) connected to the airport terminal. Although you need to change from the DLR to the underground/metro at Bank station, you can get one London transport ticket for this journey. Take the DLR to Bank station.
- Then take the underground/metro (Northern line) to King's Cross St. Pancras. More information and map:www.tfl.gov.uk/tube. More information on connections with the London City Airport: www.londoncityairport.com/ToAndFrom/Default.aspx
- From King's Cross railway station, take a direct train to Cambridge. Journey time: from 50 mins to 1 hour 40 mins, depending on whether the train is a King's Cross to Cambridge express or a stopping train. Online timetable and fare calculator: www.nationalrail.co.uk
Desiring Divas Organising Committee
Kate Mitchell (University of Strathclyde, formerly University of Cambridge)
Catherine O'Rawe (University of Bristol)
Conference Sponsors
The Department of Italian, University of Cambridge
The Society for Italian Studies
The Association for the Study of Modern Italy
The University of Strathclyde
Cambridge Film Festival
