The Filter^

The Filter^ REVIEW: Speaking in Tongues

You know you've made it as a theatre critic when you walk through the doors and are met by an usher who says "Dr & Mrs Evans, we have upgraded your seats to the Royal Circle". Then, alas, the combination of a half-empty theatre and credit card technology makes you realise that your £10 a pop "restricted view" tickets have merely hit the jackpot. 

via thefilter.blogs.com

A new review over at our sister site.

A levels all over again

Two of my 5 favourite plays stem from intense study whilst doing my A Levels - Arcadia, and The Winter's Tale. 10 years ago we spent a fair bit of time reading and grappling with the text, and watched performances of both. Since then I'll watch them if at all possible, so i've been immensely fortunate both are playing in London at the moment. This month I've gotten round to seeing them, and have posted brief reviews at our sister site:

• The Winter's Tale
• Arcadia

New review

I've seen two productions of 'The Cherry Orchard' recently. A joint review is up at our sister site, here.

Opera at the GSMD

The Filter Review was at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on Wednesday for student opera of arrestingly high standards. Click here to read the review of the Guildhall's double bill of marriage-based one-acters.

Winter-Spring at English National Opera

English National Opera took all the UK's major opera awards in 2008, and its line up for the first half of this year at the London Coliseum looked, on paper, extraordinarily strong.

So far it has proved just that in the viewing and listening, too. Read reviews of the company's four major productions on our sister site The Filter Review here.

Anyone interested in dramatically acute, innovative opera in the UK surely can't help but feel proud of ENO's achievements recently. These are productions which will have no-doubt pleased anyone new to opera and looking for challenging, questioning, moving and entertaining 21st century art, too.

There are three more mouthwatering productions still to come in ENO's season before the summer recess, so stand by for more.

The Filter Review Exculsive!

It's been one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the classical music calendar. All the broadsheet critics where there, but The Filter Review can bring you the first review of the Hallé's two-night concert performance of Wagner's Götterdämmerung, which finished in Manchester about two hours ago. Click here to read the review.

A nice way to return to The Bridgewater Hall, where back in April 2002, just as The Filter was being launched, I began work tearing tickets as an usher.

Greenspan Comes Clean

Ha - that got all you economists reading! I'm afraid this has nothing to do with world markets, it's just that After reading Anthony's post below, I felt a surge of creativity and willingness to contribute something of quality and significance to The Filter. (Actually, that's a porky too - I wrote the piece in question a few days ago and have only just got around to posting it...)

Over on The Filter Review site, we aim to offer broadsheet-standard reviews of live performances and exhibitions/shows, and you can bet your bottom dollar we've got interesting perspectives and considered opinions on varied examples from around Europe.

This time last week The Filter was in Basel for the annual festival celebrating the music of Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959) - a music that over the past few months has started to intrigue me and hold me in a sort of enraptured wonderment. Click here for a review of the festival's opening concert.   

Some Orchestras

Welcome – retrospectively – to the month-long period when the UK benefits from the tail-end of the Proms season and the launch of the domestic orchestral season. Yes, it’s a little crude, but the opportunity for comparison is irresistible. 

The Filter (with various non-Filter hats on) as heard the New York, Oslo and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestras and the Philharmonia Orchestra over the past few weeks. And it was the home team which impressed most, with 'da Phil' on blistering form. It's an orchestra revived, renewed, enlivened and, crucially, valued. Click here for a summary on the Review site.

Psycho Buildings

Faith and I went to see 'Psycho Buildings' on Tuesday for our second wedding anniversary. It was excellent. I've put the review at our sister site.

Major Barbara

Faith and I spent Saturday night at the National, watching Major Barbara. My review is at our sister site, The Filter^ REVIEW.