Classical Pride review — queer composers, a drag queen and the LSO
The audience indeed leapt into applause before this had finished, possibly keen to move the concert on toward something more user-friendly. But even if Benjamin's crystalline undulations wouldn't have been everyone's cup of tea, it was easy to appreciate that the countertenor Cameron Shahbazi was a superb singer; that the LSO, conducted by Classical Pride's founder Oliver Zeffman, was being very refined; and that the voices of Tenebrae added their own magic, weaving and wafting in the background.
•
Nothing stayed in the background, of course, with the powerful American mezzo Jamie Barton, famous waver of the Pride rainbow flag at the Last Night of the Proms in 2019. Each of her three numbers, nonetheless, struck a different musical note. First came the premiere of a commissioned song from fellow American Jake Heggie, forming the third in his cycle Good Morning, Beauty, exploring a love relationship's evolution over time. Written in dramatic cabaret style, Or Am I in a Rut (words by Taylor Mac) made an immediate impact. So, in the operatic vein, did an aria from Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila, even though Barton's urgent delivery finally became more shrill than winning. No miscalculation, happily, disturbed her sensitive account of Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz.
What else? There was Jennifer Higdon's blue cathedral, a reflective and ultimately uplifting tone poem, triggered by the death of Higdon's younger brother, although the best LSO showcase remained the Swan Lake suite, dashingly conducted by Zeffman, with some gorgeous harp finery from Bryn Lewis. I should note as well the early evening half-hour song recital that usefully paraded talented young artistes (soprano Harriet Burns, baritone Jonathan Eyers, pianist/composer Edward Picton-Turbervill), but also reminded us that the shape and acoustic of a sparsely filled Barbican Hall make clearly hearing the words being sung close to mission impossible.
★★★★☆
Barbican, London
@timesculture
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
35 minutes ago
- Times
The brothers from Bolton who've made £120m dressing pop stars
I know I have arrived at the right industrial estate near Bolton when I clock the cars. They are parked next to each other, a humdinger of a Roller and an even larger Bentley, with matching his 'n' his personalised number plates. The letters on those plates make it clear that the cars belong to the Heaton brothers, Mike and George, who founded their clothing brand Represent 14 years ago in their parents' old garden shed a few minutes up the road. The shed (and house) where it all began is now owned by a 'massive Represent fan', George says. 'I think he hopes that if his sons work in that shed they will have the same luck we did.' Mike is now 34, George is now 32 and Represent is now a phenomenon. You may not have heard of it but every teenage and twentysomething male I have spoken to has. In May the pair appeared at No 31 in The Sunday Times's 40 Under 40 Rich List with a combined fortune of £122 million. Celebrity fans include Justin Bieber, Dua Lipa and Kim Kardashian, plus a gentleman who goes by the name of Bad Bunny. The brand only just missed its stated ambition of a £100 million turnover in the last financial year by a squeak. They are fine with that, they claim. 'It was a very lofty ambition,' George says. 'We pushed and we pushed. Our aim now is to get to £250 million in the next three to five years.' Mike nods. 'If we can crack America the market's seven times the size of the UK.' Represent opened boutiques in Los Angeles and Manchester (in that order) last year, and will open in London on July 12. A sweatshirt starts at £130, though the more expensive items — many of which feature the kind of line drawings Mike was doing while studying graphic design at the University of Salford when the pair decided to launch their own brand — can be more pricey. Still, theirs is, George insists, 'An attainable price point. Not cheap, but not too expensive for the everyday lad.' Or indeed lass. They branched out into womenswear in February. As you can probably tell, George is the Heaton who has more to say for himself. Yet even he — for someone whose look-at-me Los Angeles house and car collection, plus even more look-at-me musculature, is all over Instagram — is surprisingly softly spoken. Neither of them come across as a C-suite cliché. 'That's not for us,' George says. 'We have always been like this. I think it would be exhausting to try to be any other way.' Mike — who seems verging on shy — tells me he doesn't use his upstairs office much 'as I don't like to have to make people come up here'. Theirs is an unusual combination of something that is akin to reticence with so much inner fire you can almost smell it. They both use the word 'grafting' several times during our conversation. The Heatons may be the second-most famous brothers to have come out of Greater Manchester but they couldn't be more different from the first, those ever-sparring Gallaghers. With whom, as it so happens, Represent is collaborating, producing merchandise for this summer's Oasis reunion. But I still have to ask: who is Noel and who is Liam in their relationship? Their answer says it all. Mike: 'Ha! That's a good question.' George: 'Even though Liam was the frontman, I think Noel was more of the …' Mike: '… He was the brains, weren't he?' George: 'Yeah, yeah.' Mike: 'Maybe I am Noel and you are Liam!' George: 'I'll have either!' They both chortle. There's clearly no power struggle here. Represent sells a slightly Californian take on streetwear that was first inspired by the Heatons' teenage love of skateboarding and vintage band T-shirts. Growing up in the Noughties, they were anomalies in their area with their long hair, baggy jeans and the wooden skate ramp their dad — who ran a business converting minibuses for disabled users and also chauffeured vintage Rolls-Royces at weddings — built for them in the back garden. 