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 ๐
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.
MarkyMarkJul 16, 20:24 Midweek 15th July 2026 “June Sarpong attending London Fashion Week with the prime minister’s wife Victoria Starmer in 2024” https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cglj25k94r9o
Lucy PevenseyJul 16, 20:24 Midweek 15th July 2026 Shouldn’t The House of Lords have …… eh Lords in it? And shouldn’t hereditary peers be hereditary? https://twitter.com/UnityNewsNet/status/2077815040879526374
MarkyMarkJul 16, 20:15 Midweek 15th July 2026 “Where are the 400 jihadis still in London, @piersmorgan asks @MayorofLondon @SadiqKhan” https://x.com/GMB/status/872028794797920257 LORD JIHADIST FROM MECCA WHERE NON MUSLIMS…
MarkyMarkJul 16, 20:13 Midweek 15th July 2026 Abuse … “This article is more than 4 years old Angela Rayner stands by labelling of Tories as โscumโ This…
moggiemooJul 16, 19:37 Midweek 15th July 2026 Why? They’re blatant about the target and what they plan to do with it.
markhJul 16, 19:35 Midweek 15th July 2026 You mean he can actually count to one? Very surprised at that.
tomoJul 16, 19:29 Midweek 15th July 2026 https://youtube.com/shorts/azpm72vJdIA Woke eh!
Guest WhoJul 16, 19:22 Midweek 15th July 2026 Itโs a ยฃ300/day bung for life to loyal kapos on the public tab, when even the most corrupt businesses canโt…
moggiemooJul 16, 18:50 Midweek 15th July 2026 I’m so uninterested in the wanker that I don’t even know what his constituency is. What’s more, I don’t care.
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 ๐
Didn’t think anybody was on the Left of Twatsvig.
Ba-doom, kushhh !
๐
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 ๐
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. ๐
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.