I do wish I could sit in the Choir more, but I only like it there for symphonies etc, not being behind vocal soloists.

It’s a good season. I’ve narrowed it down to 8 definite concerts to book for. If I book Stalls for 6 of them and Circle for that megabucks Met Opera Orchestra one and the Berlioz Requiem, I squeeze in under my max budget by 52p and save myself any further thoughts about day tickets or queues.

“Your imagination is a muscle that must be exercised.”

“Creating art is not a burden.”

👏 👏 👏

I am a retired Arena prommer at heart, though! I’ve prommed in the Gallery precisely once in my life - Glyndebourne Figaro, 2000.

And I probably can’t go to that Olivier Latry recital anyway, as I’ll be on my way to Glyndebourne. Technically it’s probably possible to make it onto the recommended train - but I have a lift. And am likely to have a choir job anyway…

Just looked at the ticket prices for the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra’s Richard Strauss programme and OH MY GOD, *HOW* MUCH?

Might have to go back to standing in the Arena.

This is the crux for me. It’s not about whether Starmer knew about the failed vetting; it’s that Starmer created a situation where the appointment didn’t allow for failed vetting

BBC Proms The world's greatest classical music festival - stunning concerts and collaborations.

Proms listings are online!

Plenty to make me happy - but WHY do they persist in programming organ recitals at 11:00 on Sundays, when organists and lovers of organ music are usually already occupied? 🤦🏻‍♀️

www.bbc.co.uk/events/rpgwr...

Still, I’ll look forward to having nightmares about something other than admin (a recurring theme in my dreams at the moment).

“Channel 4 Late Entertainment (sponsored by William Hill Vegas)” - well that’s *one* category to put the 2-hour Chernobyl documentary into, I suppose.

You need to follow them on the DICE app too, because that will tell you when the concerts have been uploaded for booking. Last year, similarly, they appeared on the app and opened for booking simultaneously.

I have sent them a comment on Instagram, which seems to be the only social media they’re on these days.

So do I!

The big famous companies are proving similarly so. I gather ENO are announcing their season this Wednesday. Last week I got an email from the Friends - of which I am not currently a member - entitled “2026/26 season” (sic) and containing null information, like a failed mail merge 🤦🏻‍♀️

I think it’s probably just that they were at a slightly higher price point than the age bracket they were aiming at could generally routinely afford.

Jane Norman was so well-made. Their usual kind of body-con style was never really me. But I had a pair of bootcut trousers from there in the early 2000s that lasted me years and gave me a great shape - I’m not sure why they went out of business as they were better than competitors.

It also says on their website that booking opened on 15th April, which it clearly didn’t. The email says 22nd.

Apparently booking opens on Wednesday, so it shouldn’t be too long before the events appear on DICE, their booking app.

“Full programme announcement: Euphoria”

I would like to point out to Bold Tendencies (the summer music and visual arts programme in Peckham) that if it does not contain information on the dates and times of your live events - or a link to such info, that’s already been uploaded - it’s not a “full programme announcement”.

That’s like every time I see the name Calvin Robinson (right-wing political commentator and cosplay priest) and think they’re talking about Calvin Richardson (principal dancer of the Royal Ballet).

And thank you for jogging my memory about the Rigoletto rehearsal. I was trying to tot up how many flyering sessions I have done in the last few weeks and knew there was one I’d forgotten!

I was there, and I’m sure they waited until the end! Or at least, if there was a bit of premature applause I don’t think it really got going (as it did last night).

Just saw a bumper sticker that said "You can't ride a unicorn sober." Absolutely fascinating assertion about how the world works

After that, and the second attempt once she had finished but the orchestra hadn’t, I made sure to start enthusiastic applause in the right place!

I was flyering outside beforehand for Salome and didn’t see a single person I knew, which gave me a clue that it was an audience of “amateurs”. The fact that so many didn’t realise Caro nome hadn’t finished when they started applauding - obliterating some of Feola’s lovely singing - was proof.

The pitiful state of @welshnatopera.bsky.social following budget cuts was foremost in my mind tonight as I watched the Royal Opera’s Rigoletto, starring Daniel Luis de Vicente in the title role (which he sang at WNO 18 months ago) and Rosa Feola (whose first UK role was Elvira in WNO’s Puritani).

She says we need to embrace AI so we can solve some of the world's biggest problems but arguably the biggest problem in the world is climate change so uhhhhh

I fucking resent the idea that my life, as a disabled person, is considered a "cost", yet this bullshit is an "investment".

Like most information tech, AI will increase productivity in much the same way that a natural disaster increases economic activity. People will be more active sorting out more shit that has gone wrong.

The fact that the Pope saying some basic Christian stuff is considered a political attack against Trump and MAGA clearly shows the anti-Christian nature of the regime.