reviews
theartsdesk |

We are bowled over! 

We knew that theartsdesk.com had plenty of supporters out there – we’ve always had a loyal readership of arts lovers and professionals alike – but the response to our appeal to help us relaunch and reboot has been something else.

David Nice |

If the Wigmore Hall sought perfection in its 125th Anniversary Festival, it found it in the two concerts I've attended this week - in the greater part of Lise Davidsen's and James Baillieu's Schubert cornucopia, and last night in the sublime Belcea Quartet's teaming up with similarly legendary viola player Tabea Zimmermann in two awe-inspiring string quintet masterpieces. 

Bernard Hughes
Sathnam Sanghera’s previous books have included a memoir about growing up Sikh in Wolverhampton, and two acclaimed (and very good) accounts of…
Demetrios Matheou
Keith Jarrett’s Köln Concert is one of those albums that transcends its genre; it’s not only the best-selling jazz solo album of all time,…
Rachel Halliburton
War Horse was without a doubt one of the boldest experiments in the National Theatre’s history. As Tom Morris, co-director with Marianne Elliott of…

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

David Nice
The Norwegian soprano has arrived as a great recitalist in partnership with a vivid pianist
Sebastian Scotney
A jazz supergroup on hallowed ground in Burgundy
Helen Hawkins
The latest tranche of Korean contemporary dance offered a mesmerising instant classic
David Nice
Not a huge number of laughs, but plenty of vocal charm from tenor and soprano
Guy Oddy
Robin Dallaway’s crew return to the stage after a 40-year break
David Nice
Niamh O'Sullivan is the perfect Knight of the Rose in classy revival
Adam Sweeting
Friendships tested to destruction in Catherine Shepherd's satirical drama
Jonathan Geddes
The Manchester foursome's post-punk and garage rock remains danceable and rousing.
Bernard Hughes
40th anniversary event overcomes disruption with exquisite music-making
Kieron Tyler
Firm candidate for one of the year’s most notable archive releases
Boyd Tonkin
High farce and explosive feeling collide in a Fifties Neapolitan romp
Gary Naylor
Just too geared to a multiplex audience to succeed as it could on stage
Bernard Hughes
Veteran American singer in fine voice, complemented by characterful accordion
Helen Hawkins
Peter Schaffer's 1965 hit is still the perfect vehicle for premium physical comedy
James Saynor
When Lucian Freud and Kate Moss brushed up against each other
Robert Beale
Luxurious sonic experience and tonal beauties in a moving Mahler 6
Rachel Halliburton
Alexander Zeldin's play is a deeply moving meditation on mortality
Gary Naylor
YA genre show needs more pace and character development to realise its potential
David Nice
Quality in spades on a modest budget
Gary Naylor
Spectre of colonialism an inescapable ghost at the feast
alexandra.coghlan
A handsome staging of Puccini's gold-rush opera seems bound to win some converts
Thomas H. Green
Guitars a-go-go with hungry performances by bands from around the world
Adam Sweeting
Steve Coogan and Tom Burke lead a formidable cast in Neil Forsyth's drama
Helen Hawkins
Peter Schaffer’s 1973 hit can still pack a theatrical punch, but its ideas seem dated now

the future of arts journalism

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing! 

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

latest in today

We are bowled over! We knew that theartsdesk.com had plenty of supporters out there – we’ve always had a loyal readership of arts…
If the Wigmore Hall sought perfection in its 125th Anniversary Festival, it found it in the two concerts I've attended this week - in the…
The concept of political rap has always been a slippery fish. Even as hip hop first hit the mainstream, there was a myth perpetuated by…
Sathnam Sanghera’s previous books have included a memoir about growing up Sikh in Wolverhampton, and two acclaimed (and very good) accounts…
Keith Jarrett’s Köln Concert is one of those albums that transcends its genre; it’s not only the best-selling jazz solo album of…
War Horse was without a doubt one of the boldest experiments in the National Theatre’s history. As Tom Morris, co-director with Marianne…
It's nine years since soprano Lise Davidsen gave a Wigmore Hall audience her first credentials as a recitalist, in true partnership with a…
Whereas the more venerable European jazz festivals, founded from the 1960s onwards, are typically faced with challenges of mid- or later…
A new album from Evanescence doesn’t come around all that often. But when they do, they are always worth at least a pause and cursory…
South Korea’s soft power isn’t restricted to K-pop and K-drama. The latest Festival of Korean Dance, hosted by venues around the UK, is a…