Journalist, photographer and social commentator.
Review of exhibition Lake Keitele, a vision of Finland at National Gallery, London. Until 4 February 2018. Have you ever heard of the Finnish artist Axel Gallén? Or does Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865-1930) ring a bell? I am impressed if you […]
The BBC Symphony Orchestra with its Finnish chief conductor Sakari Oramo at the helm will perform an all-Sibelius programme at the Barbican hall in London on the 6th of December. This is a significant date for a small state that […]
Living with gods: peoples, places and worlds beyond Exhibition at British Museum until 8 April 2018 If there was ever an exhibition worth the price of the entrance fee just for one object, then this is it. The opportunity to […]
“My friend – Welcome to the Carpathians. I am anxiously expecting you. Sleep well tonight. At three tomorrow the diligence will start for Bukovina; a place on it is kept for you. At the Borgo Pass my carriage will await […]
Bucharest is not a place you fall in love with straight away. It might take a few days. Or, as in my case, a return visit. Seventy years ago the monarchy was abolished and instead a Romanian People’s Republic was […]
I am not surprised that so many musicians return to the Verbier Festival year after year. The top soloists probably don’t get paid as much as they normally would get for a concert, but the real carrot is that they […]
Albert Herring, music: Benjamin Britten, libretto:Eric Crozier, seen at The Grange Festival , June 25 2017 Why did Benjamin Britten not write more comedy operas? On the evidence of this Grange Festival production he was clearly seriously good at being […]
TEFAF, 10-19 March, 2017, Maastricht Art fairs are essential for the dealers. This is where nowadays most of the networking with clients, colleagues and museum curators is done. It is also the best place for the art tourist with a […]
TEFAF in Maastricht, 9-19 March The Maastricht Treaty is already a fading (bad) memory for most British people that voted for Brexit. But the city of Maastricht deserves to be associated with some positive things as well. André Rieu, the […]
Benjamin Britten’s last opera, seen at Garsington Opera at Wormsley, 23 June 2015 Benjamin Britten composed Death in Venice, based on Thomas Mann’s much admired novella, knowing that he didn’t have long to live. He prioritised composing the opera over […]
Re-enactment Battle of Waterloo July 20, 2015 I am watching thousands of men armed with muskets and baker rifles, hundreds manning canons, all firing blanks at each other. With my binoculars I can also spot quite a few young ladies […]