Performer: Simon Callow

Sir Simon Rattle’s resurrection of a Hollywood extravaganza, the Genesis Suite, entertains at the Barbican. 

The Czech Philharmonic brings The Epic of Gilgamesh to life with audacity and flair.

“If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it.” There was certainly plenty of Shakespeare-inspired music on the bill for the London Philharmonic Orchestra's celebration of The Bard. 

The late-night Proms usually offer something very different from the regular programme, be it chamber music, jazz, or choral music. Thursday evening’s Prom was no exception to this, featuring the music of the somewhat forgotten Ivor Novello, sometimes considered the Andrew Lloyd Webber of the early 20th Century.

Imagine, if you will, a one man stage show, with one of the nation’s foremost and best loved actors playing all the parts in a somewhat Faustian fairy tale, with a crack team of musicians playing incidental music by one of the last century’s great composers. You might think that this would comfortably sell out a fair sized London theatre.