Loans and Travel

Le Nozze di Figaro

pakgliding — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 06:41:35 +0000

This Mozart opera was based on a play by Beaumarchais and is in fact a sequel to ‘The Barber of Seville’. With the seething political and erotic intrigues surrounding the story of the marital crisis of Count Almaviva and his wife, ‘Le Nozze di Figaro’ was banned when it first came out in 1786. Unsurprisingly, this production does not face these threats and thus leaves director Jurgen Flimm and musical director Edo de Waart to focus on bringing out the piece’s intrinsic balance of humour and tragedy.

Mario Schifano

pakgliding — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 02:02:15 +0000

This show contains 30 works by Mario Schifano, one of Italy’s most significant post-war artists. Three years after his death, attention is focusing once again on a figure whose massive production had led to a decline in market values and critical esteem. Famous for his pop-art influenced reworkings of Coca-Cola and Esso signs, his output also included still life and landscapes, but drawing as ever on the electronic colours of the ever-present television screen.

Fattburger

pakgliding — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 02:02:15 +0000

Considered by some to be the fast food of the American jazz diet, San Diego-based Fattburger brings its contemporary fusion sizzle to the Palace Station for a single show. When they formed in 1985, Fattburger was the main course of a new genre of pop-friendly contemporary jazz that successfully mated funk, rock and jazz into what became known as New Adult Contemporary – or, music for ageing rock fans. Today, the band continues its schedule of steady releases in the same format, the latest being 2000′s ‘Fattburger.com’.

Changing Taste: Indian Paintings of the 18th to the 20th Century

pakgliding — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:01:08 +0000

A companion show to the Smithsonian’s Indian Photography exhibition currently on display at the Sackler Galley, this show focuses on a wide range of Indian painting, from folk studies to modern oils. Many are pieces by British artists living and working in India, as well as many court paintings and portraits from the famous Rajasthan kingdoms. All contain a fascinating depth of emotion that should open the eyes and minds of art lovers unfamiliar with the Indian continent.

National Philharmonic

pakgliding — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 02:02:23 +0000

Pianist Zoltan Kocsis, a child prodigy turned international star, will unfortunately limit himself to conducting when the National Philharmonic performs works of two composers that helped put Vienna on the map. The programme calls for Mozart’s Symphony No 33 (K319) B flat major, Mozart’s Flute Concerto No 1 (K313) G major and Strauss’s ‘Sinfonia domestica, op. 53′. Irena Grafenauer from Germany will be the featured flautist and the concerto should giver her a chance to flaunt her flute.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

pakgliding — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 02:00:33 +0000

Bruce Lee meets Jane Austen in Ang ‘Sense And Sensibility’ Lee’s astonishingly beautiful martial arts romance – it’s still the film of the year.

Crescent City Classic Road Race

pakgliding — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:00:33 +0000

This annual 10,000-metre road race has something for everyone. World-class runners line up at the front while hard-working amateur runners look forward to putting themselves to test. The race happily makes room for costumed runners, wheelchair racers and walkers. The route takes participants through the French Quarter, then along leafy Esplanade Avenue and into City Park where a post-race party draws thousands.

Wembley Arena, Stadium & Conference Centre

pakgliding — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:00:40 +0000

Empire Way, Wembley, Middlesex (020 8802 0802)

Wembley Park tube/Wembley Central tube/rail. Box office 24 hours daily. Admission ?5-?100. Credit AmEx, DC, MC, V.

The Stadium, which
holds 70,000 for gigs by the likes of the Rolling Stones, will be
closing soon (probably late summer 2000), which only leaves the
12,500-capacity Arena or – less often – the 7,500-capacity Conference
Centre. For reasons of acoustics, transport, price and atmosphere, you
might want to pass on both.

Hidden Friends – Animals in the Town

pakgliding — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:59:35 +0000

The Natural History museum is a brilliant place that is full of (pre)historic treasures. Belgian iguanodons, articulated dinosaurs, minerals, insects, shells, whales and polar animals are all housed here. Until the summer, they are joined by ‘non-domesticated urban animals’, such as foxes. The exhibition explains why these animals are moving in to our towns and cities. Just don’t forget to check out the iguanodons before you leave…

Eat and love… cooking

pakgliding — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:01:28 +0000

After you’ve checked out the Vert Chasseur area, a centre for trendy designer clothes’ shops, why not have lunch in ‘Eat and love’? This highly original establishment, in what was once a rather staid part of town, is a minimalist bistro serving fresh food prepared daily with love. Try its warm ciabattas with delicious fillings including goat’s cheese or honey and walnuts. The piece de la resistance is the buffet, which changes daily and has to be one of the best deals in town.