Recommendations

The best night out

The critics

OPERA fl Ritorno di Ulisse Buxton Opera House from 14 July. Annabel Arden of Theatre de Complicite directs a production of Mon- teverdi's marvellously human treatment of the Homeric saga. Paul Daniel conducts, Glenn Winslade sings the homecoming hero. A brave enterprise from the beleagured Buxton Festival. (01298 70395).

Simon Boccanegra Royal Opera House, from 4 July. Bernard Haitink conducts a revival of Elijah Moshinsky's atmospheric production of Verdi's gloomy middle-peri- od masterpiece. (0171 304 4000) Don Giovani. Glyndebourne, from 31 July. Revival of Deborah Warner's love-it- or-hat-it production of Mozart's darkest comedy. Yakov Kreizberg conducts. (01273 813 813). Rupert Christiansen GARDENS

The Hampton Court Flower Show appeals to me partly because its relaxed county show atmosphere means that it is possible to take children, with the reasonable prospect that they will enjoy themselves. The Show runs from 5 to 9 July, from 10 a.m. – 7.30 p.m. (5.30 p.m. on Sunday). Tickets can be booked in advance on 0171 344 4444 (general public), 0171 344 9966 (RHS members), or they are available on the gate. Tickets for the Gala, held on the evening of 4 July, can be booked on 0171 630 5999. Ursula Buchan EXHIBITIONS From London Whether or not one believes that there is such a thing as a 'School of London', this promses to be a good show- ing of the painters generally suspected to be members: Bacon, Freud, Auerbach and Kossoff among them. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, 1 July until 5 September.

Making & Meaning: Turner and The Fight- ing Temeraire. If this lives up to the previ- ous Making & Meaning show — on Michelangelo — it should be a fascinating examination of a painting of irresistable elegaic romanticism. National Gallery, London, 8 July to 1 October.

Dieppe. Long the haunt of painters such as Sickert and his circle — whose works are included — Dieppe is also a favourite sub- ject of Roland Collins whose pictures and delightful book of photographs are the main focus of this show. Michael Parkin Gallery, 11 Motcomb Street, London, SW1, until 7 July. Martin Gayford THEATRE Burning Blue (Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 0171 930 8800). In from the King's Head, D.M.W. Greer's tough, touching, turbulent study of anti-gay prejudice in the US navy today.

Now You Know (Hampstead, 0171 722 9301). Michael Frayn's last West End play folded in a fortnight but he had the grace, unique among dramatists in my experience, to blame himself rather than the critics and this one promises to be a winning return to his classic form.

Taking Sides (Criterion, 0171 369 1747). In from Chichester, Daniel Massey in the performance of his career as Furtwangler trying to get himself de-Nazified having stayed rather too long at Hitler's side.

Ronald Harwood writes, Harold Pinter directs, Michael Pennington is the US inquisitor, but the evening is magnificently Massey's Sheridan Morley CINEMA Arizona Dream (`18', selected cinemas). Director Emir Kusturica trashes everything American. He's from Bosnia, so you're tempted to shrug, 'Well, it's all relative . . . ' what makes it worth watching, though, is the way he gets everything so delightfully wrong. That and Jerry Lewis.

The Brady Bunch Movie (`12', selected cinemas). A more upbeat view of the awfulness of America. In the best of recent TV adaptations, a perky 70s sitcom family gets to grips with the 90s.

Don Juan de Marco (`15', selected cinemas). A cellulite, er, celluloid legend returns. Marlon Brando is in terrible shape and wonderful form as the fattest guy ever to play a sex scene. He deserves an Oscar for Best Score; Faye Dunaway should get one for Best Supporting Actress (Literally) Mark Steyn POP MUSIC Bjork — Post (One Little Indian TPLP 51) If you thought the Icelandic pixie's first album wasn't obvious easy listening, you'll be even more befuddled by this almost frighteningly esoteric follow-up. But banish all doubts, as after the requisite half dozen listens this begins to emerge as a substan- tial piece of work. Totally barking, of course, but you wouldn't want her any other way.

Marcus BerIcrnann CRAFTS

Robert Welch, designer-silversmith, Chel- tenham Art Gallery & Museum till 5 August is well worth a visit and takes in a museum that does great honour to the Arts and Crafts Movement. It is the ideal place for an exhibition celebrating 40 years of Welch's Chipping Campden workshop. Beautiful objects made by hand and machine. Further north the Ruskin Gallery in Sheffield has a permanent display of work by and about the great Victorian sage. Tanya Harrod DANCE

Kirov Ballet: Still a wonderful company, with some fine new dancers. Recommend- ed programmes include a Diaghilev-era triple bill and The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, a theatrical Soviet extrava- ganza. 10 July – 12 August, London Colise- um (0171 632 8300).

Royal Ballet: Darcey Bussell dances her first (London) Giselle, 26 July and Sarah Wildor makes her delayed debut in Ash- ton's' Daphnis and Chloe, 27 July. Royal Opera House (0171 304 4000).

Jann Pany