MUSIC
Bryn Terfel showcased his new album ‘Bad Boys’ at the RFH. Part of me would have liked more opera arias and less numbers from musicals, and more of Bryn with less orchestral pieces, but in the end I was won over by the accessibility and populism he aims at and achieves and his rapport and warmth [...]
Archive for the ‘Art’ Category
The Rest of November (in the UK!)
Posted in Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Dance, Film, Opera, Photography, tagged Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Dance, Film, Opera, Photography on November 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Turin & Piedmont Wine Weekend
Posted in Architecture, Art, Design, Food & Wine, Travel, tagged Architecture, Art, Design, Food & Wine, Travel on November 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
This was the second Sideways wine weekend of 2009; this time to Piedmont, Italy – home of Barolo and Barbaresco – and I used the opportunity to tag on a couple of days in Turin, a new city for me.
It’s proximity to France, but perhaps more importantly it’s history as the home of the Dukes [...]
The Rest of October (in the UK!)
Posted in Art, Classical Music, Film, Opera, tagged Art, Classical Music, Film, Opera on October 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
OPERA
Another successful visit to Britain’s most accessible and best value opera company, Welsh National Opera, in Cardiff. Wozzeck was given a great production and was brilliantly sung, but the depressing tale and inaccessible music meant it didn’t really light my fire. La Traviata, however, was one of those evenings at the opera when it all [...]
The Rest of September
Posted in Architecture, Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Opera, tagged Architecture, Art, Classical Music, Comedy, Contemporary Music, Opera on September 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
COMEDY
Three nights after the Last Night of the Proms, the Last Night of the Poms was a huge disappointment – which surprised me as I had so enjoyed its first outing 27 years ago! After all too brief introductions, both Sir Les Patterson and Dame Edna Everage launch into musical pieces – in the former’s [...]
Edinburgh Festival Blog 2009
Posted in Art, Classical Music, Comedy, Contemporary Music, Opera, Theatre, Travel, World Music, tagged Art, Classical Music, Comedy, Contemporary Music, Opera, Theatre, Travel, World Music on August 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
FRIDAY
Well, it was a surreal start to the festival. I turned up at the appointed time at the Mercure Hotel for a ‘show’ by a Belgian company who had wowed last year. There were 4 others. We stood in a row, then a screen rose to reveal five others who proceeded to change places until they [...]
The Rest of August (in London)
Posted in Architecture, Art, Contemporary Music, Design, Film, Photography, tagged Architecture, Art, Contemporary Music, Design, Film, Photography on August 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
ART
A catch-up month!
Telling Tales is a small exhibition at the V&A where contemporary designers respond to three themes – forest glades, enchanted castles and heaven & hell – with narrative art / design works. It was quirky and intriguing, but I’m not sure I got the point! Radical Nature at the Barbican is an even [...]
The Rest of July
Posted in Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Film, Opera, Photography, tagged Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Film, Opera, Photography on July 31, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Opera
L’Amour de loin is a strange concoction by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho; a 12th century love story played out at a distance between France and Lybia. The music is hypnotic in a Debussy-like way and the staging by a Swiss Italian better known for circus spectacles by Cirque Eloize and Cirque du Soleil includes a [...]
Manchester International Festival blog
Posted in Architecture, Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Design, Film, Opera, Theatre, tagged Architecture, Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Design, Film, Opera, Theatre on July 13, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
This is only the second MIF. The first, two years ago (it’s biennial), had one big coup – Damon Albarn / Jamie Hewlett’s ‘opera’ Monkey. This one has lots!
My visit started with It Felt Like A Kiss, a site specific installation / film / journey from Punchdrunk. This is the fourth of their shows I’ve [...]
The Rest of June
Posted in Architecture, Art, Classical Music, Dance, Design, Film, Food & Wine, Opera, Photography, Theatre, tagged Architecture, Art, Classical Music, Dance, Design, Film, Food & Wine, Opera, Photography, Theatre on June 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
OPERA
At the Guildhall School of Music & Drama there was a pairing of Martinu and Rossini one-act comic operas. I love these Guildhall opera evenings – always value and often a treat. I wasn’t mad keen on the music of the Martinu though I liked the production and performances (particularly Nicky Spence). The Rossini, an [...]
The Rest of May
Posted in Art, Circus, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Dance, Design, Film, Food & Wine, Opera, Photography, tagged Art, Circus, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Dance, Film, Food & Wine, Opera, Photography on May 31, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
OPERA & CLASSICAL MUSIC
Handel’s Giustino, one of his 42 operas!, was given a very rare performance by Trinity College of Music in Wren’s wonderful Royal Naval College Chapel in Greenwich. The staging was a bit hit-and-miss but the singing was terrific. The venue has great acoustics and a wonderful atmosphere, but the pews proved a [...]
