The rest of March 2019

At the Lyric Theatre, we enjoyed Liza Pulman Sings Streisand. We have had dinners at the Club – one with Nicky, and one with neighbour Peter. For the most part, I worked on the Introduction for the Sacred Mountain book but have ended up for various reasons pulling out of it. There has also been the People’s Vote Protest on the March Tubilustrium. It was moving almost to the point of tears. That evening, after a supper with Eamonn, we enjoyed the Nonsuch Singers Stabat Mater concert at St. James Paddington. We attended a Heathen ritual the next day near the Museum of London. The following evening at the Senate House, there as the launch of the Open University’s Centre for the Study of Ancient Material Religion. An interesting talk on magic & metaphor and binding curses. At the Saatchi, we enjoyed a talk by the Russian artist Denis Patakeev. The next day was lunch at the Tate Modern with Hilary and Steven and then the lovely Pierre Bonnard exhibit.

A highlight has also been at the Cadogan Hall for the Russian National Philharmonic Orchestra under Vladimir Spivakov for Shostakovich’s Ninth Symphony, Konstantin Boyarsky’s 2015 Concerto for Cello and Soprano (Dali Gutserieva & Ekaterina Lekhine) and Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony and with encores (Sibelius’ Valse Triste and two Shostakovich pieces). Great concert in all.

I have finished reading Donald Spoto’s The Kindness of Strangers: The Life of Tennessee Williams. It’s been depressing and vaguely familiar. For the rest, our Eurostar train is at its Rotterdam stop. Amsterdam is next.

And regarding Brexit, this is what I posted on Facebook, although I could have and should have included both Ireland and the role trade plays in maintaining peace: "My argument has been and still is that (1) because of the inaccuracies if not outright lies that were disseminated in the prelude to the First Referendum, (2) because of the non-clarity of what Brexit was to mean, (3) because of the utter chaos and hopeless negotiations that have ensued since the First Referendum, (4) because I still believe that the UK is a part of Europe and should be part of any decision-making process that involve the EU including its necessary reforms, (5) because the future belongs more to our children and grandchildren, (6) because of the obvious alliance between Trump supporters, Nigel Farage & Brexiters, and (7) because four Parliament votes on the same deal is no more democratic than a People's Vote and Second Referendum, we are morally compelled to know if after three years the voting public has not changed its mind. I urge both Remainers and Leavers to sign the People's Vote Petition so that we may proceed more openly and honestly come what may."