Tim Ashley
@timashash.bsky.social
Writer, critic, gay, likes decadent French, German and Italian literature, can sometimes be found slouching around in leather. I live in Sussex by the sea. #TeamRacine #TeamFlaubert #TeamFranzWerfel
Pinned
Tim Ashley
@timashash.bsky.social
· Aug 25
Still can't quite get over the thrill of finally seeing my Gramophone Collection piece on Debussy's Le martyre de Saint Sébastien in print.
Never deride someone else's phobia. You might find it daft or ridiculous, but please remember that phobias can ruin lives.
November 12, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Never deride someone else's phobia. You might find it daft or ridiculous, but please remember that phobias can ruin lives.
God, how I love Hugo Wolf sometimes. That ability to lay bare a human soul in three minutes. Unique and utterly astonishing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5PB...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5PB...
Wolf - So lasst mich scheinen - Seefried / Werba Salzburg 1957
YouTube video by incontrario motu
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:52 PM
God, how I love Hugo Wolf sometimes. That ability to lay bare a human soul in three minutes. Unique and utterly astonishing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5PB...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5PB...
Having a terrible time with my mobile at the moment, as I've just (yesterday) transferred from pay as you go to a contract and for whatever reason now can't make or receive calls. Doesn't help that I'm completely technophobic and haven't the first clue what I'm doing ...... 😳
November 8, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Having a terrible time with my mobile at the moment, as I've just (yesterday) transferred from pay as you go to a contract and for whatever reason now can't make or receive calls. Doesn't help that I'm completely technophobic and haven't the first clue what I'm doing ...... 😳
Tchaikovsky died on this day in 1893. So here are Patrick Dupond and Marie Claude Pietragalla as Siegfried and Odile In Swan Lake in Paris in 1992. Just astonishing, the pair of them
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ0n...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ0n...
POB 1992 Swan Lake cho Bourmeister Patrick Dupond Marie Claude Pietragalla Oliver Patey
YouTube video by judith booth
www.youtube.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Tchaikovsky died on this day in 1893. So here are Patrick Dupond and Marie Claude Pietragalla as Siegfried and Odile In Swan Lake in Paris in 1992. Just astonishing, the pair of them
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ0n...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ0n...
Gunpowder, treason and plot ........ Some amazing fireworks going on round here. 🎆
November 5, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Gunpowder, treason and plot ........ Some amazing fireworks going on round here. 🎆
Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf was born on this day in 1739. Here's the Sixth (Fifth in some orderings) of his wonderful Symphonies after Ovid's Metamorphoses, The Lycian Peasants Transformed into Frogs. Bohumil Gregor conducts the Prague Chamber Orchestra.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7VN...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7VN...
Carl Dittersdorf - Symphony 6 on Ovid's 'Metamorphoses', Kr.78 'Les paysans changés en grenouilles'
YouTube video by TheOneAndOnlyZeno
www.youtube.com
November 2, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf was born on this day in 1739. Here's the Sixth (Fifth in some orderings) of his wonderful Symphonies after Ovid's Metamorphoses, The Lycian Peasants Transformed into Frogs. Bohumil Gregor conducts the Prague Chamber Orchestra.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7VN...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7VN...
Have just watched the Mia Wasikowska/Michael Fassbender Jane Eyre having not seen it before. God, what a beautiful piece of work, the best version since Joan Fontaine/Orson Welles, maybe the best version ever, I don't know. But it's really wonderful.
November 1, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Have just watched the Mia Wasikowska/Michael Fassbender Jane Eyre having not seen it before. God, what a beautiful piece of work, the best version since Joan Fontaine/Orson Welles, maybe the best version ever, I don't know. But it's really wonderful.
A sinister story's best for Halloween. 🎃 This is Nino Oxilia's wonderful 1917 film Rapsodia Satanica. The score is by Mascagni, his only work for film. For some reason, the music doesn't start until seven or so minutes into the movie.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRdD...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRdD...
"Rapsodia Satanica" (1917) - Full Movie
YouTube video by Movie_Seeker
www.youtube.com
October 31, 2025 at 10:40 AM
A sinister story's best for Halloween. 🎃 This is Nino Oxilia's wonderful 1917 film Rapsodia Satanica. The score is by Mascagni, his only work for film. For some reason, the music doesn't start until seven or so minutes into the movie.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRdD...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRdD...
It's #WorldOperaDay. So here's Leontyne Price singing Madre, pietosa Vergine from Verdi's La forza del destino. It really doesn't get must better than this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8W4...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8W4...
