Salisbury & District U3A Press Report
April 2008
The speaker at the April meeting was Dr David Parrott, who spoke about Winnaretta, the Princess de Scey Montbeliard de Polignac. Her name is colourful and exotic, and so, we learned, was her life. Born in New York to a wealthy American father (Isaac M Singer the sewing machine magnate) and French mother, she grew up in Paris where the family had moved to escape the Civil War. At the age of 22 she made a token marriage to Prince Louis de Scey Montbeliard, which was soon annulled, not surprising since she made no secret of her lesbian sexuality. But seven years later she married again, this time the Prince Edmond de Polignac, thirty years her senior. This proved to be a very happy partnership based on mutual affection and love of music and other arts – and mutual homosexuality - each tolerated the love affairs of the other, which on Winnaretta’s side were many. Among her lovers were musicians, artists and members of high society. The Prince and Princess established a salon in Paris, famed for its encouragement of avant garde music. The Prince died in 1901, but Winnaretta continued to support the arts. She commissioned much new music from, among others, Stravinsky, Poulenc and Kurt Weill. Her salons were frequented by famous writers and artists – among them Proust, Colette, Cocteau and Monet. Winnaretta also used her fortune in the service of the poor and needy. One of her projects funded mobile X-ray machines for Marie Curie to help wounded soldiers in World War 1. She didn’t spend on herself – she was noted for dressing down, shabbily even, and dinner guests would complain they were offered too little to eat or drink! At the outbreak of the Second World War she was visiting England and unable to return to Paris. She lived out her last days at West Tytherley in Hampshire and also spent time in Salisbury. She died in 1943 and was buried in the family mausoleum in Torquay (for her father had finally settled in Devon following the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War) alongside her husband and father. In this remarkable individualistic woman’s life we gained a lively insight into the early 20th century era in France and her extraordinary influence on French music. Yet, our speaker told us, she doesn’t rate a mention in Grove’s Dictionary of Music. Sad, said he. And he ended his talk with a recording of Faure’s Pavanne for a Dead Infanta, a work which the Princess had commissioned. |
| Secretary’s Notes for
April 2008 Local Make a note of the date for our Annual Lunch with entertainment – Wednesday 5th November. We plan to have a caterer and make a charge for the meal. The Tutor’s lunch will be on 28th May. Details from Chris Dickson. For the purposes of insurance, members are requested to show their membership card when making an outings booking. A list of members will be available, but showing your membership card will save time. Central I can start to take orders for 2009 U3A diaries. The price is £1.90 including postage. Please record your name on my list and I will order a batch. The AGM of the Third Age Trust will be held on 8th September 2008. There will be an extraordinary General Meeting of the Third Age Trust on 22nd May concerning the Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association. I have received more details relating to various seminars and summer schools etc. See the folder at the Monthly Meetings for more information. Lin Jonas at the Central Office would be pleased to receive details of U3A Interest Groups. |
| Details of future outings can be found under Outings News. |
