News Release

The Johns Hopkins University Odyssey Spring 2003 program presents 65 courses that allow participants to dance into spring with Nijinsky and the Ballets Russes; experience the foreign cultures of Ireland, Prague, and St. Petersburg; travel back to the Renaissance in Florence and Rome, as well as the battles of the American Civil War; discover the mystery of time; or learn what animals teach us.

In an eight-part lecture series, "A Czech Journey: Prague and Beyond" participants discover the country's extraordinary inner life through the eyes of native artists, historians, musicians and authors, including Arnost Lustig. Sessions trace Czech art, architecture, film, music, and literature from the country's earliest beginnings to the vibrant nation of present day through slides, lectures, film, and photography. The final session features an evening at the Czech Embassy in Washington, D.C., and includes a reception and live arts performance.

The stories of the Emerald Isles come alive with an evening of Irish story telling, folklore, and poetry with Irish Seanachie (storyteller) Batt Burns. In the six-session "What Makes Irish Literature Irish?," participants trace the evolution of Irish writing from the early epic legend An Tain Bo Cuailgne to writers including Jonathan Swift, W.B. Yeats, Oscar Wilde and James Joyce. The course is led by Carmel McCaffrey, founder and editor of the journal "Wild About Wilde," author of the book In Search of Ancient Ireland, and chief historical consultant and script adviser for a PBS television series with the same title.

Odyssey presents several courses on Russian history and culture to coincide with Vivat St. Petersburg, the Baltimore-wide celebration on the Russian city's 300th Anniversary through several lecture series and courses including: "The Magic of the Ballets Russes," in cooperation with the Baltimore Museum of Art; "St. Petersburg: History and Culture;" and "Russian Symphonic Music."

Baltimore's own Frank Shivers, author of Maryland Wits and Baltimore Bards and Walking in Baltimore: An Intimate Guide to the Old Town by the Bay, will give two slide lectures on Federal Hill and then lead a walking tour through that historic district.

In the eight-session course, "What Animals Teach Us," experts offer insight into the ways animals teach us about our own anatomy, physiology and behavior. Authors, biologists, and conservationists share original research on a variety of animal species--the rhesus monkey, pandas, bats, golden lion tamarins, and our cherished house pets.

Presented in cooperation with the Space Telescope Science Institute, the eight-session course "Hubble's Expanding Universe" uncovers the universe through richly illustrated lectures on site at STSI. Scientists at STSI and the Johns Hopkins Department of Physics and Astronomy present their latest findings on a wide range of astronomical topics.

Sten Odenwald, astrophysicist with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and author of Patterns in the Void, explores what modern physics and astronomy contribute to the discussion of time in the six-session course, The Mystery of Time.

In the eight-part lecture series, "The Civil War: Seven Months in 1862," nationally known authors and historians will provide insight into the critical seven-month period of the Civil War, from the Peninsula Campaign to the battle at Antietam, the bloodiest day of the war.

The Johns Hopkins Odyssey program offers non-credit liberal arts courses for adults interested in expanding their understanding of a wide range of subjects--art, science, literature, politics, and popular culture, among others. Along with these and other special lecture series and courses, Odyssey offers programs in Environmental Studies, Aging, Foreign Languages, and Creative Writing as part of an extensive curriculum designed to provide professional development and personal enrichment. More than 120 courses and lecture series are offered annually.

Spring classes begin in March. For more information, call 410-516-4842 or visit www.odyssey.jhu.edu.