Vadim Gluzman, the Israeli virtuoso violinist, recently visited Poole for two performances of Glazunov’s Violin Concerto with Kirill Karabits conducting the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Between concerts he met Paul Jordan, the FTR’s Classical Music reviewer. VADIM Gluzman is firmly up there amongst the elite group of international violinists. Now in his early forties, he is in…
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, leader Amyn Merchant Kirill Karabits: Conductor Vadim Gluzman: Violin RAVEL: Mother Goose Suite GLAZUNOV: Violin Concerto PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 4 (1947 version) FINDING the correct balance between the safe crowd-pleasers and the less well-known and unjustly neglected parts of the classical repertoire must be a constant headache for the BSO’s management. In…
IT is just over six weeks to Christmas (scary thought) so it’s time to start gathering some inspiring but affordable presents. Delicious and attractive, a new range of pestos from Pink’s could be the ideal thing for foodie friends. The range includes Watercress and Wasabi, Smoked Tomato, Rocket and Lemon (delicious with grilled chicken or…
LIKE a slightly drunk man trying to retain his dignity, Antony Sher’s rambunctious Falstaff carefully enunciates each word, bringing Shakespeare’s larger-than-life “fat knight” to even more vibrant life. His performance is the centrepiece in Greg Doran’s touring Royal Shakespeare Company production of the Henry IV plays, on stage at Bath Theatre Royal to 8th November,…
THE singer and songwriter Ben Glover, who has been opening for Mary Gauthier on her 2014 UK tour, moved from his native Ireland to Nashville, home of a thousand songs. He was brought up on the staple diet of Irish traditional music in his home village of Glenarm, but his parents also loved American country….
BRADFORD Players have had their share of tribulations in the last few years, so it was good to see them back in action and restored to something like their best form at their recent double-bill at the Village Hall. The pair of fairly gentle but lively comedies were sensibly chosen with a view to the…
THE Cool Web, created to commemorate the centenary of the Great War, had its triumphant premiere on Thursday 30th October, when baritone Edward Grint was joined by the Philharmonia Voices, the Melody Makers of Bath Abbey (a children’s choir from local schools) and the Endymion Ensemble under the distinguished baton of Robin O’Neill. Composed by…
TRAVELLING chef Philippa Davis from Shaftesbury has been cooking for a shooting party in West Sussex, before heading back to Scotland. The Sussex trip started with the usual treasure hunt to the bottom of the client’s freezer … The shooting party in West Sussex was indeed jolly. Although the day started a little overcast, after…
THE centenary of the start of the First World War and the final departure of British troops from Afghanistan have kept war and the grim business of soldiering in the forefront of the news for many months. The First World War commemorations will continue for four years, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq will…
HANDEL’S rarely performed 1723 opera Ottone, the 15th of around 50 studiously recycled operatic works, is part of the current English Touring Opera programme, and was seen at Bath Theatre Royal on 28th October. For this tour, ETO is accompanied by The Old Street Band conducted by Jonathan Peter Kenny and the production is directed…