'We always looked to the States,' Mike says. 'We just didn't fit in around here,' George says. 'We started out simply creating clothes that we wanted to wear.' • Stars out for Max Mara show that offers light touch in the heat 'You were either a mosher or a chav,' Mike says. A mosher? 'You had long hair and skated, and were maybe a bit greasy and a bit of a weirdo.' Their brand's broad appeal today tracks a wider shift: the transformation of skateboarding — and the sartorial bagginess, not to mention grunginess, that went with it — from mosher to mainstream, from counterculture to what dads do with their daughters at the weekend. Just one of the things Represent does well is create faux vintage gear that somehow looks just the right amount of knackered and also as if it smells of fabric softener. Today both brothers are sporting faded black sweatshirts that are — if you are the sort of person who is into faded black sweatshirts, and lots of people are — nothing less than perfect. In this their success tracks a second cultural shift. Not only has mere 'second-hand' become 'vintage', but 'vintage' — the right sort of vintage — is now such a status symbol as to be faked. Mike tells me they think nothing of spending $2,000 on an original tee from one of Los Angeles' bouji vintage stores to use as inspiration. What on earth makes a second-hand T-shirt worth that much money? 'The way it's been worn, the distressing,' he says. • Brad's midlife crisis wardrobe 'We're the best in the world at creating new versions of vintage products,' George says. 'I've never come across another brand that's been able to replicate a vintage tee like we do.' Business really started to fly when the brothers started sharing their lives on social media. 'It took us three years to put one YouTube video out,' George says with a laugh. 'Just because, like, filming yourself, you think, 'What will other other people perceive me as? Am I cool enough to match how cool the brand is?' But people just started loving it and it became a thing and, yeah, we like to do it.' What's become important to them, George continues, is 'that we kind of position ourselves as motivational rather than just, you know, like a rapper would. They just show off everything they do and buy. Whereas our position is, we get up, we train, we work, we sleep.' • 40 richest people under 40 in the UK Not that they are, as discussed, entirely without the rapper accoutrements. They are both wearing a gold and diamond Rolex the size of a sundial today, for example, though they tell me they were inherited from their father and grandfather respectively. (There's clearly more money in minibuses than one might think.) They also concede, laughing, that the further back one delves into their social media, the more rapper it gets — the more 'chunky chains' there are, for example. 'Mike was wearing a chain once and went into the sun and then the pattern was burnt into his neck,' George says. 'Yeah,' Mike says with a chuckle, delighted. 'Yeah.' Given how relentlessly on-brand their social media profiles are, what do they have in their lives that isn't? 'I always wanted an English bull terrier,' George says, 'and we've always used them in shoots. I always had this vision of driving around LA in a vintage Rolls with the top down and an English bull terrier hanging out. Instead I ended up with a goldendoodle.' He does, needless to say, have the vintage Rolls over in LA, where he now lives for much of the year, as well as the new one in the car park outside. There is also a Range Rover in California 'for everyday'. Aside from the clothes themselves, it's the Heatons' take on 21st bro-dom that is a big part of their appeal. What goes down in the weights room seems to have become more important than what goes down at the skate park in the world of Represent, which now includes a fitness-focused line called 247. At their HQ the gym takes up almost as much space as the office. When I visit mid-afternoon there are just a couple of people in there — one of them Mike's girlfriend — pumping impressive amounts of iron. They run classes every morning, the women's at 6am, the men's at 7am, as well as at lunchtime. It seems a bit unfair that the women have to get up earlier if they want to do the morning class, I say. 'It was the result of a vote,' George says. 'The women wanted more time to get ready after.' George is the most impressive in the gym, volunteers the ever-generous Mike. 'He has got the best bench press in the office.' Mike's forte is apparently 'the GHD'. The GHD? 'The glutes and hamstring developer. Though I did manage to get myself a hernia off it.' So more of a glutes and hernia developer, then? They guffaw. • We surfed the West Coast wave when our designs hit the streets George moved to Los Angeles just before they opened their store there, the better to, as he puts it, 'bring people on the journey with us, the Brit in LA'. This has become an established path among youth-targeting British brands. Conna Walker of the bodycon-fuelled House of CB is another thirtysomething founder who spends part of her year there and makes sure to post regularly to tell us about it. It seems remarkable that Represent, a business that had its foundations in selling a particular take on the American dream — a grungy, long-haired take — to the British, should now be selling it back to America. Forget coals to Newcastle, think hoodies to West Hollywood. But what's even more remarkable is that two brothers with no backers and no connections have gained such ground in an arena that should theoretically be locked down by the vast marketing spends and real estate — whether concrete or digital — of established brands such as Nike and Adidas. Not that Represent is entirely anomalous. Castore, founded by two more brothers, Tom and Phil Beahon, aged 35 and 32 respectively, from just down the road in Liverpool, are at No 14 on the 40 Under 40 rich list, with a combined fortune of £350 million. Social media has been one enabler but so too has the fact that Represent — and the two men behind it — seems real, authentic and at times downright quirky, what with those tattoo-adjacent graphics of Mike's, plus that love they inherited from their father of all things Rolls. This manifests not only in George's car collection (not to mention, he tells me, in his tattoo collection) but also in one of their most popular logos. 