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Opera Review – David et Jonathas
This review should appear at Opera Britannia shortly. Les Arts Florissants – Edinburgh Festival – 17 August 2012 Rating: This production of Charpentier’s biblical epic is a showcase for some exquisite vocal work which is delivered despite an incoherent dramatic interpretation which does nothing to aid a modern appreciation of the work at hand. From…
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Vile, vile, vile
Oh, vile was the journey home from Edinburgh last night. Every now and then there is hand wringing about how few the number of people are who make the trip over from Glasgow (city of light and beauty) to Edinburgh (town of dark pleasures and dug-up roads) for arts events in the Edinburgh festival. Indeed,…
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Opera Review
The following review should appear soon at Opera Britannia. Rating: JanáÄek’s strange opera The Makropulos Case is a curious mix of psychological horror and puzzling fantasy. Who is the central character Emilia Marty and what gives her so much knowledge of the affairs of others? Opera North’s new production is a stirring attempt to showcase…
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Another Argument for Marriage
I recently posted a link to a piece by a Labour MP about how he was planning to support moves towards Equal Marriage. Shortly after I posted that, someone kindly drew my attention to another piece by and MP that is worth a read, this time from a Conservative. Take a look at this, and…
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Dream
Had this weird dream involving Eric Idle, rollerblading nuns and some morris dancers. Oh, wait a minute…..
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Review: Leaving Alexandria: A Memoir of Faith and Doubt – Richard Holloway
Here’s my review of Bishop Richard’s book which recently appeared in inspires: It is hard these days to engage with the media of the chattering classes without encountering Richard Holloway. He who was once merely our Primus has become the darling of the exasperated folk for whom the church is no longer a vehicle for…
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Sermon preached on Sunday 5 August 2012
Here’s what I said on Sunday. I ask you. Which sounds more fun – the fleshpots of Egypt or wandering aimlessly in the desert? It is not hard to have some sympathy with the children of Israel. Moses and Aaron have led them away from a life which was unfair though one which was mundane…
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Revised Commenting Policy
I’ve posted something like this before but have had to add the final bullet point today. (And have today decided not to allow any further comments from the offender who caused me to add this last point. It seems to me that he has been warned enough). The following types of comments will be deleted…
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Equal Marriage – Questions people haven’t thought of #1
Here’s one for church folk and any passing ethicist. Suppose a couple get a civil partnership and they then have a service of blessing in an Episcopal Church – rings, promises, nuptial mass, the whole enchilada, with lovely prayers drawn from the Scottish Episcopal marriage liturgy. (As happens). Supposing that is all done with and…
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Any Questions on Marriage?
I’m going to be posting sometime over the next week a considered response to the announcement last week regarding marriage law reform in Scotland. (Note that I’m not calling it Equal Marriage yet as it seems to me to be a step in that direction but very definitely not yet a proposal for equality). I’ll…