JANU A monthly selection of forthcoming events recommended by The

Spectator's regular critics

THEATRE

To The Lighthouse, Lyric Hammersmith Studio (081 741 2311), 4 January. Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf? Empty Space has a first stage adaptation touring London's fringe theatres.

As You Like It, Riverside Studios (081 741 2255), 5 January and Albery (071 867 1115), 25th. This is the Shakespeare of the month Riverside has Kelly Hunter and Aber), has the Cheek by Jowl boys in drag.

Ain't Misbehavin, Tricycle (071 328 1000), 9 January. Long-running Broadway celebration of Fats Waller hits Kilburn The Dance of Death, Almeida (071 359 4404), 17 January. John Neville in rare London return for the Strindberg.

Easter, Barbican Pit (071 638 8891), 25 January. Still rarerStrindberg, this one from Stratford and Katie Mitchell. Sheridan Morley

OPERA

Troilus and Cressida, Grand Theatre, Leeds (0532 459351), from 14 January, and visits Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, 30 January and 2 February. Opera North attempts to make the case for Walton's problematic and seldom revived grand opera, loosely based on Chaucer's poem. Judith Howarth and Arthur Davies take the title roles; young lion Matthew Warchus is the somewhat unlikely director; Richard Hickox conducts.

Cosi fan tutte, Royal Opera House (071 304 4000) from 18 January. Covent Garden has Jonathan Miller directing, Giorgio Armani providing some doubtless tasteful costumes, and Evelino Pido conducting. An excellent cast is led by Amanda Roocroft and Susan Graham as the traduced sisters; Thomas Allen sings his first Don Alfonso. Rupert Christiansen

MUSIC

2nd January is the 90th birthday of Sir Michael Tippett, In London the Wigmore Hall is staging a recital of his music for tenor (Martin Hill), piano and guitar; in Birmingham the City of London Sinfonia under Richard Hickox will intermix music by Purcell (who died in 1695 and is a special favourite of Tippett's) and Tippett at the Town Hall. This event will be followed by four others making the same mix of composers, from the Town Hall and Pebble Mill (4th, 9th, 15th) all to be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and presented by Michael Berkeley.

1995 also sees the 70th birthday of Pierre Boulez. To mark this the London Symphony Orchestra will present a series of four concerts this month at the Barbican. On the 19th Boulez will take a Masterclass followed by a concert and he appears as the conductor, amongst others, at the other events on the 22nd, 24th and 26th (both with Jessye Norman) and the 29th.

Peter Phillips

CRAFTS

Byzantium: Treasures of Byzantine Art and Culture from British Collections, British Museum until 23 April. A breathtaking exhibition.

Gold and enamel reliquary-cross

Hot Glass Cold Glass, Contemporary Applied Art, 43 Earlham Street, Covent Garden WC2. 13 January-18 February. Modern glass is fairly expensive but this show includes fine affordable pieces by young makers.

Tanya Harrod

CINEMA

Interview with the Vampire. Tom Cruise takes time off from writing to The Spectator to play the title role. Based on Anne Rice's novel but slightly less homoerotic.

Stargate. Ra The Sun God of Ancient Egypt is alive and well, living in outer space and being played by the dishy transvestite from The Crying Game.

Eat Drink Man Woman. Directed in Mandarin by Ang Lee and sauted in it too probably, this is the story of an old Chinese chef and his three daughters. King Lear in the kitchen. Second most striking title of the month.

Totally Fucked Up. Most striking title of the month Mark Steyn

GARDENS

There are a great number of gardens in this country which are open all year round, and would repay a visit in winter. Lyme Park in

Cheshire, for example, which is a very important garden because of the range of styles it encompasses, will be open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10.30 to 4 p.m. until the end of March, Lyme Park is just west of Disley, near Stockport, on

the A6. Ursula Buchan

EXHIBITIONS

Nicholas Poussin, Royal Academy from 19th. One of France's great masters was born 400 years ago; 00 paintings celebrate the fact.

Impressionism in Britain, Barbican Art Gallery from 19th, Enjoy 200 works which trace the development of Impressionism here.

Guido Morris — A Fine Printer, Tate, St Ives from 21st, Morris (1910-1980) was a leading hand- printer who showed modern forms could be as beautiful as old.

The London Original Print Fair, Royal Academy 5th-8th. Possibly the world's best print fair but for 4 days only.

Dame Elizabeth Frink RA 1930-1993, Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry from 10th. Tribute to the widely

admired sculptor. Giles Anil

DANCE

Royal Ballet, Covent Garden (071 304 4000). Peter PoefteGrisWeliriegh at's 1985

traditionalist's vision of the most enduring of Romantic ballets.

Brucee sLe tah nen easraBtcesnsosjmapeasantm i n ma makes her debut Albrecht on 21's.1twan°u-atryiginir(ilenFe7insgit)e; Lesley Collier takes over the title role on 27 January, ably assisted by wholesome hunk Stuart Cassidy.

English National Ballet, Royal Festival Hall (071 928 8800), 16-21 January. One Tchaikovsky ballet replacing another as ENB packs away Ben Stevenson's serviceable oSJanuary) ft rt huceh ok original Nutcracker (current run ends 14 anniversary. vgaeinn,dsasidwbuaesltniseLdroeswn Raissa

POP MUSIC

Joe JacksonJ2a1c).ksoofnpo(Is-itapmumnkersmith yllo, SopkieningyinCtlihonntsrtanrsur,11 none has had a more frustratinPg°1 patchy career than Jackson, but his most recent, hyper-eclectic album Night Music (Virgin) does hreispaliyvecasrheofwuls asthtoeuntldiohne. Wmoitrheluck, immediately accessible.

Also recommended: Americans Stones Jan 5 - Feb copyists the CroWes (touring, Ireland's latest export the aCranberriesnforcoun(try f (touring, rai fans, Jan 8-12); and, EICamtphiyreM Jan 22)• MarcusBusk Marcus Berlanann