AGENDA
Glasgow's already impressive rep- utation as a centre of rnusrcal excel- lence rs set to be considerably enhanced by BBC Music Live, a srx day celebration of mUSrcal diversity which will rock the City at the end of May.
All the genres, from pop to dance to claSSrcal to Jazz, wrll be well repre- sented by the event which Will take over the streets and venues of the city for 100 performances in the last SIX days of May. Performances by Ray Charles (Clyde Auditorium, Wed 26), Texas (Barrowland, Sun 30) and Chaka Khan (Clyde Auditorium, lvlon 31) are set to be among the highest profile performances. The main talking pOInt, however, c0uld well be the announce- ment that Top Of The Pops will be broadcast Jomtly from London and Glasgow — a unique moment in its three decades on air. Those wanting to be part of the Top Of The Pops audience on 27 May should keep reading The List for details or call the official information line on 0845 309
Studio in Argyle Street or the SECC.
9899. Tickets for all events can be booked by calling the Ticket Centre direct On Oldl 287 5000 or in person through box offices at the Ticket Centre, Candlerrggs, the Festival
'There's a theory that before nationhood comes a period of cultural renarssance,’ says BBC Music. Lrve's director, Bill Morris, placing the event in the context of the forthcoming elections to the Scottish Parliament 'Certarnly, it was very clear that we had to come to Glasgow The range of venues is just phenomenal, and Glaswegians have a history of coming out to support music making That and the fact that the BBC is already a major cultural player in Scotland, makes
BBB sets Glasgow rocking
Tex in the city: Sharleen Spiteri and Texas play BBC Music Live
Glasgow an obvious place to host this ' As well as the high profile performances by commercial giants like Texas, more emergent talent will be showcased at
BBC Music Live On the rock and pop front, look out for
’Peter Rossi
Barcelona bound: Philip Howard
The List can exclusively reveal one of the major theatrical events of this year’s Edinburgh International Festival will be a iomt presentation of new work by Scottish writer David Grerg
20 THE LIST 18 Mar—l Apr l999
estival pays homageto Catalonia
and the Barcelona-based Llursa Cunrlle
to form the Caledonia/Ca:a/onia protect.
The two plays Grerg‘s The Speco/ator and h.s Catalan
counterpart's The i‘t/ieetriig are both Traverse Theatre product:ons, but will be performed first at the Grec Festival in Barcelona before being recast With English speaking actors for the Edinburgh dates at the Royal Lyceum AltliOugh commissioned Jointly, the pieces in question exist independently of each other, as director Philip Howard explained during a break from learning Catalan: ’The writers met when we were trying to get the whole thing together, although it’s fair to say their plays are very different,’ he said. ’They were given a very broad theme, which was to reflect the parallel cultural emergence and strength of Scotland and Catalonia.’
Different the reSLrlting efforts may be, but Howard feels that they share a certain continental sensibility. 'Davrd's play rs set in 18th century Paris and has a huge panoply of historical characters,
performances by ldlewrld (The Garage, lvlon Si r, Add N To iX) (Cottrer Theatre, Thu 27>, The Delgados rGlasgcn-J School Of Art, Wed 26" and Travis (The Garage, Thu 27¢ Dance fans will be intrigued to hear about a DJ set iron: Fabio and Grooverrder (Glasgow School Of Art, Frr 28>, as well as a live link up with Paul Oakenfold and Pete Tong as they perform at the Horrielands danc e festival 'The Tunnel, Sat 29“
and lots of jokes about national rdentrty it's tei'y European .n terms of setting anu subject matter, whereas Llursa s is European in. terms :if "feel" -- reminiscent of lanesco Dario Fo'
with tl‘e tulttrral cross-
?ertr’rsatzon, Howard ant: Catalan
in keeping
director Xd‘.'l(‘.' Alberti ‘.'.r.l 4:1}: rt each otiiei's prettier tongue rte-t the titrin deal, or iztner the exciting
challenge, of fzrst ‘.'.'(le§'l‘.(} on the plays Hi the language ; don't speak,' adds Hi)‘.‘.rdr'(l
Other shows set to cause a stampede for tickets include Tom lxturphy's highly regarded iirsh drama The t‘v’ake, a production by Dublin's Abbey Theatre which plays at the King‘s For opera lovers, the most intrigurnc: proposition rs at the Playhouse, where Saburo Teshrgawai'a {ll'(.‘(lS an maental cast in Puccini's Turarrdo! The Festival will also feature a major retrospectt'e of the work of Swedish c'hcireographer Mats Ek, with three pieces by Ctrllberg Ballet (Roll Fiaser'r
if}: Public booking for the HF opens on Sat l7 Apr
The Scottish Inquisition
Questions you don’t expect. This issue: Katrina Brown, Curator of Dundee Contemporary Arts Tabloid or Broadsheet?
Broadsheet — especially The Guardian on Tuesday (art) and Friday (film).
First arts related job?
Interpreting for some French artists who were exhibiting at Tramway in 1990.
Career highlight?
Rather inevitably in New York a couple of years ago, when I met Matt tvlullrcan, an artist whose work I love, over dinner in a Chinese restaurant. We had the best conversation about the work and many other things.
The award for a Lifetime contribution to Scottish Culture goes to . . .
No one individual, but I would like to honour the Committees of TransmiSSIon Gallery in Glasgow. They’ve done a lot to put Scotland on an international platform in the visual arts.
Name a work of art you cannot live without.
I work every day with an image by my desk of a piece by Christine Borland, hand—painted porcelain skulls. It’s one of the most beautiful and unsettling works I've ever seen. I appreciate living with the image, let alone the work itself Also Ed Ruscha’s drawings and Felix Gonzallez-Torres’ work in general. Where would you spend your last night before exile?
The Rogano in Glasgow, with a bunch of great friends, lots of margaritas, champagne and a Cunning plan for my elrcrt return.
What motion would you make as an MSP?
The establishment of a Ministry of Culture within the Scottish Executive. Top Scot of the new Millennium? Hopefully, someone none of us knows vet.
. What should be in the Millennium
dome? NOTHING - except perhaps some beautiful big leather bean bags. The funfarr should be outSide. (Compiled by Rob Fraser)