The Sacconi Quartet with Kerem Hasan on piano

Regarded by some of the most prominent classical critics "an exceptional ensemble" and an "outstanding young quartet", The Sacconi Quartet is one of Britain's leading young professional quartets.

In a concert in which they share the bill with up and coming 16-year-old pianist Kerem Hasan, to celebrate the 60th birthday of David Lipsey, a Labour peer, the quartet is sure, once again, to excel.

The concert exemplifies the new trend in classical music where performers are helped by patrons - a return to the days of Handel, Mozart and Haydn. The Sacconi Quartet is supported by a charity of which Vernon Ellis, chairman of the English National Opera, is the prime mover.

Hasan has been supported by Lord Lipsey, who commissioned Firefly by Timothy Salter for Hasan, the first London performance of which forms part of the programme for this birthday concert.

Haydn's Quartet in E Major op.54 no.3, Mozart's wonderful Fantasia and Schumann's Romantic and moving Piano Quintet in E flat complete the programme. As well as Lord Lipsey's friends, the performance is open to the public.

Enjoy this great classical experience on Monday 21st Apr at St. John's, Smith Square, London SW1. 6pm. Adm: £10, conc £8. Info: 0207 222 1061 / www.sjss.org.uk

King Lear

Old King Lear, weary of royal duties, decides to break up his kingdom, divide it among his three daughters and present the largest part to the one who loves him most. His two eldest daughters profess their love extravagantly, but young Cordelia refuses to flatter him. Enraged, he banishes her to France. But the Old King's rash generosity is cruelly repaid. Cast out by his daughters onto a bare heath during a pitiless storm, Lear discovers too late the false values by which he has lived and, devastatingly, the suffering common to all humanity.

King Lear is one of the most far-reaching artistic explorations of the human condition, with its tempestuous poetry shot through with touches of humour and moments of heart-rending simplicity.

David Calder, one of Britain's finest actors, plays the title role, with Sally Bretton as Goneril, Kellie Bright as Regan and Jodie McNee as Cordelia. Rising star Danny Lee Wynter, who recently appeared as Joe in Stephen Poliakoff's films Joe's Palace and Capturing Mary, plays the fool.

Directed by Dominic Dromgoole, this production will unite Jonathan Fensom (designer) and Claire van Kampen (composer) after their stunning production of Love's Labours Lost in 2007.

King Lear, which launches this venues season of Shakespeare's plays, opens on the Bard's birthday and is part of the Totus Mundus theatre season. Other shows includes Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Timon of Athens, and two world premières, The Frontline (by Ché Walker) and Liberty (by Glyn Maxwell) and Footbarn Theatre's Shakespeare Party. Sign Language-interpreted performance are available.

King Lear, by William Shakespeare, is being staged on the Bard's birthday on 23 April to 17 August at Shakespeare's Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT. Sign Language-interpreted performance on Thursday 12 June at 7.30pm, and Audio Described performance - Thursday 19 July at 2pm. Midnight Matinee - Friday 1 August at 12am. Adm: £5 - £33. Info: 0207 902 1400.

A Night At The Chinese Opera

Fourteenth century China: a group of workers gather and act out a play, The Chao Family Orphan.

The action of the play seems to parallel the life of the opera's protagonist, a civil engineer named Chao Lin, who misinterprets it and tries to use it to predict his own destiny. But Fate has a different end in store for Chao, and is not to be outwitted.

Involving a colourful range of characters, including canal workers, explorers, Emperors and even Marco Polo, A Night at the Chinese Opera is a tale within a tale with its tongue firmly in its cheek. In turns comic, melodramatic, farcical and tragic, A Night at the Chinese Opera combines catchy folk melodies with parodies of Chinese and Italian opera to provide an original, distinctive and thoroughly enjoyable night out.

Scottish composer Judith Weir is one of the most original and provocative voices to have emerged in British opera in recent years. This new production of A Night at the Chinese Opera is directed by Lee Blakeley, well known to Scottish Opera audiences for his recent sell-out, touring production of Die Fledermaus, and is the first time Weir's exuberant opera has been staged in Scotland.

A Night At The Chinese Opera is being staged from Friday 11 April 2008 at Theatre Royal, 282 Hope Street, Glasgow, Scotland G2 3QA. Info: 0870 060 6647.

The Tempest

A striking tale of deceit, in a web of treachery, terror and enslavement, The Tempest is full of tense drama for viewers to get caught up in.

Shakespeare's play tells the story of the exiled King of Naples, Prospero, who uses his relatives, servants and enemies in an obsessive, revengeful plot to return home.

