16 ★ FTWeekend 22 December/23 December 2018 Critics’ choice

Visual arts JackieWullschlager

Artemisia Gentileschi: discovery in a French private Charles Dickens: Santiago-born, - enlarged sympathy. In Self-portrait collection, “Self-portrait” The Lost Portrait based Francisco Rodriguez: literature Dickens is the National Gallery, London went on display this week. Philip Mould, London fir trees, wild dogs, figures leading exponent; in the Fierce and unyielding in Trafalgar Square could not A Victorian Christmas show skulking along a fence line, a visual arts the field is wide, expression and gesture, she offer a more culturally returning the most lively pair of feet and their shadow, and is celebrated here in turns towards us: a sensitive, resonant Christmas present: portrait of Dickens to public enigmatic imaginary works by a score of diverse finely delineated face bathed an early female self-portrait display for the first time portraits, together form a painters: Pre-Raphaelites in strong light, which also falls whose history makes it a since 1844. In late 1843, wintry narrative cycle. (John Everett Millais’s “My on her hands. One of these #MeToo icon. while writing “AChristmas cookelathamgallery.com First Sermon”), neo- rests on a broken spiked Biography too often Carol” — a privately owned to March 1 classicists (Frederic wheel, the other grasps a dominates discussion of this first edition, and John Leighton’s “Music Lesson”) palm leaf, symbol of victory, formally assured, original Leech’s original illustrations, Souzainthe40s and on to Edwardian which here resembles a painter, but here it counts: are among other festive Grosvenor Gallery, London decadents (Henry Scott paintbrush. Thus Artemisia aged 17, Artemisia, daughter exhibits here — Dickens sat A triple-venue show — the Tuke’s nude boaters “Ruby, Gentileschi depicted herself of Roman painter Orazio for Margaret Gillies for an London exhibition runs Gold and Malachite”). as saint — a halo is just visible Gentileschi, was raped by engaging, sympathetic simultaneously with ones in cityoflondon.gov.uk, to April 28 above her head — and painter Agostino Tassi, employed in portrait described by Goa and New Delhi — in the dramatically cropped, her father’s studio. Orazio Elizabeth Barrett Browning focused on the early, William Kentridge: sculptural “Self-portrait as brought charges and during as showing the writer with energetic work of FN Souza, Thick Time Saint Catherine of the trial Artemisia — not Tassi “the dust and mud of the painter who forged Whitworth Gallery, Manchester Alexandria” (1615-17). — endured thumbscrew humanity about him, Indian modernism, Dancing silhouettes, Caravaggesque in its play of torture, purportedly to ensure notwithstanding those eagle documenting everyday megaphones balancing on a light and shade and violent she was telling the truth. eyes”.The portrait was lost Indian life in a language photographer’s tripod, undercurrent, this is among Tassi, convicted, escaped in Dickens’ lifetime; it derived from Picasso. animations recalling silent the most psychologically punishment; Artemisia surfaced in South Africa last grosvenorgallery.com cinema, flipbooks; compelling self-depictions married and moved to year. The Dickens Museum to January 30 Kentridge’s seductive, in baroque art. Early Florence, where she began a has a fundraising appeal to absurdist immersive Christian martyr Saint stellar career and painted this purchase it. Seen & Heard: Victorian installations evoke Catherine was bound to a picture poignantly drawing philipmould.com, to January 25 Children in the Frame constructivist Russia and spike-studded wheel but attention to her fingers. Guildhall Art Gallery, London cabaret Berlin, and muse on miraculously did not die (she It is only the 20th painting Francisco Rodriguez The Victorian invention of time, relativity, revolutions, was later beheaded). by a woman artist to enter the Cooke Latham Gallery, London childhood as a cultural utopias. Following its 2016 Gentileschi’s Catherine is a National Gallery’s collection; Welcome to this new gallery, construct — of which the London opening, this survivor: determined, it tours next spring, returning just launched in a 19th- Christmas tree, imported original show toured Europe; thoughtful, robust. for a landmark monographic century Battersea warehouse into the UK in the 1830s, Manchester is the final stop. Acquired last year by the Gentileschi show in 2020. Artemisia Gentileschi’s ‘Self-portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria’ (1615-17) with the faux-naive was a part — is one of the whitworth.manchester.ac.uk National Gallery after its nationalgallery.org.uk, to March The National Gallery, London storyboard paintings of era’s great triumphs of to March 3

