Its back to Malta for a couple of weeks, where I have had a penthouse apartment overlooking the marina for over ten years now. I am here to oversee a few minor repairs, and do some yachting, where I was also fortunate to be joined by Uliana, taking a break from her University studies in France. She’s been out with me on yachts before of course, when she was at junior school with her brother in Sri Lanka, we used to go out fishing. Now she’s older so it’s time to introduce her to some more serious sailing.

So, what do you do when mentoring Russian artists, living there part of the year, attending loads of music events, encouraging and composing, only to find that the country is sanctioned, getting too Europe is now expensive and unpopular, concerts there are banned and recording studios are super expensive in Moscow and St.Petersburg?

The brothers Ron and Russell Mael, better known as the now, somewhat belatedly acclaimed ‘pop’ – as in popular – group Sparks, have been having somethings of a renaissance – itself something to wonder at as both men are now well into their seventies. That speaks volumes for the sustainability of the creative muse when many men are happy to drift into retirement, and accept their best years were long ago. But not these Gentlemen. Here is a brief career background – it’s been well covered elsewhere, and their ultimate journey back to referencing their Paternal Mother Russia.  

2024 marks the 75^th anniversary of Russia (previously USSR) and China diplomatic relations, with both countries having played an enormous part in my life over the past 30 plus years, in both business, culture, and romance. To mark the occasion, the Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe of China have developed a new form of ‘acrobatic ballet’ loosely based upon the Swan Lake ballet, but with additional acrobatic routines as part of the performance. It was staged at the Mariinsky Theatre in St.Petersburg, and I was lucky enough to attend. Part an homage to Tchaikovsky, part Chinese Cirque du Soleil, and part just mad, it’s quite the spectacle and an entertaining blend of East and West. I wonder what Mao and Stalin would have made of it. (more…)

Roy Chapman Andrews was a famous explorer and naturalist, who uncovered, as a result of several 1920’s expeditions into the Gobi desert, that dinosaurs laid eggs. He also discovered many new species of dinosaur and helped direct the evolutionary theory that contemporary birds are the evolutionary extension of these prehistoric creatures.

It’s been a glorious spring in Northern Europe this year, a little later than usual however now it has arrived it is absolutely superb. These photos were taken just close to where I live on Lai Street, by the Old Tallinn city walls. These photos show lilac, apple, cherry and horse chestnut blossoms.

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An interesting Nordic classical music concert, “From Ice To Est” at the Tallinn Concert Hall last night, with acclaimed young Icelandic pianist Vikingur Olafsson leading a quartet featuring works by the Estonian composer Arvo Part and Icelandic composers Jon Nordel, Borkell Sigurbjornsson & Snorri Sigfus Birgisson. Some beautiful and often enchanting music, a lot of it reminding me of descriptions of weather and especially rain showers and occasional thunderstorms. Nordic classical music is not so well known, however Estonia has a long and proud musical heritage. It was a real privilege to hear these pieces, which were played,without a break, one after the hour to form a type of symphony. I especially enjoyed the Arvo Part piece, “Peegal Peeglis” for piano and violin.

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A dramatic Mazepa at the Mariinsky last night, in Tchaikovsky’s (via Pushkin) tale of Maria, a girl driven mad by the greed, scheming and conflicts instigated between her Father and Husband. She is the naive victim, only wanting to be loved but instead encountering murder and war. Two intervals, and both much needed to recover and have a stiff drink as her doom marches onto its unrequited conclusion of love and the loss of her redemption. Thought-provoking as much of Tchaikovskys work was – dealing with the cruel hands of fate.

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Prince Igor (Alexander Sergeev) holds aloft a huge sword as he dreams of war. The demon Div (Vasily Tkachenko) looks on in delight

Tischenko’s ballet “Yaroslavna” at the Mariinsky II, a telling of Prince Igor’s campaigns in the east and a warning of demonic influence on men who wage war. Visually stunning, occasionally violent, and musically somewhere between Stravinsky’s “Rite” and a cacophony. Igor’s desire to fight unnecessary wars ultimately results in death and destruction – only the timely intervention of an eclipse saves him. Still, Igor wants war as revenge. Princess Yaroslavna eventually manages to persuade him not too, and the demons fade away – for now. Dramatic and different, and a timely note about today’s political climate. A Mariinsky video about the making of the ballet can be seen here: I found it thrilling, dramatic and a very relevant parable for an increasingly stressed world.

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St.Petersburg is often misnamed “The Venice of the North” – presumably by people who haven’t seen both to compare. Venice is indeed famous for its canals, and it does have those beautiful renaissance era buildings. St.Petersburg’s buildings too were often designed and built by Italian architects, however its canal network, designed in part by Peter the Great, takes more of a stylistic cue from Amsterdam and Manchester than north-eastern Italy.
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