http://www.ft.com/arts/musichttp://www.ft.com/rss/arts/musicFT.com - Arts & weekend, Filmen© Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2008. "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times. See http://www.ft.com/servicestools/help/terms#legal1 for the terms and conditions of reuse.support@ft.comWed, 23 Jul 2008 19:19 BSTFri, 25 Jul 2008 10:23:44 BSTNewspapers15http://news.ft.com/cms/d1f3ce1a-6bbe-11da-bb53-0000779e2340.gifhttp://www.ft.com/arts/music(PICS-1.1 "http://www.classify.org/safesurf/" L gen true for "http://www.ft.com/" r (SS~~000 1))http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0305e826-58cf-11dd-a093-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0305e826-58cf-11dd-a093-000077b07658.htmlThe Tallis Scholars under conductor Peter Phillips sang two late 15th-century slow-moving, luminous masses with impeccable blend and balance, writes Richard Fairman Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:19 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/721aafc6-5807-11dd-b02f-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/721aafc6-5807-11dd-b02f-000077b07658.htmlReturn to Forever certainly have the paraphernalia of a successful rock band, but they ditched the pomp and put the power into musicianship, writes Mike Hobart Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:36 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6876e1e2-5807-11dd-b02f-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6876e1e2-5807-11dd-b02f-000077b07658.htmlHer songs are rich with references to water and star-gazing, so the courtyard of Somerset House – a stone's throw from the Thames and open to the clear air – was perfect, writes David Honigmann Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:36 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b9e85bca-572e-11dd-916c-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b9e85bca-572e-11dd-916c-000077b07658.htmlNot many tenors will want to dress up as a grotesque check-out lady in pink twinset, later stripped off to reveal a pair of sagging breasts and a no less sagging belly, writes Richard Fairman Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:20 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/229bee3e-567b-11dd-8686-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/229bee3e-567b-11dd-8686-000077b07658.htmlRoger Wright, the BBC Proms new director, marked the first night of his opening season by appearing in the interval discussion during the live television relay to bang the drum for the Proms and talk about the futureSun, 20 Jul 2008 18:05 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d36a0ed4-54e7-11dd-ae9c-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d36a0ed4-54e7-11dd-ae9c-000077b07658.htmlShaggy and untamed in appearance, apt to celebrate guitar solos with frenzied bouts of hair-shaking, they are unselfconscious keepers of the classic rock flame, writes Ludovic Hunter-Tilney Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:05 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a03bc842-5454-11dd-aa78-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a03bc842-5454-11dd-aa78-000077b07658.htmlThe Rolling Stone who finds it hard to get old talks about touring, his latest exhibition of paintings and pen-and-inks and his relationship with drinkSat, 19 Jul 2008 02:45 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8bfc4b9e-5455-11dd-aa78-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8bfc4b9e-5455-11dd-aa78-000077b07658.htmlOpera performances used to be essentially about singing. Eventually the focus shifted to the conductor. Today, ushered in by Wieland Wagner, it is the age of the director, writes Martin Bernheimer Sat, 19 Jul 2008 02:24 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/38b2161a-541b-11dd-aa78-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/38b2161a-541b-11dd-aa78-000077b07658.htmlBlanchard has a lovely, rounded sound, and his technique appears effortless. The pauses, one feels, are not for breath but for concentration on the next flow of ideas, writes Mike Hobart Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:32 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4537a8a0-5349-11dd-8dd2-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4537a8a0-5349-11dd-8dd2-000077b07658.htmlThe chief delights are Nick Cavaliere as the cowardly sergeant Garcia and Lesli Margherita as the gypsies' leader Inez; their scenes together bubble gloriously, writes Ian Shuttleworth Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:27 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4223d99a-5349-11dd-8dd2-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4223d99a-5349-11dd-8dd2-000077b07658.htmlEntrusting Purcell's semi-opera to a French music hall act is not necessarily a bad way of keying in to Dryden's sometimes raucous text, writes Francis Carlin Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:27 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3f2d6526-5349-11dd-8dd2-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3f2d6526-5349-11dd-8dd2-000077b07658.htmlChinese audiences can rest assured that, in terms of grandeur, the Cairo Opera House's new 'Aida' in no way threatens their own homegrown Verdi spectacle from 2000, writes Ken Smith Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:27 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/386a1d06-5349-11dd-8dd2-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/386a1d06-5349-11dd-8dd2-000077b07658.htmlThe tenor Fabián Robles, singing Ramiro, revealed a voice of uncommon liquidity and resonance for a Rossini tenor, and he has a sure way with coloratura, writes George Loomis Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:27 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/edb008e6-5282-11dd-9ba7-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/edb008e6-5282-11dd-9ba7-000077b07658.htmlAn optimistic finale found the five instruments – mandolin, fiddle, acoustic guitar, banjo and upright bass – reaching a busy, harmonious understanding, writes Ludovic Hunter-Tilney Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:49 BSThttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ddc0b462-5282-11dd-9ba7-000077b07658.htmlhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ddc0b462-5282-11dd-9ba7-000077b07658.htmlNow 34 years old, and notching up its 21st revival, John Copley's tried-and-trusted production is living proof that it is worth investing decent money in a staging that has more to offer than a 24-hour shock sensation, writes Richard Fairman Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:49 BST