Season 1

1. The City as Architecture

2009-08-26

The biographer explores Venice, following in the footsteps of renowned English writer John Ruskin, and discovering the unique history of Isola di San Michele.

2. The City as Art

2009-08-26

Peter Ackroyd explores the work of the 18th-century `vedute' artists, including Guardi and Canaletto, who created the most recognisable views of Venice.

3. The City as Music

2009-08-26

Peter Ackroyd tells the story of Venetian music, from the songs of women on the seashore, to the sacred music of Antonio Vivaldi.

4. The City as Theatre

2009-08-26

The author explores the history of theatre, parades and carnivals in the city, discovering the controversy behind the rebuilding of its opera house La Fenice.