Thanks to the team and excellent students at Accademia Teatro alla Scala for two days of fundraising sessions in Milan always a joy and a pleasure to talk #fundraising and share experiences! All best for the rest of the course and see you next year!

I’ve been a great admirer of opera director David McVicar for quite some time - his Gotterdamerung at Teatro alla Scala last night continues that admiration an incredibly powerful and moving production that evokes myth and ritual in a really intriguing wayAmazing way to end my teaching gig in #Milan

Definitely in my happy place! At La Scala for David McVicar’s production of #Wagner’s Gotterdamerung in the Central Box! Let the Wagner Himmel begin! #wagner #opera #lascala

The latest issue of our magazine Amon Hen is landing with members! With beautiful art - such as this cover piece by Peter Xavier Price - news, articles, reviews and more, Amon Hen is a must for any #Tolkien fan. Members get 6 Amon Hen a year. Sign up as a member at www.tolkiensociety.org/join

Day One of #Fundraising teaching at the Academy La Scala in #Milan completed - time for some pasta!

We'll be talking about the Lupercalia (thanks for this 👇👇Sarah) on the next episode of Instant Classics, out on Tuesday: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i...

Great to be back in #Milan. Multi bravi to the Teatro alla Scala Museum for a brilliant exhibition The Revolution of the Ring good prep for Tuesday nights Gotterdamerung at La Scala - oh and I did manage to work in a bit of the Olympics #opera

Dame Vera Lynn’s ‘vast wartime archive’ joins Imperial War Museum collection The Second World War trove includes more than 600 fan letters as well as the late singer’s personal diary from her 1944 tour of India.

scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftol... my review of Michael D. C. Drout’s The Ruin and the Tower ( Norton) for the Journal of Tolkien Research

Another edition of the Roving Ranger has just been sent to its subscribers. Including: German TS fighting the New Right; Oxonmoot open; Lure happening; Forodrim 54; A Light in the Darkness; a tide of ill; Tolkien doesn't like the plate; his macaroni; and more... steady.page/en/thetolkie...

Truly amazing stuff from @alas-not-me.bsky.social, @miriamellis.bsky.social, @dimitrafimi.bsky.social, @ashiggins.bsky.social, @germantolksoc.bsky.social, @tolkiensociety.org, @forodrim.org, @mmorpg.com, @bretdevereaux.bsky.social etc. etc. 👍👏

open.substack.com/pub/drandrew... #conlangs #tolkien #medieval

FIRST LOOK at HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES at Stratford East 📷 Running until SAT 28 FEB 2026, this UK Premiere of the award winning play is based on a real story of historical photographs—what they reveal about the perpetrators of the Holocaust, and our own humanity. 🎟️ bit.ly/SE_HTAB 📷 Mark Senior

incredible play at @stratfordeast.com #HereThereAreBlueberries about the Hocker Album of photos of Nazi’s taken at #Auschwitz as someone who works in #museums this is an important story to tell about items in collections and what photos show and don’t show must see. stratfordeast.com/whats-on/all...

‘The play we need now’ — how images of Auschwitz staff at leisure became Here There Are Blueberries www.ft.com/content/5caf...

Extraordinary play, about photographs and how they change the perspective of history. Here There Are Blueberries @stratfordeast.com - that photo? Taken at Auschwitz. Go see this play! @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social @davidpattie.bsky.social @csvich.bsky.social

Join an international Fellowship by becoming a member of the Tolkien Society! Members get 6 editions of our magazine Amon Hen per year, with the next edition due later this month. We have online and digital options, and we ship worldwide. Join now at www.tolkiensociety.org/join! #Tolkien #BookSky

On 5 February 1968: BBC began filming for the "Tolkien in Oxford" documentary, later broadcast in March. In this clip, he talks about his invented languages, writing Tengwar (with mistakes!), and others enjoying the languages. #Tolkien #lotr #BookSky

Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again. #Pinks #ProudBlue

Excited to be returning in May to give a paper at the #Tolkien at #Kalamazoo sessions at The 61st Congress of Medieval Studies #kzoo2026

Another edition of the Roving Ranger has just been sent to its subscribers. Including: Oxford Handbook of Tolkien; LotR comparison 5; Radio Rivendell; Tolkien's Dragons and Ours; and way more... steady.page/en/thetolkie...

A journey that began with one hobbit dreaming of an adventure has now grown into a Fellowship of 10,000 editors. A huge thank you to all our dedicated volunteers!

Bravo to Sir #BrynTerfel and the entire cast, chorus and orchestra of @royaloperahouse.bsky.social in Richard Jones production of #BorisGodunov - Sir Bryn is a legend and masterful as the troubled Boris. ROH Chorus is incredibly powerful and those bells! Fantastic #opera

What does it take to complete a Mahler cycle? Vladimir Jurowski has the answer ft.trib.al/mJLbJmr

Another edition of the Roving Ranger has just been sent to its subscribers. Including: Kullervo in cinemas; Balrog Beatdown; Tolkien Tapestries Return; Leadership in Middle-earth (i.e. in Zurich!); Tolkien Day Ball; nominations for TSA open: music for a sorrowless forest; Grendel/ond; & much more!

