A monthly selection of forthcoming events recommended by The Spectator's

regular critics

MUSIC

The Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, from 22 November. One of the themes is 'Romania and the Baltic States', featuring folk music from the former (26 November) and the New Music Ensemble of Vilnius from the latter (25 and 26 November). Box office: 0484 422133.

SYmphony concerts in London include the LSO at the Barbican on 15 November in Isaac Stern's 70th birthday concert playing two Beethoven concertos and on 11 November with Itzhak Perlman Playing the Brahms Violin Concerto; the Philharmonic under Smopoli on 4 November with Lucia Popp singing Mahler's Des klagende Lied and on 30 November it? a performance of Mahler's eighth symphony. Peter Phillips

GARDENS

The garden visiting season may seem to be all but over but one or two adventurous and hospitable souls will be opening their gardens in November for the National Gardens Scheme. In Devon, The Moorings, Rocombe, Uplyme, near Lyme Regis will be open on 4 November (11-5), for visitors to admire the autumn colour of the range of unusual tree species in this three-acre woodland garden. Later in the month (25 November, 12-3) You may see the garden planted for winter interest at Beeches Farm, Buckham Hill, Uckfield, West

Sussex. Ursula Buchan

CINEMA

The London Film Festival runs 8-25 November. Extensive programme Includes new films from the Taviani brothers, from Bertrand Tavernier, Francesco Rosi, Paul Cox and Mike Leigh. Booking from 2 November. Box office 071-928 3232. Daily recorded information 071.633 0274.

The Handmaid's Tale (18). Volker Schlondorff directs Harold Pinter's adaptation of Margaret Atwood's Powerful novel, set in the near future in a repressive and

theocratic America. With Natasha Richardson, Faye Dunaway.

Flat liners (15). Hollywood gothic: a group of medical students stop their hearts, 'die', are resuscitated and come back with varying tales of the after-life. Huge success in US. With Julia Roberts, Kiefer Sutherland. Hilary Mantel

CRAFTS

Lucie Rie and Hans Coper: From the Eagle collection, Shipley Art

Gallery, Prince Consort Road, Gateshead, till 25 November. Lovingly assembled group of pots on show for the first time.

Pierre Cardin: past present future, Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, till 6 January. Witty, exquisite wardrobing.

Design in the Public Service: the Dutch PTT (1920-1990), Design Museum, Butler's Wharf, London SE1, till 6 January. Design, architecture and art commissions by the worthy Dutch Post Office. — lesson to be learnt here!

Tanya Harrod

OPERA

Wexford Festival, till 11 November (053 22144). The rollicking Irish opera jamboree presents Leoncavallo's Zaza, Boieldieu's La Dame Blanche, and Nicholas Maw's comic opera The Rising of the Moon, much admired at its premiere at Glyndebourne in 1970.

Fennimore and Gerda/Gianni Schicchi, Coliseum (071-836 3161), from 7 November. ENO's 20th- century season continues with an odd double bill: Delius's love tragedy, with Sally Burgess and Fiona O'Neill in the title roles, followed by Puccini's brilliant farce. Charles Mackerras conducts.

Christoph von Dohnknyi conducts Fidelio at Covent Garden

Fidelio, Covent Garden (071-240 1066), from 21 November. Another bash at this most problematic of operas in a production, borrowed from Brussels, by Adolf Dresen. Its single greatest asset must be the conductor, Christoph von Dohnanyi; Gabriela Benackova sings the killing role of Leonore. Rupert Christiansen

THEATRE

Bajazet, Almeida (071-359 4104), from 5 November. The excellent French season continues with a version of Racine's play in a translation by Alan Hollinghurst. Strong cast includes Suzanne Bertish and Martin Winner. Peter Eyre directs.

The Shape of the Table, National Theatre (071-928 2033), from 8 November. David Edgar's new

play about recent political events in Eastern Europe. Cast includes Oliver Ford Davies and Stephen Boxer.

The Homecoming, Birmingham Alexandra Theatre (021-633 3325). Peter Hall's Company tours one of Pinter's best known plays with a strong cast that includes Warren Mitchell, Greg Hicks and Cherie Lunghi, 13-17 November.

Kingdom of Desire, National Theatre (071-928 2033), from 14 November. Taiwanese company bring in their visually striking version of Macbeth for four days only. Christopher Edwards

EXHIBITIONS

William McCance, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, till 25 November. Leading Scottish artist from the '20s and former Spectator art critic, to boot.

Emil Nolde: the Unpainted Pictures, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London El. War-time watercolours painted in secret by 'banned' German expressionist.

Whistler in Europe, Hunterian Art Gallery, Glasgow. A major exhibition of work by America's most elegant painter. Giles Auty

DANCE

Siobhan Davies Dance company, Sadlers Wells (071 278 5916), 8-10 November. The premiere of a new work, Different Trains, to a score by Steve Reich.

Rambert Dance Company, Apollo Theatre Oxford (0865 244544), 14- 17 November. The world premiere of a work by leading American post-modern choreographer. Lucinda Childs.

London Contemporary Dance Theatre, Sadlers Wells (071 278 5916), 27 November- 8 December. Premieres of new works by Dan Wagoner and Daniel Katz.

Deirdre McMahon

POP MUSIC

The Beautiful South (touring 15-26 November). Right-on pop characterised by splendid tunes anda total lack of interest in anything remotely fashionable. Such a combination should militate against them reaching number one in the singles chart, but perhaps the fact that it's their least distinctive release to date made the

difference.

Happy Mondays (touring 23-30 November). An oddly quiet month sees the graduation of these psychedelic Manchester popsters to the arena circuit and its accompanying cheques. Floppy hairstyles and gormless expressions compulsory.

Marcus Berkmann