I’d like to wish all here a Merry Christmas, I was going to punish you all by posting a copy of Ed Milibands Christmas card, but I’m not that cruel, so here’s something a bit more in the spirit of christmas π
For anyone who’s interested in this evening’s music programmes:
Opera on Radio 3 at 5 00 – 8 15 pm
Jazz record requests on Radio 3 at 8 15 pm Carols from King’s on TV BBC Two at 5 45 – 7 00 pm.
Sorry, Christmas but I’m going with the Met broadcast:
Today, 17:00 on BBC Radio 3
Donizetti’s La Fille du Regiment
Live from the Met
Presented by Margaret Juntwait, with guest commentator Ira Siff.
Donizetti’s La Fille du Regiment with Nino Machaidze (Marie) and Lawrence Brownless (Tonio). Yves Abel conducts the Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus.
The opera is set in a Swiss village in the Tyrolean Alps, where a French regiment is passing through. They’re led by Sergeant Sulpice and the regiment has a “daughter” named Marie – though she’s really more like their mascot and their maid. They found her when she was only a baby, and they’ve raised her ever since.
Marie is in love with a Swiss villager named Tonio. Unfortunately, there’s a complication: she’s only allowed to marry a member of the Regiment.
The opera is famous for Tonio’s aria “Ah! mes amis, quel jour de fête!” which has been called the “Mount Everest” for tenors as it features nine high Cs.
Marie…..Nino Machaidze (soprano)
Tonio…..Lawrence Brownlee (tenor)
Sergeant Sulpice…..Maurizio Muraro (bass)
Marquise of Berkenfeld…..Ann Murray (mezzo-soprano)
Hortensius…..James Courtney (bass)
A corporal…..Roger Andrews (bass)
The Duchess of Krakenthorp…..Kiri Te Kanawa (spoken role)
New York Metropolitan opera orchestra and chorus
Conductor…..Yves Abel.
Fedup2May 16, 11:06 Weekend 16th May 2026 Unite The Kingdom You know that hombre tone Bbc newsreaders do when someone dies ? Well the 11am news had that as the…
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Emmanuel GoldsteinMay 16, 09:55 Weekend 16th May 2026 Unite The Kingdom In the upcoming by election, TTK would vote Reform if he was eligible. He must be hoping for a Reform…
MarkyMarkMay 16, 09:06 Weekend 16th May 2026 Unite The Kingdom “Paloma Faith Her new baby β and the ban on βhelpβ from dads” ban on βhelpβ from dads = exclusion…
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The beginning of The News Quiz. Sandi Toksvig introduces the teams.
“…and on my left, Alexei Sayle and Jeremy Hardy.”
Time to take the dog for a walk.
And the dog with probably curl a ‘beeboid’ on the grass as per my Avatar π
Didn’t think anybody was on the Left of Twatsvig.
Ba-doom, kushhh !
π
I’d like to wish all here a Merry Christmas, I was going to punish you all by posting a copy of Ed Milibands Christmas card, but I’m not that cruel, so here’s something a bit more in the spirit of christmas π
Not a very merry Christmas in the Huhne households.
Watching the Sky News paper review, I think the Times is reporting that the police are requesting that both Chris Huhne AND his wife be prosecuted.
Oh dear. Guido will be happy, though. π
Quick. somebody tell Mark Mardell and the rest of the BBC:
Asked by Barbara Walters of ABC News what the biggest misconception of him is, Obama replied: “Me being detached, or Spock-like, or very analytical.”
So He really was ditheing?
For anyone who’s interested in this evening’s music programmes:
Opera on Radio 3 at 5 00 – 8 15 pm
Jazz record requests on Radio 3 at 8 15 pm
Carols from King’s on TV BBC Two at 5 45 – 7 00 pm.
Sorry, Christmas but I’m going with the Met broadcast:
Today, 17:00 on BBC Radio 3
Donizetti’s La Fille du Regiment
Live from the Met
Presented by Margaret Juntwait, with guest commentator Ira Siff.
Donizetti’s La Fille du Regiment with Nino Machaidze (Marie) and Lawrence Brownless (Tonio). Yves Abel conducts the Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus.
The opera is set in a Swiss village in the Tyrolean Alps, where a French regiment is passing through. They’re led by Sergeant Sulpice and the regiment has a “daughter” named Marie – though she’s really more like their mascot and their maid. They found her when she was only a baby, and they’ve raised her ever since.
Marie is in love with a Swiss villager named Tonio. Unfortunately, there’s a complication: she’s only allowed to marry a member of the Regiment.
The opera is famous for Tonio’s aria “Ah! mes amis, quel jour de fête!” which has been called the “Mount Everest” for tenors as it features nine high Cs.
Marie…..Nino Machaidze (soprano)
Tonio…..Lawrence Brownlee (tenor)
Sergeant Sulpice…..Maurizio Muraro (bass)
Marquise of Berkenfeld…..Ann Murray (mezzo-soprano)
Hortensius…..James Courtney (bass)
A corporal…..Roger Andrews (bass)
The Duchess of Krakenthorp…..Kiri Te Kanawa (spoken role)
New York Metropolitan opera orchestra and chorus
Conductor…..Yves Abel.