Leontyne Price: Verdi - La Forza del Destino, 'Sono giunta! Madre, pietosa Vergine'
YouTube video by Thewisemonkey9
www.youtube.com
October 25, 2025 at 2:29 PM
It's #WorldOperaDay. So here's Leontyne Price singing Madre, pietosa Vergine from Verdi's La forza del destino. It really doesn't get must better than this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8W4...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8W4...
Johann Strauss II was born on this day 200 years ago. Ljube Welitsch sings O habet Acht, habet Acht vor der KInder der Nacht from Der Zigeunerbaron, with the New York Met Orchestra and Max Rudolf.
www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...
www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...
Der Zigeunerbaron, Act I: O habet acht!
YouTube video by Ljuba Welitsch - Topic
www.youtube.com
October 25, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Johann Strauss II was born on this day 200 years ago. Ljube Welitsch sings O habet Acht, habet Acht vor der KInder der Nacht from Der Zigeunerbaron, with the New York Met Orchestra and Max Rudolf.
www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...
www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...
Franz Liszt was born on this day in 1811. Louis Kentner plays Transcendental Étude No 12, Chasse-neige.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEaD...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEaD...
Louis Kentner plays Liszt "Chasse Neige"
YouTube video by gullivior
www.youtube.com
October 22, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Franz Liszt was born on this day in 1811. Louis Kentner plays Transcendental Étude No 12, Chasse-neige.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEaD...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEaD...
Wagner's Tannhäuser was first performed in Dresden on this day in 1845. This is one of it's great performances, a Met broadcast from 1939, conducted by Erich Leinsdorf, with Kirsten Flagstad, Rose Pauly, Eyvind Laholm, Herbert Janssen and Emmanuel List
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sZr...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sZr...
Tannhäuser 16/12/1939 MetOpera (Flagstad, Laholm, R.Pauly, Janssen, List - Leinsdorf)
YouTube video by MrQwerty88
www.youtube.com
October 19, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Wagner's Tannhäuser was first performed in Dresden on this day in 1845. This is one of it's great performances, a Met broadcast from 1939, conducted by Erich Leinsdorf, with Kirsten Flagstad, Rose Pauly, Eyvind Laholm, Herbert Janssen and Emmanuel List
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sZr...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sZr...
Really saddened to hear the American soprano Roberta Alexander died yesterday at the age of 76. A wonderful Jenufa at Glyndebourne, and Handel's Theodora on disc with Harnoncourt. Here singing Samuel Barber's Sure on This Shining Night. A lovely, lovely artist. RIP
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgsk...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgsk...
Sure On This Shining Night (Samuel Barber) Roberta Alexander
YouTube video by Bronxboy47
www.youtube.com
October 15, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Really saddened to hear the American soprano Roberta Alexander died yesterday at the age of 76. A wonderful Jenufa at Glyndebourne, and Handel's Theodora on disc with Harnoncourt. Here singing Samuel Barber's Sure on This Shining Night. A lovely, lovely artist. RIP
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgsk...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sgsk...
Oh, excellent! Ad Astra is on Film 4 right now. Metaphysical sci-fi at its best, with a great performance from Brad Pitt, as an unhappy astronaut, searching for his father who is (literally) in heaven .......
October 14, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Oh, excellent! Ad Astra is on Film 4 right now. Metaphysical sci-fi at its best, with a great performance from Brad Pitt, as an unhappy astronaut, searching for his father who is (literally) in heaven .......
Trying to buy a train ticket when you temporarily have no debit or credit card, and the ticket office is shut, and the ticket machine that takes cash is broken, is beyond Kafka-esque ....... 😬
October 13, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Trying to buy a train ticket when you temporarily have no debit or credit card, and the ticket office is shut, and the ticket machine that takes cash is broken, is beyond Kafka-esque ....... 😬
Luciano Pavarotti singing A te, o cara from Bellini's I Puritani, with Joan Sutherland, Nikolai Ghiaurov and the LSO conducted by Richard Bonynge. Pavarotti was born on this day, 90 years ago.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMnC...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMnC...
A Te, O Cara - Luciano Pavarotti - I Puritani
YouTube video by strawmonkey22
www.youtube.com
October 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Luciano Pavarotti singing A te, o cara from Bellini's I Puritani, with Joan Sutherland, Nikolai Ghiaurov and the LSO conducted by Richard Bonynge. Pavarotti was born on this day, 90 years ago.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMnC...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMnC...
Joan Sutherland died on this day fifteen years ago. Too many astonishing performances and recordings, really, to choose just one, but her 1965 Semiramide is simply staggering. Here's the Act II duet with Marilyn Horne.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=prKb...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=prKb...