The team behind this contemporary production, director Jatinder Verma and designer Claude Mayer, have created an extraordinary, cross-cultural formula for their production that reinvents European theatrical plays. In The Tempest the duo use Asian dramaturgical practices to customise the text of the play.
The Tempest is being shown as part of Tara Studio's 30th anniversary, prior to the studio's national tour. 

The tour commences from 19-21 Sept at the Highlands and Islands Festival in Inverness, 17 Oct at the Gulbernkian Theatre in Canterbury and will continue into 2008, with further dates to be announced.

See The Tempest as they launch a national tour from Tues 9 - 27 January 2008 at The Arts Theatre, 6-7 Great Newport Street, London WC2H 7JB. 7.30pm (Tues - Sat); 4pm on Sundays; 2.30pm on the other days. Adm: £22.50, conc £15, schools & mats £10. Info: 0844 847 1608; (29-30 Jan) The Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton - 01902 321 321; (31 Jan) Aberytwth Arts Centre, Aberytwth - 01970 623 323; (2 Feb) Brewery Arts Centre, Cumbria - 01539 725 133; (5-6 Feb) Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells - 01892 678 678; (8 Feb) Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea - 01792 602 060; (12 Feb) Darlington Arts Centre, Darlington - 01325 486 555; (14 Feb) Buxton Opera House, Derbyshire - 0845 127 2190; (16 Feb) Queens Hall Arts Centre, Hexham - 01434 652 477; (25 Feb - 2 March) The Rose Theatre, Kingston - 0871 230 1552.

By Isatta Kpakiwa

Fri 9 May 08
CELEBRATION AND REMEMBRANCE
Orchestra of Opera North: Walton (Coronation Te Deum), Elgar (Enigma Variations),
John Pickard (Agamemnon's Tomb - world première). Conducted by Martyn Brabbins, with the Huddersfield Choral Society. Venue: Huddersfield Town Hall, UK. 7.30pm. Adm:  £7- £20.50, under 26s £4. Info: 01484 223 200.

Thurs 15 May 08
BEETHOVEN'S 7TH
Mendelssohn (Fair Melusina), Beethoven (Piano Concerto No 2) Beethoven (Symphony No 7).  Conducted by Douglas Boyd, with John Lill (piano), and Guest Orchestra Manchester Camerata. Venue: Dewsbury Town Hall, UK. 7.30pm. Adm:  £6 - £1, (under 26s £4). Info: 01484 223 200.

Tues 3 - 20 Jun
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
When a bankrupt young man borrows money in the cause of true love, he wins the lady but at what cost to his friend? A debt must be paid. Can Shylock be bought off or will they be forced to call in the lawyers? A fresh take on Shakespeare's controversial play. Venue: Bridewell Theatre, Bride Lane, off Fleet Street, London EC4Y 8EQ (travel: tube-Blackfriars on District and Circle Line & St. Paul's on Central Line). 1pm. Adm: £5. Info: 020 7353 3331.

Sun 15 Jun 08 
ORCHESTRA OF OPERA NORTH
Programme to include: Handel (Coronation Anthems) Mozart (Ave Verum Corpus), Bach(Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring). Conducted by SiMon Lindley. With Leeds Parish Church Choir, and the
St Peter's Singers. Venue: Leeds Town Hall, UK. 7.30pm. Info: 0113 224 3801.

Thurs 26 Jun 08
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
Mendelssohn (A Midsummer Night's Dream). Conducted by Richard Farnes. With the Orchestra of Opera North. Venue: Huddersfield Town Hall, UK. 7.30pm. Adm: £7 - £20.50, under 26s £4. Info: 01484 223 200.

Wed 9 Jul
ELYSIAN QUARTET
One of the UK most innovative ensembles and the only British string quartet of its generation to focus exclusively on 20th century, contemporary and experimental music. With Blank Canvas: playing contemporary classical and experimental music; Sean O'Hagan, one of the founding members of the high llamas; Dominic Murcott, who has performed around the world with various artists and Will Dutta, an extremely exciting, versatile and creative pianist. Venue: 93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, London E1 6RU. 7pm - 11pm. Adm: £6 adv / £8 door. Info: 0207 770 6006 / www.93feeteast.com

Every First and Third Monday
KAT ARNEY
Classical music in the bistro. Sunday Driver harpist plays a selection of classical harp music, modern arrangements and her own compositions. Venue: The Spitz, 109 Commercial Street, Old Spitafields, London E1; 8pm & 10pm. Adm: FREE. Info: 0207 392 9032.