Symphonies beside the sea

Dame Joan Sutherland managed things to her customary perfection: a gala goodbye before an adoring Covent Garden audience on New Year’s Eve 1990, 35 years ago. Pavarotti and Marilyn Horne joined in the

Joseph Haydn looked every bit the European celebrity on the night of 4 May 1795. Newly opened in 1791 after a fire, the King’s Theatre glowed in the brilliant flicker of candle chandeliers. At the fro

Now we’re in the midst of autumn, with winter a whisker away, it’s good to make plans and look forward to the return of sunny days in spring. We’re big fans of Eastbourne on the south coast, which is

Claire Jackson’s opinions on Brahms (Hero or Hype?; August) resonated with me. I studied his First Symphony for O-Level, and his Fourth for A-Level. Then at college, my piano teacher insisted I learn

Jacob Collier is on stage with the Britten Sinfonia, in a packed-out concert hall. We’ve already been treated to a freewheeling, virtuosic and wildly joyful programme, ranging from Bob Dylan to scat-s

Britain’s neglect of its maritime heritage has led to shuttered shipyards, ailing fishing fleets and impoverished coastal towns