On Thursday, we’re having one of our regular singles get-togethers at the Jewish Museum. The Museum has been getting a bit of press lately for their recently opened Sarah Bernhardt exhibit.

The French actress was one of the greatest stars of her age, with a 60-year career that spanned two centuries. She also took to posing for photographs in coffins, traded letters with Emile Zola, was featured in Edison’s earliest phonograph recordings and counted the Prince of Wales and Victor Hugo among her lovers. For more, check out the Newsday review.

Interesting first-date talk at the very least. 

Courtesy of the bibliophiles over at Powell’s City of Books, we just came across this excellent interview with Dava Sobel. The former Newsweek science writer is the author of the extremely readable Longitude and Galileo’s Daughter, both of which brought her more than her share of accolades. In the Powell’s interview, she talks about her new book, The Planets, Galileo’s interest in astrology and astronomer Johannes Kepler’s sideline in music:

In 1599 Kepler derived a C major chord by equating the relative velocities of the planets with the intervals playable on a stringed instrument.

We’ll have her over on Tuesday for a night of witty science stories. Stop by.

Never say the 92nd Street Y doesn’t offer diverse classes. This February we’ll be offering a 12-session class on the works of Elvis Costello. Teaching it will be music writer Daniel Felsenfeld, who is also teaching a number of other music appreciation courses here.

In his career, Elvis has gone from Ian Dury/Nick Lowe-inspired new wave to country to classical music and back again. Then there was the infamous Saturday Night Live appearance.

And as these things turn out, Felsenfeld has a blog, too: Felsenmusick.