JDCMB TFA III

The latest from Verbier. Dogs, Haydn, cancellations, chamber delights and how I nearly, nearly, nearly met Dame Gwyneth Jones. Stay tuned for the next installment, in which we meet a raft of rising opera stars instead. http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3258

JDCMB Transalpine Festival Aventure Parts I & II

Hi from Verbier. Am live-blogging my festival trip from Torre del Lago to the mountains.
Part 1
Part 2Tune in again for the next thrilling instalment...

More on passing out at the Proms...

From today's Independent. My pic's on the front page, which I think is a first... http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3248

Skål!

I haven't been to Denmark this week, but on hearing about Johann Kobborg's ballet gala in Skagen, I wish I had. http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3244

Don Giovanni's Dolce Vita

Glyndebourne's Don Giovanni lives in a Fellini film. I adored it. http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3243

RIP Anthony Rolfe Johnson

Much saddened today to hear of the death of one of Britain's greatest tenors. I've included a recording of him singing some utterly glorious Monteverdi. http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3238

Hegdish at the Albert Hall

My night at Meistersinger...not. http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3232

Prom, Prom, Prom!

The Proms kick off tonight and I've interviewed Paul Lewis about his mammoth task of playing all five Beethoven concertos. The article's in today's Independent, but also I've posted the entire interview transcript to the blog, because it's jolly interesting: http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3230

RIP Sir Charles Mackerras

Sir Charles Mackerras has died in London, aged 84. My own tribute, plus links to a number of others. http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3227

Meet Wesley Stace

A substantial e-interview with the brilliant author and songwriter Wesley Stace, whose new novel Charles Jessold, Considered As A Murderer, is a literary thriller set plumb in the middle of the Edwardian musical milieu. http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3226

Frogs, princes and Proms commissions...

My piece in today's Independent about Proms commissions is a bit truncated, so here's the Director's Cut: http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3223

You look away for two minutes and...

...you miss a lot of action when you go on holiday. Here's a quick catch-up whizzing through Faure, Mahler and the sorry case of Mikhail Pletnev. http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/3220