4% February ArtsDiary

Romero (15). The political education—and 1980 assassination — of Oscar Romero, Archbishop of El Salvador.

Two living composers are celebrated in London this month: Robert Ward's award-winning opera The Crucible (1961) is given at the Royal Academy of Music's Opera Theatre on 20,21,23 and 24. Alfred Schnittke, perhaps the foremost living Soviet composer, is featured at the Wigmore on 17th and 20th when the Borodin String Quartet pair his music with that of Shositakovich and in the Barbican on 28th when the Moscow Soloists play his music with Schoenberg's Verklarte Nacht.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra continue their series Strauss: The Arrogant Genius on 151 (with the Four Last Songs and the Suite from Der Rosenkavalier); 7th (Till Eulenspiegel and Second Horn Concerto); 11th (Oboe Concerto and the Alpine Symphony), all in the Royal Festival Hall,

Peter Phillips

GARDENS

February may not be a promising month for gardeners in general hut it is an excellent time for visiting alpine houses in botanic gardens around the country and at the Royal Horticultural Society's

DANCE

Spring Loaded, The Place (387 0031), 6 February-31 March. An eight-week season of contemporary dance, featuring nearly 30 groups. This year's season emphasises new music and has commissioned a number of scores.

Deirdre McMahon

CINEMA

Far North (12). Jessica Lange in a low-key blackish comedy, Sam Shepard's directorial debut, about a Minnesota farming family whose conflicts focus on a delinquent horse. A monthly selection of forthcoming events recommended by The Spectator's regular critics BP Expo 90, the second British and International Festival of Student Film and Video, runs 2-JO February at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith (748 3354).

Hilary Mantel

MUSIC

The BBC Symphony Orchestra under Andrew Davis continue their winter season at the Barbican with two concerts which highlight Scandinavian music: Sibelius's Violin Concerto and Nielsen's Fifth Symphony on 17th; Sibelius's Finlandia and Second Symphony with Nielsen's Fourth on the 24th.

gardens at Wisley. At this time of year, early crocuses, species cyclamen, dwarf narcissi, clionodoxa, bulbous irises, pleiones (terrestrial orchids) and saxifrages will reward the indefatigable garden visitor.

Ursula Buchan

CRAFTS

The Plastics Age: From Modernity to Post-Modernity, V 8z A, 14 February-29 April. Tupperware parties and Barbarella, blow-up chairs and bean bags are just a tiny part of this survey of the chameleon qualities of plastics.

Plastic radio, manufactured by Fada in the USA in the 1930s 6 Crafts on 4, Crafts Council Gallery, till 25 March. Show to accompany Channel 4 series with foolish title Not Pots. Some distinguished makers included— David Drew (baskets), Marianne Straub (textiles), Jim Partridge (wood).

Yemen: The Art of the Master Builders, Zamana, 1 Cromwell Gardens, till 18 March. Stunning Cibachrome images of diversity of Yemeni 'architecture without architects'.

Die Meistersinger. Two new productions of Wagner's comedy,

master of strange indoor lighting Van Dam, Lucia Popp and Robert Schunk conducted by Marek effects could paint convincing Janowski (from 12 February), and

Prehistoric, Anglo-Saxon and Mediaeval Pots, Galerie Besson, 15 Royal Arcade, 28 Old Bond Street, till 2 March. Prepare to be moved by these sad sepulchral pitchers.

Tanya Harrod

OPERA

Don Giovanni, Queen Elizabeth Hall, 10 February. The second of Opera Factory London Sinfonietta's cycle of the Mozart- Da Ponte operas, conducted by Paul Daniel and directed by David Freeman, with Christine Bunning, Marie Angel, Janis Kelly, Omar Ebraltim and Clive Bayley in the cast.

La forza del destino, Theatre Royal Glasgow, 13 February. John Mauceri conducts Elijah Moshinsky's new production for Scottish Opera of the original St Petersburg version of Verdi's opera. Andrea Gruber, Stefano Algeri and Vladimir Chernov head the cast.

at La Scala, Milan, with Bernd Weiki, Nancy Gustafson and Ben Heppner conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch (from 20 February).

Rodney Milnes

POP MUSIC

Tanita Tikaram, touring. Her rather dour new album may lack any songs as beguiling as 'Twist In My Sobriety', hut intensive touring has apparently perked up her live shows. Cheery grins, though, are still not on the menu.

Bob Dylan, Hamtnersmith Odeon, 3-8 February. Even fewer chuckles here, of course, as the old groaner celebrates his return to critical favour with his usual lugubrious indifference, Being universally revered must be a terrible strain.

Marcus Berkmann Gallery, from 7 February. The

THEATRE

A Clockwork Orange, Barbican, 6 February. Adaptation of Anthony Burgess's powerful urban novel for the RSC by the novelist himself and the director Ron Daniels. Phil Daniel stars as Alex.

When We Dead Awake, Almeida, 20 February. Revival of late Ibsen in an adaptation by David Rudkin. Claire Bloom makes a welcome return and takes the lead role, Jonathan Kent directs. Very promising.

Peer Gynt, Olivier. 20 February. Yet another late Ibsen revival, directed by Deelan Donnellan, co- founder of Cheek by Jowl. Stephen Moore and David 'Morrissey take the lead roles.

Christopher Edwards

SALE-ROOMS

Some unusual sales this month: Valentine cards at Christie's South Kensington on the 8th; 19th- and 20th-century posters, same date, same venue. Spanish pictures at Christie's on the 15th; decorative tiles at Phillips on the 22nd.

Peter Watson

EXHIBITIONS

Richard Long, Arnolfini, Bristol. Bristol's own sponsored walker, mud-circle creator, stone arranger and winner of 1989 Turner Prize. For those so inclined.

Ruskin and Mosaics, Ruskin Gallery, Sheffield, till 21 April. A show based on the importance rightly given by Ruskin to the way Byzantines arranged stones in earlier times.

Lifelines, Tate Gallery, Liverpool. The way four living artists exploit photography.