Life in the dead season

Robert Thicknesse on Opera TO ANY SENSIBLE ...

Uncomfortable realities and alternative realms at Venice’s contemporary dance festival

The Seal Woman: A Celtic Folk Opera Yvonne Howard, Catherine Carby, Catriona Hewitson, Seumas Begg, Arthur Bruce, Christian Loizou et al; Orchestra of Scottish Opera/ John Andrews Retrospect Opera RO0

Sonatas Nos 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6; Sonata violino solo representativa in A major Rachel Podger (violin); Brecon Baroque Channel Classics CCS48525 70:08 mins No Arts Council funding was available to rescue

Classical music has an unusual problem: flags. Such seemingly innocuous items have the power to incite passionate responses and ignite public debate. The cast member who unfurled a Palestinian flag at

Ravel: Ma mère l’Oye; Stravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps Pavel Kolesnikov and Samson Tsoy (piano) Harmonia Mundi HMM902752 49:20 mins Those of us lucky, as I was at both their Ragged Music Festival and