This collection of more than 50 portraits painted by Francis Bacon is certainly intense – although perhaps not for the reasons one might have expected. Some of Bacon’s most famous and celebrated canvases show extremes of violence and distortion: the full-on body horror of the early figures at the crucifixion, or the melting abyss of…
Category: 20th century
Odaline de la Martinez reflects upon her musical career and why she only gets depressed one day a year – if that!
Chachi – or Odaline de la Martinez in full – is a woman of many talents. The Cuban-born, musical polymath, was the first female composer to conduct at the Proms, in 1984. An energetic promoter of women composers and Latin American music, she is conducting at the 9th London Festival of American Music at the…
Charted territory: an African art music update
Rebeca Omordia is a pioneering champion of African art music – that is, works by African composers that blend the influence of both their own musical roots with their experience and knowledge of the Western classical ‘canon’. Back in spring 2022, I wrote about Omordia’s CD ‘African Pianism’ (SOMM Recordings), a stunning collection of solo…
Marital jealousy and the tears of a clown at Opera Holland Park
Opera Holland Park’s decision to bring two operas together in a double-bill was a stroke of genius yesterday evening. Il segreto di Susanna and Pagliacci deal with the same theme of marital jealousy, but in style and content they couldn’t be more different. ‘Il segreto di Susanna’ by German-Italian composer Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari, is a little-known…
Crown prints: ‘Royal Portraits’, The King’s Gallery, London
Subtitled ‘A Century of Photography’, this is an absolute crowd-pleaser of an exhibition, precision-tooled to draw in the fascinated tourist alongside the domestic royal-watcher. However, whatever your views on the monarchy (which, I can assure you, it won’t change in any way), I still think it deserves your attention. This is a show equally concerned…
The Kukal Quartet make their UK debut at the Czech Centre London
2024 has been the “Year of Czech Music” at the Czech Centre, London. Concerts and films have abounded to remind Londoners not only of the Czech Republic’s incredibly rich heritage but also of its continuing support for its emerging arts and music. One Czech quartet which came to my attention this week was the Kukal…
Dress code: ‘Sargent and Fashion’, Tate Britain, London
Anyone with an interest in portraiture will want to see this exhibition – a glorious opportunity to see more than 50 of John Singer Sargent’s paintings gathered in one place. The fashion theme provides a fascinating through-line, a starting point to appreciate the skill and complexity of Sargent’s compositions. But there are multiple layers to…
Going dark: ‘Duke Bluebeard’s Castle’, English National Opera, London
Just two performances at the Coliseum for this new ‘semi-staged concert performance’ of Bartók’s only opera. A masterpiece in miniature – two main characters, their entwined fates settled in a mere hour – its enigmatic spell both terrifies and enthrals. A horror story on the surface with layers of murky psychodrama underneath: whatever one’s interpretation,…
Photo synthesis: Hiroshi Sugimoto, Hayward Gallery, London
I came to this exhibition very late, so this is something of an ‘emergency’ post to encourage any of you with some time over the holiday season to catch it in its final fortnight. Sugimoto’s photography is always different; always the same. The subjects change but they are all viewed, literally, through the same lens….
The vast picture show: ‘The Big Screen’, Kulturforum, Berlin
Any cinema enthusiasts within visiting distance of Berlin should head to the Kulturforum (the city’s major arts complex located near Potsdamer Platz) before the end of February. Until then, it plays host to ‘The Big Screen’, a huge, wide-ranging exhibition chronicling the development of the film poster, alongside the evolution of cinema itself. A show…