Rossini - Semiramide - Act II Arsace - Semiramide duet - Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne (1965)
YouTube video by vicmanu
www.youtube.com
October 10, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Joan Sutherland died on this day fifteen years ago. Too many astonishing performances and recordings, really, to choose just one, but her 1965 Semiramide is simply staggering. Here's the Act II duet with Marilyn Horne.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=prKb...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=prKb...
Today is World Mental Health Day. So please remember it's ok not to be ok. It's ok to talk about it. And it's ok to ask for help if you're struggling and need it. If I can, you can. And it can save and change your life.
October 10, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Today is World Mental Health Day. So please remember it's ok not to be ok. It's ok to talk about it. And it's ok to ask for help if you're struggling and need it. If I can, you can. And it can save and change your life.
Reposted by Tim Ashley
It helps to be able to spell the country you say only you are competent enough to run.
October 6, 2025 at 2:06 PM
It helps to be able to spell the country you say only you are competent enough to run.
The great Maria Jeritza, creator of Strauss's Ariadne and Empress, and Korngold's Marietta, was born on this day in 1887. Here is some footage - from her only film, Großfürstin Alexandra (1933) - of her singing Pace, pace mio Dio! from Verdi's La forza del destino
www.youtube.com/watch?v=82n-...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=82n-...
Maria Jeritza: Arie der Leonore (La Forza del Destino) 1933
YouTube video by T-JUBE RADIO
www.youtube.com
October 6, 2025 at 3:20 PM
The great Maria Jeritza, creator of Strauss's Ariadne and Empress, and Korngold's Marietta, was born on this day in 1887. Here is some footage - from her only film, Großfürstin Alexandra (1933) - of her singing Pace, pace mio Dio! from Verdi's La forza del destino
www.youtube.com/watch?v=82n-...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=82n-...
Patricia Routledge, in 1987, singing Take Care of This House from Leonard Bernstein's and Alan Jay Lerner's musical 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, which she created on Broadway in 1976. There will never be anyone like her. RIP
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BVC...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BVC...
PATRICIA ROUTLEDGE 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue "Take Care of This House"
YouTube video by aurora spiderwoman
www.youtube.com
October 3, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Patricia Routledge, in 1987, singing Take Care of This House from Leonard Bernstein's and Alan Jay Lerner's musical 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, which she created on Broadway in 1976. There will never be anyone like her. RIP
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BVC...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BVC...
Dmitri Shostakovich was born on this day in 1906, So here's the 1966 Soviet film of Katerina Izmailova (his 1962 revision of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk) directed by Mikhail Shapiro, with a towering performance by Galina Vishnevskaya as Katerina.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A6K...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A6K...
Katerina Izmailova Vishnevskaya Shostakovich 1966
YouTube video by jkircher314
www.youtube.com
September 25, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Dmitri Shostakovich was born on this day in 1906, So here's the 1966 Soviet film of Katerina Izmailova (his 1962 revision of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk) directed by Mikhail Shapiro, with a towering performance by Galina Vishnevskaya as Katerina.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A6K...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A6K...
Gluck's Armide was first performed in Paris on this day in 1777. The great Frida Leider sings Ah! Si la liberté me doit etre ravie in 1929, with John Barbirolli conducting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBNE...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBNE...
"Ah ! Si la liberté". "Armide". Gluck. Frida Leider.
YouTube video by Graham Rankin
www.youtube.com
September 23, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Gluck's Armide was first performed in Paris on this day in 1777. The great Frida Leider sings Ah! Si la liberté me doit etre ravie in 1929, with John Barbirolli conducting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBNE...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBNE...
Vincenzo Bellini died in Paris on this day in 1835. So here's a live performance of Beatrice di Tenda, his most underrated opera, from New York in 1961, conducted by Nicola Rescigno, with Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne, Richard Cassilly and Enzo Sordello.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH-U...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH-U...
Bellini - Beatrice di Tenda - Sutherland, Horne, Cassily, Sordello / Rescigno - N Y, 21 Febr.1961
YouTube video by Vintage Live Classical
www.youtube.com
September 23, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Vincenzo Bellini died in Paris on this day in 1835. So here's a live performance of Beatrice di Tenda, his most underrated opera, from New York in 1961, conducted by Nicola Rescigno, with Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne, Richard Cassilly and Enzo Sordello.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH-U...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH-U...
There are times when I think there is nothing I hate more in the world than getting duvet covers on duvets ........ 😬
September 20, 2025 at 1:59 PM
There are times when I think there is nothing I hate more in the world than getting duvet covers on duvets ........ 😬