Open Mike, finally closed.

Two weeks ago, Mike Carlton, a regular columnist at the Sydney Morning Herald, spent his words on the situation in Gaza. It is hardly surprising: everyone who is anyone is writing about it. Not an hour goes by without my inbox spewing another piece by someone wishing to share their wisdom, experience, insights and knowledge about ‘the situation’.

From Russia, with love.

Sinkovsky is to violin what a duck is to water.

If, like me, you’re not a connoisseur of classical music but an irregular concert goer who can whistle the highlights of  the famous classical pieces, you’ll love Dmitry Sinkovsky. With his tight pony tail, piercing blue eyes and trimmed goatee, he is a consummate performer. In fact, Sinkovsky is a bundle of performers rolled into one: a counter tenor, a violinist and a gyrator. And, incredibly, he managed to turn the Sydney Recital Hall in Angel place, into something of a theatre. Or maybe a circus. It was entertainment of the kind I don’t recall ever seeing in what is a rather drab hall, with superb acoustics. Touring with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, the programme featured works by Vivaldi for the violin. As soon as he takes to the stage one fact becomes clear: Sinkovsky is to violin what a duck is to water.