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Category Archives: English
Benjamin Britten’s ghost story in a Swedish castle
My second review for Seen and Heard International is of a production of Benjamin Britten’s haunting chamber opera The Turn of the Screw at Läckö Castle. As always, Simon Phipps, the conductor and artistic director for Läckö’s summer opera productions, … Continue reading
Posted in English, Reviews
Tagged britten, läckö castle, opera, seen and heard, simon phipps
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My first review for Seen and Heard
I have just become a reviewer for Seen and Heard International, part of one of the world’s leading online classical music review magazines. My first review is of the fantastic Ring Cycle at Wermland Opera that I have written about … Continue reading
Posted in English, Reviews
Tagged opera, ring cycle, seen and heard, wagner, wermland opera
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Yes, we love Norway
The death toll in Norway is far worse than I thought last night. At least 84 young people are confirmed dead in the shootings on Utøya and seven after the bombing in central Oslo. When I heard this morning of … Continue reading
For the people of Norway
The dreadful news coming from Norway is almost too shocking for words. My thoughts go out to everyone hurt, especially the young Social Democrats attacked by a gunman at their summer camp at Utøya, not far from Oslo. I’ve been … Continue reading
They asked for it: what I think about homeopathy
Now that the Advertising Standards Agency has come down hard(ish) on advertising for homeopathy, the homeopaths have apparently decided to throw out an olive branch to the ASA by opening a survey to listen to the public’s views on homeopathy … Continue reading
Posted in English, Politics
Tagged advertising standards agency, homeopathy, quackery, science
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US ambassador to Syria launches Facebook fightback
A few days ago Syrian pro-government protesters attacked the US embassy in revenge for the US ambassador’s visit to Hama, a focal point of anti-regime protests. (And yesterday they attacked the US and French embassies, injuring three French embassy staff.) … Continue reading
Review: Wagner’s Ring at the Wermland Opera
While I have reviewed each individual opera in the Wermland Opera Ring Cycle, I would like to use this summary post to give my impression of the cycle as a whole. Find my reviews of all four operas here: Das … Continue reading
Review: Götterdämmerung, by Wagner, at the Wermland Opera
Götterdämmerung [Twilight of the Gods], opera in three acts and the final part of Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen [The Ring of the Nibelung]. Performed at the Wermland Opera in Karlstad, 3 July 2011. The eagerly awaited final part … Continue reading
Review: Siegfried, by Wagner, at the Wermland Opera
Siegfried, opera in three acts and the third part of Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen [The Ring of the Nibelung]. Performed at the Wermland Opera in Karlstad, 1 July 2011. With Siegfried the Wermland Opera continue a very fine … Continue reading
Review: Die Walküre, by Wagner, at the Wermland Opera
Die Walküre [The Valkyrie], opera in three acts and the second part of Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen [The Ring of the Nibelung]. Performed at the Wermland Opera in Karlstad, 29 June 2011. After the great success of Das … Continue reading
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