'It's called Represent Owners' Club,' Mike says, 'and it was inspired by the Rolls-Royce owners' club. Our dad would get the magazine when we were growing up. It made you feel a part of something.' 'We have used a lot of what Rolls does as inspiration,' George says. 'The way they built that brand, we're obsessed. How they talk about the cars is how we talk about the clothes.' Next stop £250 million. I'd put money on it.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Food lovers, this one's for you! Snap up an exclusive 40% saving on National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival tickets
Tired of scrolling past yet another soggy salad on your feed? Swap the doomscroll for a forkful of inspiration at this summer's National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival, returning to London with its biggest line-up yet. And thanks to MailOnline's exclusive flash sale, you can taste the world for less — but only if you move fast. Save 40% — how to claim From 8am on Monday 7 July until 11.59pm on Wednesday 9 July, MailOnline readers can save 40% on general admission tickets. Simply head to the festival booking page and enter the code that matches your preferred day at checkout: Day: Full price Flash-sale code Your price* Saturday 19 July £25 NGTSAT40 £15 Sunday 20 July £25 NGTSUN40 £15 *Discount applies to standard adult admission only. Offer strictly available during the flash sale window. Tickets are limited and once they're gone, they're gone — so set a reminder, gather your fellow food lovers and lock in those savings before they're gone. Star chefs you won't want to miss The 2025 festival welcomes an impressive roster of culinary talents: • Yotam Ottolenghi makes his long-awaited festival debut on the Main Stage, promising vibrant Mediterranean flavours and plenty of crowd-pleasing tips. • Andi Oliver, TV presenter and champion of Caribbean cuisine, returns for her fourth appearance to headline Sunday's programme. Expect punchy spices, infectious energy and stories that will have you booking your next island escape. • Asma Khan, renowned for her authentic Indian cuisine and storytelling through food, showcases recipes from her newest cookbook, Monsoon. • Karan Gokani, founder of Hoppers, brings his unique blend of South Asian flavours inspired by India and Sri Lanka. • José Pizarro, the king of Spanish food in the UK, shares his passion for Iberian cuisine and storytelling. • Clodagh McKenna, Irish chef and TV favourite, brings seasonal recipes to life. • Dina Macki, cookbook author and chef, celebrates Omani flavours with dishes like salmon, tamarind and aubergine curry. • Jeremy Pang, wok master and crowd favourite from the School of Wok, offers a taste of Hong Kong with dishes like wonton braised noodles and dry-fried green beans with pork mince. They'll be joined by a who's who of global gastronomy, including cookbook authors, wine experts and travel insiders. More than a tasting ticket Two flavour-packed days at the Business Design Centre will bring you: • Live demos: Bag a front row seat as chefs plate up signature dishes, share trade secrets and take audience questions. • Tasting workshops: Hone your palate at expert-led sessions covering everything from British farmhouse cheese to Georgian qvevri wines and Caribbean cocktails. • Speakers' Corner: Hear food writers, photographers and adventurers unpack the culture behind each bite. • Marketplace & street food: Stock up on artisan goodies and graze your way around the globe without leaving N1. • Photo clinics & masterclasses: Learn to capture edible works of art (before devouring them). Whether you're a seasoned supper-clubber, budding chef or just love a good free sample, there's something to satisfy every appetite. Plan your visit • Venue: Business Design Centre, 52 Upper St, Islington — just a five-minute walk from Angel Tube. • Getting there: Victoria, Northern and Overground lines are all nearby; there are plenty of bus routes and cycle racks. • Accessibility: Step-free access throughout; companion tickets available on request. Why book now? Secure your slot during the 48-hour 40% discount window and you'll: • Save £10 on every ticket. • Beat the inevitable last-minute sell-out. • Free up cash for an extra session — truffle-tasting, anyone? How to redeem • Visit the official ticket portal (link below). • Enter NGTSAT40 or NGTSUN60 in the Promo Code box. • Choose General Admission for your chosen day. • Check out and start counting down the days until your food adventure. Book tickets here (codes valid 7-9 July only). MailOnline may earn commission on sales generated from this article, but this never influences our editorial independence. Prices and availability are correct at time of publication. Flash-sale discount applies to adult general-admission tickets purchased between 08:00 BST on 7 July 2025 and 23:59 BST on 9 July 2025. Tickets are sold subject to the festival's terms and conditions. For full FAQs, visit the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival website. Bags packed? Appetite primed? With a 40% saving, the hardest part will be waiting until the gates open on 19 July. See you at the Main Stage!
