My review of this terrific Pappano/LSO concert is now published by @bachtrack.com . The was also a probing account of Britten's Violin Concerto by the superb Janine Jansen.

I, for one, am happy to take my health advice from a man who suggested that injecting bleach might fight off Covid.

DISNEY: "OK, we are putting Jimmy Kimmel back on the air. You can resubscribe now." ME: "I unsubscribed because you immorally bowed to fascism. I'm not going to resubscribe because you immorally bowed to finances."

Sarah Crompton's review of The Weir. What a play. Simply great. www.whatsonstage.com/news/the-wei...

To the @barbicancentre.bsky.social later for my 1st concert of the new season. Pappano + the @londonsymphony.bsky.social play Shostakovich 10 with Janine Jansen in Britten's VC. Two sublime 20th century works. I'm reviewing for @bachtrack.com

Corpse de ballet time again. It's 8 years since the Royal Opera last revived Les Vêpres siciliennes in Stefan Herheim's reinvention of a thunderous historical uprising as a backstage tiff. It holds together and looks spectacular, but do a little homework before you go. I'll be reviewing for Opera

A delightful lunchtime recital by Jeffery Wilson, my dear friend of 44 years standing, who is still a magician with a clarinet plus a few saxophones.

I do hope this transfers. My great friend Simon Thomas pens a vivid and irresistible review of Beckett's Endgame for Plays International. playsinternational.org.uk/endgame-usti...

This is the owner of X actively campaigning to take down the elected government of a country he is neither a resident nor a citizen of - and using threats of violence in the streets to further his aims www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

Interesting to see that the venal and corrupt #BBCNews is giving blanket coverage to the far right gathering in Central London when they always ignore mass protest marches as a matter of policy.

My friend @georgehallmusic.bsky.social is trying to locate a manuscript full score & orchestral parts of the cantata Once Upon a Time (Boosey & Co, 1903) by the composer Liza Lehmann having failed to locate them via Boosey & Hawkes, the British Library et al. If you have any ideas, do contact him.

Heading into town shortly. Tosca awaits. I've prepared my transport options and dusted off my hard hat. Reviewing for Opera magazine.

I inadvertently scrolled X instead of BlueYonder a few minutes ago. It was like sliding into a warm bath of sewage.

Another specially selected Wordle share for your delection. Please, no autographs. Wordle 1,543 2/6 ⬜🟩⬜🟨⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

This thread causes me much sadness and anger because every word of it is true. skywriter.blue/pages/did:pl...

this is exactly the problem. I’m over seventy and I remember my mother describing losing siblings to scarlet fever.

A bus shelter poster featuring Fartrage, close by the Birmingham NEC as Deform UK gathers for their two-day conference.

My 5 star review of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk is online at @bachtrack.com should you care to read it. bachtrack.com/review-opera...

My 5 star review of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk is online at @bachtrack.com should you care to read it. bachtrack.com/review-opera...

I saw this majestic play three times during its first West End run. If I described the plot it wouldn't mean much but I guarantee you'll be a swamp of emotions by the end. You don't see it coming, then wham! The best play written in my lifetime imho. #TheWeir

Prom night tonight and my hot date is Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. What could possibly go wrong? We were made for each other. I'll be writing about it for @bachtrack.com.

Numerous stories in the UK of racist attacks on nurses, taxi drivers and people’s homes. Is it any wonder when so much of the media, including mainstream have demonised migrant communities on a daily basis. What did they expect? And some have the audacity to run the racist attack stories too!

"Would Inspector Sands please go to the operations room immediately" playing in a loop at Stratford Station. We're all gonna die!!!!

On my way to the @arcolatheatre.bsky.social for my fourth (and alas final) visit to this year's Grimeborn Festival. Tonight: Don Giovanni! Reviewing them all for Opera mag.

The best writer about his craft that I know, with a voice to match. Paul Carey Jones @paulcareyjones.bsky.social on role debuts. #opera operascene.co.uk/interviews/l...

Same for Exeter, sadly. They are touring to Barnstaple - instead? 43 miles away in late November.

No UK opera company tours as widely as English Touring Opera. They are the lifeblood of the art form. I'm sad they appear to have dropped Snape Maltings from their stop-offs, though. Hope it's only temporary.

