Category: London

On Friday I used the membership card to see the works of two well known artists of whom I know not very much.

An enjoyable trip in the company of Mark H. with pub lunch after with the Winter Olympic Games running on the tv in the background.

So before seeing the exhibition I had no idea that these two artists were contemporaries and rivals. Their styles and trajectory of success were quite different.

I appreciate Constable’s work particularly when he moved onto large canvases. This was when he gained more success and obtained membership of the Royal Society-I think.

The details in these large paintings is remarkable.

Turner’s works are different use of light. Some images struck me, more so his practice pieces! Later he incorporated the effect industrialisation on landscape and gave a greater reality to the scenes. Something Constable was slower to do.

The comparison of views of the new Waterloo bridge-one of celebrations of the opening with ships and flags and the other of a bridge difficult to see in the smog.

Overall nice time and good experience.

We found ourselves at the Royal Festival Hall last night for The Messiah. The last time we saw it was three years ago at the same venue but with a negative review.

This time it was a fabulous experience. The choir of 99 and the orchestra did a great job.

The choir sang so well, perfect timing and a great vocal range. The soloists all did a fine job. We thought they the female alto coped with great vocal demands.

The orchestra was not huge in number but provided a great sound. I did not the work of the female bass player. She stood for the whole performance. Her accompaniment for ‘My Redeemer Liveth’ to the singing soprano was great to admire.

The music particularly after the first act just got better and better. One the better Messiah events for us. Great.

And the views from the bar’s balcony:

A trip to Covent Garden last night .

We have seen this before in Wellington but I did not remember the details. The ending is rememberable as Tosca commits suicide-last night by jumping through a window and for the Wellington performance by jumping off a wall.

I was up in the gods so the warmth became an issue. I enjoyed it, it became better as it progressed and I enjoyed the ‘hits’. The story was stronger and clearer than in some other operas and so easier to follow.

I have been listening to the music again today along with a few other operatic classics.

We went to this at the weekend and the effort to note it has come from reading a review in the FT.

A positive review and we certainly enjoyed it. I have seen it at least once before-many moons ago in Cannizzaro park as part of the outdoor theatre festival.

Stephen Fry makes a dominant impact and yes the performance of Merriman is very ‘Mrs Overalls’ and ‘soup…..’- great.

Well worth seeing the classic play done with a sting nod to gay life and identity.