Pop LudovicHunter-Tilney Jazz Mike Hobart spooky, recounted by eclipsed by television fame from similarly sophisticated The nods to past greats developed the rhythmic Moffat in a spoken word but dates back to the 1990s cloth as the 1946 original by such as Cole and Gaye raise independence and multi- monologue set to piano. when he was making his Nat King Cole, all velvety the danger of superfluity: do timed pulse to fuel pianist “The Fir Tree” is a sinister name as a drag queen in New vocals, swooning strings and their songs really need Cecil Taylor’s expressionist tale of dismemberment York’s nightclub scene — is a polite jazzy murmur in the redoing? But Legend sings fury. But now he strips the and burning that would be now on to his third festive background. The rest of the with warmth and presence, barrage of rolls and splashes even more sinister if its , following 1997’s Ho old chestnuts in the singer’s while the arrangements, down to their essence and protagonist were not a Ho Ho and 2015’s Slay Belles. first foray into holiday music overseen by classic soul they surface only on “TGD”, Aidan Moffat fir tree. Christmas Party opens with have also been reheated revivalist , Andrew Cyrille this album’s single group- and RMHubbert Other songs treat our hero fighting “through A Legendary Christmas with a smooth touch of old- are impeccably assembled. Lebroba improvised track. Ghost Stories for Christmas ghostliness as a metaphor for the snow and the ice” over Columbia school style. There are six new songs ECM The set opens with the Rock Action loneliness or bereavement, the melancholy tinkle of a aaaee Legend casts himself as a among the 14 tracks, going aaaae atmospheric twangs, positive aaaae acutely evoked by lines such synthesiser. But the “Although it’s been said twinkle-eyed crooner from innocuous 1960s soul Drummer Andrew Cyrille sustains and anxious It does not take long for the as “How can absence fill a downbeat mood lasts many times, many ways, serenading co-vocalist pastiche (“Bring Me Love”) distils a lifetime’s experience percussion of Frisell’s festivities to turn sour in room?”.It ends with “The precisely 16 seconds, which Merry Christmas to you,” in “Have to exuberant retro-R&B into sparse thumps, lopsided “Worried Woman”.Smith’s Ghost Stories for Christmas. Recurrence of Dickens”,a is when a crisp house beat John Legend sings. This Yourself a Merry Little (“Merry Merry Christmas”). rolls and pinpoint pings. “Turiya: Alice Coltrane “Another silent night in slow, country music-tinged gets the titular party started. particular festive standard Christmas”,and is joined by The closest we get to Here, they mesh Meditations and Dreams: bleak midwinter, getting ode to Christmas joviality “Hey Sis, It’s Christmas” is has indeed been done many , playing a modernity is “By Christmas declamatory statements Love” follows, a complex drunker, getting skinter”, that treats it as a kind of a gleeful confection of 1980s times and in many ways. It is jaunty harmonica solo, on Eve”,a contemporary piano from Wadada Leo Smith’s structure mixing graphic Aidan Moffat intones in the truce in life’s slog, a moment electro and hip-hop, with “ “What Christmas Means to ballad that finds Legend trumpet and the resonance score, written composition, second track, accompanied for taking account. RuPaul chanting comical (Chestnuts Roasting on an Me” (which Wonder sang on bemoaning a festive parting of Bill Frisell’s guitar into a open interpretation and by RM Hubbert’s thoughtful innuendo and catchphrases. Open Fire)”,which his 1967 album Someday at from his loved one. pulsating, precisely crafted signposted improvisation — guitar-playing. There is more 1980s pastiche performance-rights Christmas). “Purple Otherwise the ambience is soundscape. “I wanted to “a limping rhythm starting The scenario will be in “My Favourite Holiday” — organisation ASCAP has Snowflakes” is a spot on rooted in the 1950s and play rhythms with spaces with a boom-chick” one familiar to those versed in Erasure-style synth-pop this calculated to be the most tribute to Marvin Gaye, 1960s, a vision of Christmas between them”,Cyrille says directive, “west African 6/8 Moffat’s writing: the former time — while “Super Queen” performed yuletide number. sung by Legend in a melting in a more innocent era of on the sleeve notes, referring going into a 7/4 blues member of Scottish band dials the hi-nrg good cheer Legend’s version is cut high voice. consumerist uplift. to his playing behind the shuffle” another. As the piece Arab Strap is a blackly up to maximum. angular trumpet and guitar unfolds, blasts of trumpet humorous chronicler of lives The lifespan of these elegy that climaxes the subside into muted lyricism, that are at an impasse or cheerfully throwaway lengthy set-piece track. But elliptic rhythms fragment becoming undone. But the songs is not intended to he could have been talking into spacious booms and sardonic edge is softened in RuPaul outlast the kind of glittery about his approach to the Frisell references the blues. his Christmas album with Christmas Party jamborees that they are album as a whole. Cyrille’s two compositions Hubbert, the second LP the RuCo, Inc designed to soundtrack. But Cyrille started out playing are equally gripping. The pair have released this year aaaee considering the horrors that snare in his Brooklyn- eight-bar blues “Lebroba” (after Here Lies the Body). It is not just Santa Claus who have been inflicted in the neighbourhood drum and celebrates the trio’s accord “Such Shall You Be” is has made a lot of mileage out name of Christmas novelty bugle corps, quickly with vibrating textures. The a proper ghost story, of Christmas. RuPaul — music, RuPaul’s version is a graduating to jazz and delicate “Pretty Beauty” touching rather than whose music career has been cut above. touring in 1959, aged 20, with features beatific Frisell, cabaret/blues singer Nellie Smith’s muted trumpet and Lutcher. A decade on, he had the swish of brushes.

