Summer ready.

A couple of local reviews: Ellen Kent at Warwick Arts Centre and CBSO with Yamada in Birmingham.

spectator.co.uk/article/across…

We’re watching Mad Men at the moment. Don Draper would have sat with a withering look as some sap talked through Apple’s original concept and then snapped “Run it backwards”, before heading out for a triple martini lunch.

Spare a thought for the Northern Ballet Sinfonia this week, as they begin their final week of live work before being replaced by backing tracks. van-magazine.com/mag/northern-b…

Halle @ Bristol Beacon

Well this is quite the metaphor for creative life in the 21st century

Four years since we said goodbye to this fellow. He was only a grumpy ex-stray but he meant a lot to us.

On the 200th anniversary of the first performance of Beethoven 9 here is a little quiz for the mathematicians amongst you :)

Everything these days just reminds me of Batty Langley.

The 'Corona' night train, linking Budapest with Brasov via the Székelyföld, an area of central Romania with an ethnic Hungarian majority. Probably my favourite of all thanks to the classic sleepers with opening windows, the lovely dining car, and the lovely views of Transylvania.

This is well put.

Antwn Owen-Hicks 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇪🇺 Elizabeth Atherton Mark Rees Welsh National Opera Lesley Griffiths Lucy Frazer Part of the context for this discussion is that Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru | Arts Council of Wales has completely defunded MidWalesOpera - the only company taking full-scale opera productions to smaller stages and towns in Cymru - and filling those theatres.

So let’s stop pretending it’s not ideological.

But then, I'm running out of the energy required to dissect artificial realities invented by the professionally outraged - having spent much of the last week arguing with people upset by non-existent signage at a venue called 'Birmingham City Hall'.

This is the oldest and most decrepit of straw men. I go to classical concerts for a living, generally in jeans and a rugby shirt. When I promoted concerts in Brum some of our most devoted regulars dressed like Ed Reardon, carrying their pocket scores in an Asda carrier bag.

Lovely Oxford. 🧡

Glad Richard Bratby and I didn’t walk from the Ditchley Gate to Blenheim Palace, we would have got soaked. Taking our nephew out for dinner tonight in Oxford, once I’ve got the mud/grass off my boots.

Handyman has promised us he can tart up some Billy bookcases for our office. Sending him this and offering to bung him an extra £50 cash in hand if he can make it happen.

The Duchess of Marlborough would have had all of these people sent to the Tower. #Blenheim #BritishFashion

Very wet at Blenheim.

John Churchill, First Duke of Marlborough; 1st Prince of Mindelheim, 1st Count of Nellenburg, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire; victor of Blenheim, Oudenarde, Ramillies, Malplaquet etc; and a mannequin wearing a shower curtain.