Reform UK, which has a grand total of four MPs, was just given an uninterrupted platform for an hour and a half on the BBC and Sky News channels, in order to talk about its plans for mass deportations When was the last time the Greens (with four MPs) or the Lib Dems (with 72) were given the same?

Time to walk under a ladder Wordle 1,528 2/6 ⬜🟨⬜🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Just spotted that BBC4 is repeating Ken Russell's Delius - A Song of Summer this evening, followed by a repeat of John Bridcut's 2012 documentary on the composer. Recorder set.

Far and away the best of Roger Corman's Poe adaptations.

#SkySports throwing their hands up in shock at alleged racist abuse at Anfield while #SkyNews platform the biggest racists in the country every single day would be hilarious if it wasn’t so grimly tragic. What could possibly explain this? Who knows eh.

Just the show for a chamber venue. I'm oddly excited about it...

Back to the @arcolatheatre.bsky.social today for the small matter of Tristan und Isolde. I'll be reviewing for Opera mag.

Sad to hear that Ray Brooks has died. He made a big impact on me 63 years ago in Some People - a 'young adult' film that he stole from under the nose of Kenneth More and sundry grown-ups. My first non-U cert. film (an A, now PG or 12A) so 9-year-old me hoped it would be Very Rude. It wasn't.

Wordle 1,513 2/6 ⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 What? Oh, this. Yes. Should have got it in one.

I frequently lose patience with Michael '4-day-tests' Vaughan's inanities but here he is 100% correct. Even a broken clock tells the right time twice a day. ‘I thought it was diabolical’ - Cricket News - The Indian Express share.google/pyKyOdEIbhKf...

Today & tomorrow I'll be at the Waterperry Opera Festival to see Semele and Don Giovanni. Always a highlight of summer, especially since they're shrewd enough to run the festival in the barren weeks of August. I wish more companies would follow their example. I'm reviewing both for Opera mag.

So relieved to hear Gordon Brown address the scourge of child poverty in his @itvnews.bsky.social interview tonight. At least there's one senior @teamlabouruk.bsky.social figure who doesn't revel in hating the young and scorning their poverty. It's a given that Starmer revels in both.

Singing as athletics: See how high I can belt! See how long I can hold this note!! Listen to my melismas!!! Meaning, anyone? I am not about to name names but musical theatre is awash with younger performers with heaps of talent but no taste.

I only have YouTube evidence, but the penchant among some American musical divas to over-milk their money notes strikes me as being less about the character's truth than willy waving. Adam Lambert gave good rock god vocals at the Hollywood Bowl but of Judas there was no trace.

Tonight I'll be at the @arcolatheatre.bsky.social for my second #Grimeborn opera of the year: the first staged production of Jane Eyre by the late John Joubert. I'm reviewing it for Opera mag.

My review for @bachtrack.com of a musically splendid KK at Glyndebourne. Oh, but...

If you have a spare tuppence to buy the September edition of Opera mag, there are six reviews by me inside plus endless delights by other hands. It's a bumper issue!

To celebrate 25 glorious years of working with our music director Sam Laugton, we’re singing Elgar’s devout, epic survey of life, death and the hereafter, The Dream of Gerontius in its 125th year! Saturday 4 October, 7.30pm www.sinfoniasmithsq.org.uk/event/the-dr...

My review for @bachtrack.com of a musically splendid KK at Glyndebourne. Oh, but...

Good morning! Today I'm heading back to Glyndebourne to see the revival of (choose your spelling) Katya Kabanova. Robin Ticciati conducts an eye-catching cast in Michieletto's staging. The redoubtable Nicky Spence returns, this time as Boris rather than Tichon. Reviewing for @bachtrack.com

Irrational terror... I don't know when I was last as shaken as today, when I stood on the glass floor at the top of Tower Bridge and looked down. Grandson #1 (aged 5¾) took it in his stride, as you can see.

Robert Wilson (1941–2025) The visionary director and visual artist, known for Einstein on the Beach and his radical approach to opera and theatre, has died at the age of 83. 🎭 Full story at moto-perpetuo.com/robert-wilso... #robertwilson #bobwilson

In music, my badge of honour is having been blocked by Lebrecht from accessing his blog. It means that whenever I click a link and Slipped Disc fails to let me in, I am reminded of the man's boorish character. Barely a day goes by without that merry chuckle.