Theatre,operaanddance Right: John Legend’s Christmas Swan Lake album is rooted Matthew Bourne’s Sixties-set in the 1950s staging (right) gets a major and ’60s makeover and a sizzling swan. AAAAA Left: Aidan Sadler’s Wells, to January 27 Moffat and RM Hubbert The Cane make merry Mark Ravenhill’s complex moral drama tackles a topical debate about remorse and retribution. AAAAE World DavidHonigmann Classical RichardFairman Royal Court, to January 26 The Nutcracker different as Pasolini’s The other world music masses traditional staging, filmed at entertainment. It was a neat Timon of Athens The Royal Ballet has cracked Gospel According To St (the Messe des Savanes from the California Theatre, San idea to have the Prince Kathryn Hunter stars in a The Nutcracker with a magical Matthew and The Singing Nun. Upper Volta, the Misa Criolla José, and now on DVD. recognise his Cinderella by a strong production that offers production. AAAAA Malcolm McDowell’s by the Argentine Ariel At this point it is usual to song she has composed, and an alternative to seasonal Royal House disaffected Mick Travis plays Ramírez, the Misa Flamenca). invoke comparisons with whichthe ugly sisters purloin cheer. AAAAE to January 15 the Sanctus obsessively in Instead they have filled the Mozart, who had composed a for a singing competition, as Swan Theatre, to February 22 Lindsay Anderson’s 1968 other two discs with classical handful of by the this puts music at the centre Summer and Smoke melding of public school pieces from “Maverick Post- time of his 12th birthday. In of the story (and provides a Fiddler on the Roof Tennessee Williams’ tale of a Les Troubadours total institutionality and War Cinema”,a grouping : the elite world of teenage corrective twist to Wagner’s Andy Nyman is a truculent pastor’s daughter is played Du Roi Baudouin urban guerrilla chic, if . . . that takes in everything from Cinderella opera there are misogynist telling of a and tender Tevye in Trevor with heartbreaking clarity. Missa Luba This delightful re-release Powell and Pressburger’s A Opera San José not many more comparisons similar tale in Die Nunn’s joyful and sorrowful AAAAE Él/Cherry Red from Cherry Red gathers Canterbury Tale to Kubrick’s Sony Classical that can be made. Suffice to Meistersinger). We can hear production. AAAAE Duke of York’s, to January 19 aaaae together most if not all of the Eyes Wide Shut. Some of the aaaee say that Deutscher’s which composers Deutscher Menier Chocolate Factory In 1958 a Belgian priest, material from the 1958 pieces here are indelibly Every year we are reminded Cinderella, a full-length likes best, notably Mozart to March 9 Hänsel und Gretel Father Guido Haazen, put recording sessions: the three woven into the fabric of the that Christmas is a time for opera, is innocent and lively, (echoes of Die Zauberflöte), Staging of Humperdinck’s together a choir of 45 boys, extra sacred songs (including films — the Mahler Adagietto children. It is when the kids a tuneful and touching piece Rossini (who also wrote a opera that stays faithful to aged nine to 14, to sing a a lovely version of “Gloria In from Visconti’s Death in go to a show, traditionally a of seasonal family Cinderella opera) and the fairytale (left). AAAEE Catholic Mass in a Luba Excelsis Deo” here as “Mbali Venice, for example, or pantomime, and the theatres Tchaikovsky (his fairytale Royal Opera House style, all call-and-response Kule”), five children’s songs Caruso’s performance of buzz with youthful ballets). Nobody more to December 29 and percussion. The and the full 16 tracks of Puccini’s “O Mimi, Tu Più excitement. It is not often modern is so favoured. resulting album — initially Christmas in the Congo, Non Torni” from La bohème the child that has actually Opera San José’s True West released with seven including a wobbly “Silent in Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo. written the show. production, with Jane Glover Kit Harington stars in Sam traditional songs on side A Night” as “Siku Kuu”. Others are simply pleasant Alma Deutscher, youthful as conductor, is decently Shepard’shaunting Old West- and the six sections of the The first disc, of Les snippets from the Romantic resident of Surrey, England, sung and played. The opera setfamily drama. AAAEE mass on side B — was a Troubadours Du Roi repertoire. So buy this for was 12 when her opera is performed in its fullest Vaudeville Theatre “world music” success before Baudouin, is delightful. the first disc, with its Cinderella had its premiere in version with extra music and to February 23 the genre even had a name. Cherry Red could have sparkling interplay between two years ago. Since new orchestration. The It was deployed in 1960s rounded the set out with the bright ecstatic trebles then it has gone on to further world will not shake at its For full reviews, go to cinema as a signifier of more mid-century Central and the deep log drums productions in Israel and the arrival, but who knows what ft.com/arts globalist cool in films as African choral singing, or and tom-toms. US, including this charming, Alma Deutscher might come next?

DECEMBER 22 2018 Section:Weekend Time: 18/12/2018 - 16:17 User: claire.barron Page Name: WKD16, Part,Page,Edition: WKD, 16, 1