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Lena Dunham on fatphobia, dating advice and her new London rom-com Too Much
Lena Dunham is almost synonymous with New York City. The US actress, writer and director rose to fame with her award-winning semi-autobiographical series Girls, which followed four 20-something women as they navigated love, life and friendship in the Big Apple. But her latest project - a Netflix rom-com loosely based on her life over the last few years - is set on the other side of the Much follows Jessica (Megan Stalter), who moves from New York to London after breaking up with her boyfriend, and falls in love with punk musician Felix (Will Sharpe). Just as Dunham did when she moved to London in 2021, Jessica quickly learns the important things about the UK: everybody loves Paddington, the Jaffa Cake debate is highly contentious (it's definitely a biscuit) and a "housing estate" isn't the sprawling gardens of a lavish manor tells the BBC that while Too Much has "superficial similarities" to her life and is "about 5% autobiographical", she didn't see herself ever playing the show's protagonist in the way she did in Girls. "I didn't consider Jessica to be me - she's inspired by my life but is her own character and was written with Megan in mind," she says. Megan Stalter says Girls "was all about sex and Too Much is about falling in love", which is a similar to how Dunham sees the show. There was also another reason she chose to step away from the spotlight. While filming Girls, in her 20s, Dunham's body was heavily scrutinised and last year, she told the New Yorker she "was not up for having my body dissected again". She explains that body shaming was part of the reason she stepped further behind the camera. "Just being perceived was overwhelming," she says. Dunham has spent the past few years focusing on writing projects that don't centre her as an actor. She believes society has made some strides towards being more body positive, but says the culture we live in is still "so deeply fatphobic, misogynistic, racist and ageist and that informs our dynamic with our body". The 39-year-old has been vocal about challenges she's faced with her health, particularly her endometriosis, which led her to have a hysterectomy aged 31. Asked how her relationship with her body has changed since then, she says she's developed a new love for how she looks."I've been able to have a relationship with my body that exists outside of the cultural pressures and I feel lucky for that." As well as reflecting on how her self image has changed, Dunham also says she's learned a lot since her 20s. Having been in the spotlight for more than decade, the actress has had her fair share of 2017, she defended Girls writer Murray Miller when he was accused of sexual assault. Dunham later apologised, saying it was "absolutely the wrong time" to share her perspective. Miller vehemently denied the claims and was not charged. She also apologised for a "distasteful joke" she had made on a podcast saying she wished she'd experienced a termination when discussing the US abortion."I thought, back then, it was important to just keep going and be tough no matter what happened," she reflects."I was so focused on work and not letting any of the noise in but I wish I had allowed myself to take more time and space. We all have to acknowledge our own complexities and sensitivities but it's hard to wrap your head around that when you're in your 20s." 'I've felt like I'm too much' Dunham's new 10-episode series stars Hacks actor Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe, best known for playing Ethan Spiller in The White Lotus and films such as A Real 38, says he relates to the challenges his character faces, as "everyone carries baggage from their previous relationship" and feels vulnerable when they enter a new relates to her character too. The 34-year-old says she often "felt like she was too much" in her 20s but with time, has come to be proud of her who she is. Written with Dunham's husband, musician Luis Felber, Too Much focuses on the evolution of one romantic relationship. It's refreshing in its realness - from serious conversations between Jessica and Felix to the fact Jessica's media salary stretches to a housing estate in east London rather than a Bridget Jones-esque flat in Borough Market. I ask Dunham if she has any dating tips for women in their 20s, given she's been through the rollercoaster of trying to find a life partner. She says the concept of dating has changed over the years, and back in the late noughties, it was "considered a last resort or a strange thing to meet someone online".Looking back, Dunham wishes she would have allowed herself to understand what she really wanted rather than just seeing the cultural expectations that were placed on her. "If I was letting myself understand my own desire, my 20s would have looked really different romantically."Too Much is released on Netflix on 10 July.
