Richard Betts
@ricardaonz.bsky.social
Nasty, brutish and short. Arts columnist NZ Listener, other words elsewhere. Music with a soupçon of politics.
Pinned
Richard Betts
@ricardaonz.bsky.social
· Apr 4
My final word on #A-Haydn-A-Day. Special thanks to @deeplyclassical.bsky.social, @dancingmonk.bsky.social and, of course, our music director, @loveinner.bsky.social. Shout out to everyone else who took part.
Reposted by Richard Betts
First listen to this. (Which also happens to be my first purchase in the Versailles series - thanks, FNAC Lisbon!) Impressed so far. #NowListening
November 7, 2025 at 9:17 PM
First listen to this. (Which also happens to be my first purchase in the Versailles series - thanks, FNAC Lisbon!) Impressed so far. #NowListening
Reposted by Richard Betts
Reposted by Richard Betts
The thing I like particularly about the fact that Isaac Newton invented the catflap is it gives the image of him trying to lay the foundations of classical mechanics but getting distracted by having to let a cat out then in again 40 seconds later and thinking, “Shit, I really need to sort this.”
October 28, 2025 at 8:13 AM
The thing I like particularly about the fact that Isaac Newton invented the catflap is it gives the image of him trying to lay the foundations of classical mechanics but getting distracted by having to let a cat out then in again 40 seconds later and thinking, “Shit, I really need to sort this.”
Reposted by Richard Betts
The SOUNZ Contemporary Award | Te Tohu Auaha category always features artists who take a wonderfully broad range of musical approaches. This year's winner is 'of coral and foam' by Ihlara McIndoe.
October 29, 2025 at 8:54 AM
The SOUNZ Contemporary Award | Te Tohu Auaha category always features artists who take a wonderfully broad range of musical approaches. This year's winner is 'of coral and foam' by Ihlara McIndoe.
Ok, yes, I did have to buy an extra suitcase to hold the CDs I bought while on holiday. And?
October 28, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Ok, yes, I did have to buy an extra suitcase to hold the CDs I bought while on holiday. And?
Reposted by Richard Betts
it is a genuinely viable comms strategy under current settings to pitch policy and have some of the generationally unpopular government ministers responding like this
the opposition should consider announcing a “Luxon Tax” that targets multimillionaires with housing portfolios just to get the boost
the opposition should consider announcing a “Luxon Tax” that targets multimillionaires with housing portfolios just to get the boost
This is literally the best endorsement a tax plan could possibly have 😂😂
October 27, 2025 at 10:07 PM
it is a genuinely viable comms strategy under current settings to pitch policy and have some of the generationally unpopular government ministers responding like this
the opposition should consider announcing a “Luxon Tax” that targets multimillionaires with housing portfolios just to get the boost
the opposition should consider announcing a “Luxon Tax” that targets multimillionaires with housing portfolios just to get the boost
Going on a Bluesky break for a coupla weeks. See you in a bit.
October 6, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Going on a Bluesky break for a coupla weeks. See you in a bit.
Now: art, Seville edition, pt2. #PhilipGlass
October 5, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Now: art, Seville edition, pt2. #PhilipGlass
I'm not saying this result is because we are currently in Seville, but I'm not saying it's not because we're currently in Seville.
October 5, 2025 at 5:22 PM
I'm not saying this result is because we are currently in Seville, but I'm not saying it's not because we're currently in Seville.
The truest thing I've read this week. I may get a tattoo.
I really shouldn't go to the record fair today but what if something amazing happens?
October 4, 2025 at 7:07 AM
The truest thing I've read this week. I may get a tattoo.
Now: art, Seville edition. I love that it's October and Seville is holding an opera festival. Outdoors. #Monteverdi
October 3, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Now: art, Seville edition. I love that it's October and Seville is holding an opera festival. Outdoors. #Monteverdi
😞
RIP Jane Goodall. When I was in school in Kenya she visited our class and gave a long talk. Youth is wasted on the young: I did find her talk interesting but it's only as an adult that I realized what a scientist and activist legend we had talking to us kids.
Jane Goodall, chimpanzee expert and animal rights campaigner, dies age 91 - follow live
The campaigner, a
www.bbc.com
October 1, 2025 at 7:41 PM
😞
I expect @lisasass.bsky.social and @dancingmonk.bsky.social will know more of these composers than I do (just the two for me!), but I'm looking forward to this.
October 1, 2025 at 7:38 PM
I expect @lisasass.bsky.social and @dancingmonk.bsky.social will know more of these composers than I do (just the two for me!), but I'm looking forward to this.
Tbf, Lemonade is more of a banger than The King of Denmark's Galliard.
September 29, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Tbf, Lemonade is more of a banger than The King of Denmark's Galliard.
Oh man, such an important figure.
September 24, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Oh man, such an important figure.
Porto speciality. It's a lot of meat for one sandwich.
September 24, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Porto speciality. It's a lot of meat for one sandwich.
Watching this made me so sad about what we've lost. 😞
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJg1... Look look... Jacinda Ardern is on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Jacinda Ardern - “A Different Kind of Power” | The Daily Show
YouTube video by The Daily Show
www.youtube.com
September 23, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Watching this made me so sad about what we've lost. 😞
Reposted by Richard Betts
Luxon himself handed me the Prime Minister's science prize last year. Let me say this in plain English: he's an idiot for running a govt who budgeted more for AI than for the Marsden fund. any journo reading this can quote me on it #nzpol
September 18, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Luxon himself handed me the Prime Minister's science prize last year. Let me say this in plain English: he's an idiot for running a govt who budgeted more for AI than for the Marsden fund. any journo reading this can quote me on it #nzpol
Reposted by Richard Betts
Oh shit, you can borrow a theremin from the library
September 16, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Oh shit, you can borrow a theremin from the library
Reposted by Richard Betts
Putting it out into the world that I would love to be put in touch with a musicologist knowledgeable in 17thc English Music.
I’m doing a project and I’m interested in the relationship the Separatist Puritans had with music, and what music came with them to the American colonies
Thanks!
I’m doing a project and I’m interested in the relationship the Separatist Puritans had with music, and what music came with them to the American colonies
Thanks!
September 13, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Putting it out into the world that I would love to be put in touch with a musicologist knowledgeable in 17thc English Music.
I’m doing a project and I’m interested in the relationship the Separatist Puritans had with music, and what music came with them to the American colonies
Thanks!
I’m doing a project and I’m interested in the relationship the Separatist Puritans had with music, and what music came with them to the American colonies
Thanks!
@lisasass.bsky.social, @garrt.bsky.social, @mostlyrambling.bsky.social This is not a drill, repeat, this is not drill. The new Lea Desandre/Thomas Dunford/Jupiter album of Dowland and Purcell is out. Been waiting weeks for this. open.spotify.com/album/62WLK8...
Songs of Passion
open.spotify.com
September 12, 2025 at 9:28 AM
@lisasass.bsky.social, @garrt.bsky.social, @mostlyrambling.bsky.social This is not a drill, repeat, this is not drill. The new Lea Desandre/Thomas Dunford/Jupiter album of Dowland and Purcell is out. Been waiting weeks for this. open.spotify.com/album/62WLK8...