The Filter^

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.

Monte Carlo: Printemps des Arts

Monte Carlo's Spring arts festival is a well-presented, boldly programmed miniature feast of music. The Filter was there last week. Or, more accurately, I was there for Classic FM, but couldn't resist the opportunity to wrap-up the performance elements of the trip with a review of three interesting concerts, which you can read here. The helicopter flight was pretty good fun, too.

On the run

The black and white camera work blends in and out of the original film, the voiceover hangs with an air of timelessness, amnesia, and possible regret. Eastern Europe's tragedy from the heart of the system

I've posted a review of The Great Communist Bank Robbery up at our sister site.

The Finnlter

Following the Review's musical Scanorama over the summer, The Filter is heading north. Finnish soprano Helena Juntunen featured strongly in our review of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra's debut performance at the Proms in August; The Filter will hear her sing the role of Mimi in Puccini's La Boheme (mielekkiitoinen!) at the Finnish National Opera in Helsinki on 11 January. Before that, the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra is in London in early December as part of the celebrations marking 50 years since the death of the great Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The Filter Review will be there, and at tomorrow's screening at the Barbican of Christopher Nupen's film Jean Sibelius at Home (filmi kuuolostaa hyvältä!).

Moi moi!

Nordic Promming

If you like Scandinavian things, and you like orchestral music, then this was your week - in terms of the BBC Proms anyway. In November I was in Bergen, Norway, but missed the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra as it was on tour. It played music by Bergen-born Grieg (who died 100 years ago) on Thursday at the Proms, so I got to see them after all. Nice; closure. This November I hope to be in Finland, where I won't manage to hear the Lahti Symphony Orchestra (I'm at the Finnish Radio Symphony instead). Still, the Lahti was at the Proms on Tuesday, playing music by Sibelius (who died in Finland 50 years ago). Scandinavian orchestras...they're like London buses! Read the review here.

Filtered: Opera Holland Park

The Filter REVIEW has been out and about again, making its review debut at Opera Holland Park this week and last for two very different performances of two very different works. My thanks to the Publicity and Marketing Department at OHP for accommodating the Filter in what is, one could say, a little slice of Glyndebourne in the city, and an opera run of surprisingly high production values. Click here for the joint review.

Lufthansa Landed

The Filter^ REVIEW was at the penultimate Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music concert on Tuesday, a performance of motets, cantatas, sinfonias and a mass by J S Bach. Read the review here. That's all for this year's festival - thanks to the LFBM for supplying The Filter^ REVIEW with tickets - here's looking forward to 2008!

Lufthansa Cruising

Yes, The Filter^ REVIEW is still at the Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music in Westminster! Two interesting concerts this week, the first of which was a visit from french early music group Ensemble La Fenice. This was a genuinely fascinating concert; read the review here. Last night's performance by Westminster Abbey Choir and St James's Baroque, the penultimate in the festival, was the last for The Filter and a review's on the way - watch this space...

Lufthansa Lift-off

As mentioned a couple of weeks ago, The Filter^ Review is at the Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music this week and next. Click on the review button on the left or here for the first review, a visit from the Akademie fur Alte Musick Berlin. Coming soon: a performance from Ensemble La Fenice, Jean Tubery and Arianna Savall (Monday 21 May). For more information on the festival click here.