In this latest episode with Professor Blankinship, we discuss the rich tradition of Classical Arabic literature, its golden ages, and the quintessential role of translators in fostering new literary revivals. From Arabic poetry’s giants like al-Mutannabi to its free-thinkers like al-Ma’arri and the Andalusian Renaissance, we explore a wide variety of literary gems from a classical tradition spanning over 500 years.
Kevin Blankinship is a professor of Arabic at Brigham Young University. His essays and poetry have appeared in The Atlantic, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Times Literary Supplement, Gingerbread House, Blue Unicorn, Wine Cellar Press, and more. Follow him on Twitter @AmericanMaghreb.
Listen to an original choral setting of al-Ma’arri’s poetry, with libretto supplied by Professor Blankinship.
Dialogue with Dana Gioia: Being an Artist in a Confused Age
In this latest episode, we explore the question of being an artist in a confused age with critic, translator, former Poet Laureate of California and former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Dana Gioia. From Plato to pop songs, Greek theatre to Italian opera, and archaic magic to modern enchantment, we cover a wide range of subjects.
New Lyre Podcast #30: The Preservation of Fire
“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire”
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