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

regular critics

EXHIBITIONS

Tony Bevan, Whitechapel Art Gallery, El. Described inevitably as `one of the leading British painters of his generation' in gallery blurb. See if you agree.

Chelsea Harbour Sculpture 93, Chelsea Harbour, SW10, from 14 June. One of the largest open-air sculpture shows ever held here. Well worth a look.

South Bank Photo Show, Royal Festival Hall, from 4 June. Top entries to annual competition for Londoners. This year's testing theme is 'Earth'.

BP Portrait Award 1993, National Portrait Gallery, from 4 June. See best 63 chosen from 787 entries this year. Who says portrait painting is dead? Giles Auty

OPERA

Eugene Onegin, New Theatre, Cardiff (0222 394844), 2, 5 June. Tchaikovsky's most popular opera romanticises Pushkin's original, but rarely fails to move an audience. Howard Davies's new production will be conducted by Carlo Rizzi. An exciting young soprano, Rosalind Sutherland, sings Tatyana and the dashing Jason Howard, former fireman, takes the title role.

Inquest of Love, London Coliseum (071 836 3161), from 5 June. A new opera by Jonathan Harvey will be the last new production of the ENO's outgoing regime. David Rudkin is the librettist, Linda McLeod and Peter Coleman- Wright take leading roles.

The Cunning Little Vixen, Covent Garden (071 240 1066), from 24 June. Janacek's masterpiece, one of the most exhilarating and inspiring operas of the century, is revived under the baton of Bernard Haitink. Bill Bryden's production was much admired when first seen in 1991; this time the cast is led by Lillian Watson in the title role and hotshot baritone Anthony Michaels-Moore as her antagonist the Forester. Rupert Christiansen

DANCE

Royal Ballet, Covent Garden (071 240 1911), 4-10 June. Last performances of the season are devoted to a triple bill consisting of Balanchine's The Prodigal Son, with Irek Mukhamedov and Tetsuya Kumakawa sharing the title role, a new production of Glen Tetley's La Ronde and a revival of Ninette de Valois's menacing Checkmate, her 1937 work set to Arthur Bliss's powerful score.

Kirov Ballet, London Coliseum (071 836 3161), from 29 June. Opening with Lavrovsky's seminal Romeo and Juliet — Nina Ananiashvili guesting as Juliet which then joins La Bayadere, Le Corsaire, Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake for the usual repertory-in- rotation for the next five weeks, Familiar Kirov faces on this visit include Faroukh Ruzimatov, Olga Chenchikova and Larissa Lezhnina.

Sophie Constanti

CRAVES

Starck, Design Museum, SEI, from 17 June. Prolific Frenchman Philippe Starck: a chance to decide if he is a designer or a mere stylist.

On the Edge: Art Meets Craft, Crafts Council, 44a Pentonville Road, Ni. Work by craftsmen and women that might/can/should be regarded as sculpture. An attempt to defy old hierarchies.

'Block Eleven —A Step in the Right Direction', 1992, by Robert Marsden Form and Function, Contemporary Applied Arts, WC2, till 26 June. Fine tableware. Indulge in creative patronage — commission a remarkable dinner service.

The International Ceramics Fair , Park Lane Hotel, WI, 11-14 June. The ultimate event for collectors of ceramics, together with a series of scholarly lectures. Tanya Harrod

POP MUSIC

Fleadh Festival, Finsbury Park, 12 June. Tempting line-up — Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, The Pogues, Hothouse Flowers, Mary Coughlan, John Martyn and Kirsty MacColl amongst others — for London's best and invariably wettest outdoor gig of the year. Probability of freak tornado on the day = 98 per cent.

Also recommended: the bizarrely resuscitated Velvet Underground, Forum, 5 June, Wembley Arena, 6 June; The The, Academy Brixton, 5 June; Lenny Kravitz, Brixton Academy, 27, 28 June; Chris Isaak, Wolverhampton Civic Hall, 27 June, Manchester Apollo, 28 June, London Hammersmith Apollo, 29 June; Clannad, Royal Albert Hall, 28, 29 June. Marcus Berkmann

THEATRE

Sweeney Todd, Cottesloe (071 928 2252), 2 June. First small-stage London revival of Stephen Sondheim's classic demon-barber musical: guess who's coming to dinner in meat pies. Alan Armstrong, Julia McKenzie star, Translations, Donmar Warehouse (071 867 1150), 9 June. Brian Friel's masterly study of the linguistic and actual English occupation of Ireland last century.

Lysistrata, Old Vic (071 928 7616), 14 June. Geraldine James in feminist Aristophanes for Peter Hall.

Sunset Boulevard, Adelphi (071 836 7611), 29 June. Lloyd Webber's latest: book by Christopher Hampton, lyrics by Don Black, Gloria Swanson by Patti Lupone.

Oleanna, Royal Court (071 730 1745), 30 June. David Mamet's sharp satire on American political- correctness hazards. David Suchet and Lia Williams star for Harold Pinter. Sheridan Morley

GARDENS

June is the month when we go looking for rose gardens or, at the very least, gardens which can boast a great many roses. There are plenty of these about: Mottisfont, near Romsey, Hampshire, the National Trust's showcase of old- fashioned roses; Sudeley Castle, near Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, with a fine rose garden dating from 1988 but in the traditional style; the Rose Garden at Warwick Castle, a recreation of one laid out there in Victorian times; and the House of Pitmuies, at Guthrie near Forfar in

Tayside. Ursula Buchan

MUSIC

The Bath Festival continues this month with the Bournemouth SO under Hickox in Wells Cathedral (Holloway, Schumann and Mahler, 2 June); the Borodin String Quartet in the Assembly Rooms (Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and Brahms, 3 June); Alfred Brendel in the Forum (Beethoven, 4 June) and Gothic Voices in St John's South Parade (Machaut and his contemporaries, 6 June). The Aldeburgh Festival runs from 11 to 27 June, starting with Britten's least-heard opera, Owen Wingrave:_ Fans of Gorecki's Third SymphonY will have the rare opportunity to hear it in the presence of the composer this month on 7 and 8 June at the Barbican. The London Sinfoniena will be joined by Dawn Upshaw and conducted by Paul Daniel. The programme will also include Gorecki's Three Pieces in Old Style and his Harpsichord Concerto. Peter Phillips

CINEMA

Les Nuits fauves (Savage Nights). (18) is based on the novel by CYed Collard, who also stars and directs. Collard was one of the first writers in France to talk about catching the HIV virus.

The Vanishing (15) is a Hollywo:4 remake, plus happy ending, of Spoorlos, the far superior 1988 Danish-French thriller. The nevi version stars Jeff Bridges, Kiefer

Sutherland and Nancy Travis.

Vanessa hells