Journalist, photographer and social commentator.
Verbier Festival visited 25-28 July, 2017 Verbier in the south-western Swiss Alps offers pretty awesome views. The village, which during the high season turns into a town, lies at about 1500 metres. But if it is truly spectacular panoramas you’re […]
Seen July 21, 2017 in Holland Park, London Leoš Janáček’s obsession with a woman almost 40 years his junior can seem very unattractive on paper. But Kamila Stösslová didn’t seem to care much one way or another. And Janáček’s (unrequited?) […]
Interview with Alisa Weilerstein at the Royal Albert Hall, London, July 2017 The American cellist Alisa Weilerstein could probably tour the world playing the cello concertos of Elgar, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich ad infinitum. You can still build a career […]
Jenůfa by Leoš Janáček, seen July 2017 Grange Park Opera, Theatre in the Woods at West Horsley Place. Janáček’s associated his opera Jenůfa with both the death of his young son Vladimir and the slow and tortuous illness that took […]
Il Turco in Italia, music: Gioachino Rossini libretto: Felice Romani, seen at Wormsley, Garsington Opera, 2 July 2017 It is the vitality of Il Turco in Italia’s overture, with its wonderful plaintive horn solo, that immediately sucks you into Rossini’s […]
Albert Herring, music: Benjamin Britten, libretto:Eric Crozier, seen at The Grange Festival , June 25 2017 Why did Benjamin Britten not write more comedy operas? On the evidence of this Grange Festival production he was clearly seriously good at being […]
TEFAF, 10-19 March, 2017, Maastricht Art fairs are essential for the dealers. This is where nowadays most of the networking with clients, colleagues and museum curators is done. It is also the best place for the art tourist with a […]
Benjamin Britten’s last opera, seen at Garsington Opera at Wormsley, 23 June 2015 Benjamin Britten composed Death in Venice, based on Thomas Mann’s much admired novella, knowing that he didn’t have long to live. He prioritised composing the opera over […]