Journalist, photographer and social commentator.
Prom 60, Royal Albert Hall, 27 August 2018 Does Leonard Bernstein 28 years after his death really need an advocate? In this country we are particularly keen on celebrating or commemorating the births and deaths of composers. In March it […]
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 […]
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 […]
Does the city of Braşov need the white Hollywood type of sign up on Mount Tampa? Not really, it can boast a far more interesting history than the sleazy capital of film. Transylvania’s second city is perhaps slightly lacking in […]
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 […]
Herrenchiemsee Festspiele 18-30 July 2017 ‘Mad’ king Ludwig II of Bavaria may have been genuinely mad towards the end of his life, but he also deserves to be remembered as the ‘opera’ king. Richard Wagner could not have afforded to […]
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 […]