Magna Carta Son et Lumière

For the first time, Guildhall Library and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama are staging a stunning light show, set to period music to bring the story of Magna Carta to life. To celebrate 800 years of law, liberty and freedom, Magna Carta Son et Lumière will light up Guildhall Yard in spectacular 3D fashion on 19th September 2015.

Using ancient documents from the City’s collections and original music compositions from the Guildhall School, the beautiful façade of Guildhall Great Hall will be illuminated using state of the art 3D projection mapping. This advanced video technology uses specialised software to transform irregularly shaped objects and surfaces into a living, moving display, to create a visually stimulating effect.

The City of London is the only place to be named in Magna Carta, thereby claiming a special relationship with one of the most celebrated documents in history. Items to be projected include a woodcut of King John’s sudden death in 1216 taken from Foxe’s Book of Martyrs (1563), representations of the sealing of the Charter and numerous illustrations of King John, including satirical and commemorative images.