... Tosca Sevenoaks What a time they are taking, frets Tosca, as she awaits her lover Cavaradossi's mock execu tion. It was a thought that struck me forcefully halfway through the Love Duet of Act I. Conductor Jonathan Butcher dragged the score along in an excess of expressivity which ren dered the drama of Tosca a shapeless goo. Section followed section devoid of rhythmic momentum. The ...

... Vintage players never better Sonning The Best of British Good evening. As you can see most of us are vintage, says the ebullient Kenny Baker, bounding to the microphone. What vintage! Six exceptional musicians with a total of over 400 years experience between them and knowing all the tricks of the trade. Baker Don Lusher, Jack Pamell, togeth er with Roy Willox, Brian Lemon and Lennie Bush ...

... Crown Jools, sparkling night Preston Jools Holland There was a time when I thought the Jools Holland band only existed in the TV studio. That misconception has now been dispelled by the band's recent tour which brought it to the cavernous Preston Guild Hall for a concert of its explosive brand of R & B. It was a boogie-woogie num ber featunng the frock-coated leader on acoustic piano with just ...

... Northern Jazz Orchestra Preston Formed eight years ago by drummer Paul Rigby. the 16 piece Northern Jazz Orchestra has built up a reputation which now extends well beyond its home- ground in the north west. Proof of this was the presence of top guest vocalist Jeff Hooper, who had made the trip from south Wales to work with the band. The repertoire of this dynamic young band strikes a nice ...

... The Second Mrs Kong Glyndebourne First impressions, last October, of Harrison Birtwistle's new opera, The Second Mrs Kong, were that the music's groundswell of ing power didn't match up with Russell Hoban's showbiz libretto. I still feel the disjunction, but it seems to matter less. The Glyndebourne revival confirms the power and originality of the work, reinforcing the daz zling collective ...

... The Barron Knights Hayes Thirty five years in showbusiness have given the Barron Knights something which can only be achieved through success on the cabaret circuit or via television--a devoted audience--and a rapport was created as soon as the guys appeared on stage. It is to their credit also that their fans have remained with them despite their decreasing number of public appearances. Work ...

... Geoffrey Durham King's Head Geoffrey Durham is a happy, modest, and ever smiling Mr Pickwick clone who describes himself as a balding and bespectacled ex-librarian, adding that he has no toupe or rabbits, so it's plain, bald, baffling brilliance. He laughs as he opens with the suggestion that magWans are the rump end of showbusiness. A mixture of spangly suits and illusion the illusion being ...

... Chris Smither Purcell Room Originally from New Orleans but now resident in Boston, Massachusetts, Smithsr is a fine guitarist and bluesy singer whose recent album Up on the Lowdown has met with much critical acclaim. Also a strong songwriter, his compositions have been recorded by celebrities such as John Mayall and Bonnie Raitt. As part of the South Bank Folk Week, featuring various ...

... Rusalka London Coliseum Gems from the powerhouse days will keep surfacing at the Coliseum. ENO has revived David Pountney's powerful and moving production of Dvorak's Rusalka, with a new conductor and a virtually new cast. The magic endures. Stefanos Lazaridis' Victorian nursery sinisterty combines child like fun with pubertal angst, while a watery pool, leaf patterned wall paper and nocturnal ...

... Don Giovanni Glyndebourne Touring Opera Glyndebourne's production of Don Giovanni has certainly provoked a deal of argument, which makes it an ideal vehicle for tourirng by Glyndebourne Touring Opera. Beyond London, audiences tend to respond more openly to challenging stagings. Obviously, certain adjust ments have had to be made. The flames around the Don's last sup per table are not a touring ...

... Words on the Run Huddersfield The Liverpool Poets are out on the road and parallels with the last Rolling Stones tour are tempting. Both groups reflect the frightening passage of time for us sixties teenagers who are suddenly struggling with late middle age. But Bnan Patten, Roger McGough and Adrian Henri look well enough to withstand the rigours of touring and their materi al is certain to be ...

... Harry Allen/George Masso Hampstead These two American jazz musicians share a preference for thoughtful creativity. There's very little hustle or bustle about them --no cheap effects or noisy clamour in their performances. mats not to say that their playing lacks inspiration or ten sion, just that its execution is a matter of careful consideration rather than wild abandon. Their common ...