On instant classics we’re starting a four part moni series on Helen of Troy”villain, victim and double agent” (yes double agent) podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i...

In Berlin, the Hamburger Bahnhof plans a starry art gala — with a twist ft.trib.al/qp7bg3S

Did you know that #Tolkien was an internationally-recognised scholar of Old English? One such example of his work was published in "Finn and Hengest" on 20 January 1983. It shows #Tolkien's handling of the two Old English poems: (part of) Beowulf and The Fights at Finnesburg. #BookSky

Margam park Roman villa find could be 'Port Talbot's Pompeii' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

First #book of 2026 finished and it is a good one! #oldenglish #northumbria #history #maxadams www.goodreads.com/book/show/23...

The #Tolkien Family Album was published 34 years ago this week. Here are a few gems from this rare book: dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/a-few-gems... Included are some thoughts about the early years of the @tolkiensociety.org and an absent friend…

A nice find this week in a used book shop in #York! #Tolkien mention around his 1936 Beowulf the Monsters and the Critics Lecture. Tolkien knew and corresponded with Professor Gwyn Jones who was Professor of Language and Literature at the University of Cardiff www.tolkienguide.com/guide/letter...

Great trip today to @jorvikviking.bsky.social Centre in #York which recreates the 10th Century #Viking village in the Coppergate Part of York brilliant reconstruction with some great items from the excavations there in the 1980’s. #jorvik

#TolkienTrewsday #TolkienTuesday #Tolkien Él elmendo mornies, Él mimírim’ alkares, Elye lenna men númenna Silmenen ilvanies.

Another edition of the Roving Ranger has just been sent to its subscribers (#1 for 2026; the Epiphany Edition!) Including: Grocery Boy in The Hobbit; accessible Hobbit; Tolkien & Austen; Hunt for Gollum facts; thermal insulation of hobbit holes; hobbit pinball; books & games and more...

Was fun to return to YorkMinster today and see its brilliant stained glass windows and there was an interesting exhibition about Saint Cuthbert whose life by Bede I am in the middle of reading in Old English. Tomorrow more Vikings! #york

Great visit today to the @YorkshireMuseum to see the new #Viking North exhibition which includes items from the Great Army (Micel Here) #yorkshiremuseum #york

It's coming! After years of hard work by @radulescur.bsky.social and Andrew Lynch, as well as a great number of Arthurianists from around the world, The Cambridge History of Arthurian Literature and Culture is here! 🏰 www.cambridge.org/fr/universit...

John R R Tolkien was born on this day in 1892. Tolkien, the author of 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings', was a student and eventually a professor at University of Oxford. Back in 1977, the Ashmolean hosted an exhibition of his drawings.

#OTD J.R.R. Tolkien, born 1892, 134 years ago. The philologist, writer, poet, and artist was born in Bloemfontein (today Republic of South Africa), son to Mabel & Arthur Tolkien.

Tomorrow is J.R.R. #Tolkien's 134th birthday! As Frodo did for Bilbo, the Tolkien Society continues to celebrate Tolkien's birthday in his absence with our #TolkienBirthdayToast. Our tradition: at 9pm your time raise a glass and toast "The Professor!" www.tolkiensociety.org/events/tolki...

Don't forget - if you're new to Bluesky or you want to welcome lovely people in the new year... Simply check out the amazing starter packs out there... Like this one 🎁🙏 #Tolkien go.bsky.app/RQdWq5f

www.goodreads.com/review/show/... #kingarthur #uppsalabooks

Here is an Xmas day episode of Instant Classics. We take a long hard look at Roman gifts and question tne direct link between Saturnalia & Xmas podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i...

Really enjoyed this great telling of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis by Steffan Rhodri who brought the story to life with his excellent reading and voices. #cslewis #narnia #bbc www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Looking for a #Tolkien gift for you or a loved one for Christmas? Tolkien Society membership might be just the thing! Members support our mission to educate the world on Tolkien, and get our publications Amon Hen and Mallorn. Buy gift membership at www.tolkiensociety.org/gift

Brilliant performance of Handel’s Ariodante last night at @royaloperahouse.bsky.social with excellent cast including mezzo Grace Durham who replaced Emily D’Angelo and brought down the house with her moving Scherza Infidia. #opera #Handel #Roh

Stories of #WW2 airmen told in new Duxford museum galleries. ▶️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Another edition of the Roving Ranger has just been sent to its subscribers. Including: Visit John Howe; PPP Moot; bomber crashs and Tolkien; Tower & the Ruin; walk down into Hobbiton; the road goes ever on; Immeasurable Halls; Tower & Ruins; NZ prime minister wanted to be hobbit and more...

What made the Romans crack up??? podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i...