At Home He Feels Like A Tourist

Category: Italy

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  The Norman Paradox, Continued: Sicily and the Problem of Italian Nationhood

  A short diversion into the (non)-impact of Norman Sicily on Italian nationhood.

  April 20, 2026
• Acting Adventure Age Beauty Charity Classics Comedy Concert Culture Film Italy London Narcissism Opera Passion Physical Theatre Politics Power Shakespeare Technology Theatre Tragedy

  Catching up (Part 4)

  January 2021 to April 2021 The novelty of digital entertainment by now very much worn off but, fortunately, there were plenty of other worthwhile distractions (the return of birdwatching after four decades perhaps the most surprising) for the Tourist to mask the lack of live cultural stimulation. (And travel, which…

  November 10, 2021
• Classical Music Colonialism Comedy Concert Concerto Culture Family Fiction Film Generations Italy Jacobean Literature London Love Manchester Morality Novel Parody Performance Physical Theatre Power Relationship Revenge Satire Technology Theatre Tragedy

  Catching up (Part 2)

  March 2020 First week of March 2020. I see that I was still out and about but I also see that I avoided a few entertainments before the cancellations started in earnest and the first lockdown kicked in. I remember feeling a little nervous but obviously no precautions taken apart…

  October 25, 2021
• Baroque Classical Music Concert Culture Italy London Ravenna

  Accademia Bizantina at Milton Court review *****

  Accademia Bizantina, Ottavio Dantone (director) Milton Court Concert Hall, 19th January 2020 Bach the Craftsman: The Art of Fugue In which, as part of a Bach weekend curated by harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani, Ottavio Dantone and his troupe of crack HIP strings play the Art of Fugue. I should probably stop there…

  March 7, 2020
• art Culture Florence History Italy London Performance Renaissance Sexuality Theatre

  Botticelli in the Fire at Hampstead Theatre review **

  Botticelli in the Fire Hampstead Theatre, 20th November 2019 Us pensioners, well nearly in the case of the Tourist, as well as the real-dealers who haunt the matinees at which he largely frequents, are getting our eyes opened in Roxana Silbert’s first season as AD at the HT. Nothing fusty…

  December 18, 2019
• Baroque Chamber Music Church Classical Music Concert Concerto Culture Italy London Naples Venice

  Pergolesi and Vivaldi: OAE at the Queen Elizabeth Hall review ****

  Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Katherine Watson (soprano), Rowan Pierce (soprano), Zoe Brookshaw (soprano), Iestyn Davies (counter-tenor), Katharina Spreckelsen (oboe), Choir of the Age of Enlightenment  Queen Elizabeth Hall, 11th November 2019 Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736) – Stabat Mater Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni (1671-1751) – Oboe Concerto in D minor, Op.9 No.2 Antonio Vivaldi…

  December 6, 2019
• Baroque Classical Music Concert Concerto Culture Italy London Sonata

  Rachel Podger and Brecon Baroque: Vivaldi at the Wigmore Hall review *****

  Rachel Podger (violin), Brecon Baroque, Marcin Świątkiewicz (harpsichord), Daniele Caminiti (lute) Wigmore Hall, 1st July 2019 Antonio Vivaldi Sonata a4 al Santo Sepolcro RV130 Concerto in G minor for strings RV157 Sinfonia al Santo Sepolcro RV169 Concerto in D for lute and strings RV93 Concerto in D Op 3, No 9…

  August 24, 2019
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  The Talented Mr Ripley at the Vault Festival review ****

  The Talented Mr Ripley The Faction, Vault Festival, 14th March 2019 Having missed this on a couple of previous occasions the Tourist was delighted to see it pop up on the Vault listings and even more delighted that the SO deigned to come. Downfall or The Talented Mr Ripley. The…

  March 31, 2019
• Culture Fiction Film Giallo Horror Italy London Power Theatre

  Berberian Sound Studio at the Donmar Warehouse review ****

  Berberian Sound Studio Donmar Warehouse, 14th March 2019 I sort of stumbled across Peter Strickland second full length film by accident. Always keep half an eye on what’s coming up on Film 4. Record anything that I recognise as requiring a watch, (on the basis of pretentious film buff recommendations),…

  March 29, 2019
• Baroque Classical Music Concert Culture Italy London Venice

  Venice Baroque Orchestra and Avi Avital at Wigmore Hall review *****

  Venice Baroque Orchestra, Avi Avital (mandolin) Wigmore Hall, 22nd December 2018 Francesco Geminiani Concerto Grosso in D minor after Corelli’s ‘La Follia’ Op. 5 No. 12 Vivaldi – Concerto in D for lute and strings RV93 Vivaldi – Sinfonia in G RV146 Vivaldi – Concerto in A minor Op. 3…

  January 9, 2019