Lord Byron's Burial

It seems fitting to end this bicentenary year with a commemoration of Byron's burial, and we have therefore organised a special performance of a narrative poem, Lord Byron's Burial to conclude our celebrations of Byron's life and works.

This narrative poem was first performed in the Attenborough Theatre at the University of Leicester in 2013. In 2016 it formed the opening ceremony to the 16th International Byron Conference in Gdansk in their Shakespeare Theatre with four eurythmic dancers, a mezzo-soprano singing Byron poems set to music, and a keyboard musician. The text is illustrated by Mary Kuper and the pamphlet has been acquired by the V&A for its International Collection, Text with Illustrations. This narrative follows the Duke of Rutland’s announcement of Lord Byron’s death; Hobhouse and the funeral; and from the lying ‘in state’ at Great George Street, a variety of individuals form their opinions on the journey north: John Clare, George Borrow, Mary Shelley, Samuel Coleridge, Lady Caroline Lamb and finally the citizens of Nottingham accompany Byron on his last journey to Hucknall Torkard. Illustrations will be screened during the reading and there will be an original cello score accompaniment by Philippa Jennings.

Host or Publisher The Byron Society