tfeiyte4 - afir A monthly selection of forthcoming events recommended by The

Spectator's regular critics

MUSIC

The Proms continue until 17 September. High points will be two concerts by the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra under Riccardo Chailly featuring Bruckner's Third Symphony on the 2nd and Tchaikovsky's Fourth on the 3rd.

Summerscope at the South Bank continues with Opera Factory's production of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, Queen Elizabeth Hall, 2-16 September. The London Sinfonietta plays under Paul Daniel. Kent Opera will appear with Judith Weir's A Night at the Chinese Opera, directed by Andrew Parrott, Queen Elizabeth Hall, 8-9 September.

The Spanish Armada is the theme of this year's York Early Music Festival, 16-18 September. Each day contains almost non-stop concert-giving in venues all over York (box office 0904 644194).

Peter Phillips

DANCE

Cumbre Flamenca, Sadlers Wells (278-8916), 6-17 September. A rare chance to see some of the best of Spain's flamenco artists.

Michael Clark & Company, Sadlers Wells (278-8916), 20 September — 8 October. The season includes the London premiere of I am Curious, Orange. Deirdre McMahon

OPERA

Falstaff, New Theatre, Cardiff (0222-32446), 10 September. Peter Stein's new production for Welsh National Opera, conducted by Richard Armstrong and snatched from the jaws of a strike.

La Traviata, Coliseum (836 3161), 14 September. The ENO's prize- winning Elder/Pountney/Lazaridis production team tackles Verdi's opera, with Helen Field as Violetta, Arthur Davies as Alfredo and Alan Opie as Germont.

Das Rheingold, Covent Garden (240 1066), 29 September. Bernard Haitink conducts the first stage of the Royal Opera's new Ring, produced by Yuri Liubimov.

Rodney Milnes

CINEMA

A World Apart (PG). Directorial debut by Chris Menges, based on the true story of Ruth First; her struggles against apartheid are seen through the eyes of her 13-year-old daughter, who does not always appreciate having a martyr for a mother. Stars and Bars (15). Daniel Day Lewis as hapless English art dealer who comes to grief whilst pursuing a Renoir through Georgia USA; screenplay by William Boyd, from his own novel.

Drowning by Numbers (18). A new Peter Greenaway is always an event, if sometimes a distressingly puzzling one; here three women all called Cissie Colpitts drown their spouses in Suffolk. Hilary Mantel

CRAFTS

The Modern Chair: 20th-Century British Chair Design, ICA, till 2 October and touring. Neat exhibition with excellent catalogue accompanying Metropolis: New British Architecture and the City.

AD Graduate Exhibition 88, Aram Designs, 3 Kean Street, Covent Garden, 7-30 September. This year's most promising design graduates selected by Zecv Aram.

Ceramics, Glass, Jewellery, Terrace Gallery, 7 Liverpool Terrace, Worthing, 18 September — 8 October. The austere beauties of Eileen Lewenstein's ceramics.

Their Gods, Gordon Reece Gallery, Knaresborough, N. Yorkshire, 10 September —9 October. Masks, carvings, bronzes from a wide range of cultures.

Tanya Harrod

THEATRE

Our Country's Good, Royal Court (730 1745). New play by Timberlake Wertenbaker based on excellent Keneally novel about first convict colony in Australia rehearsing a performance of Farquhar's The Recruiting Officer.

As You Like it; Hamlet, Phoenix (836 2294). Remaining part of Kenneth Branagh's touring company productions of Shakespeare (his Much Ado is reviewed this week). Geraldine McEwan directs the first, Derek Jacobi the second. All three productions are worth seeing.

When She Danced, King's Head, Islington (226 1916). Revival of Martin Sherman's play about Isadora Duncan, set in Paris in 1923. Strong cast includes Sheila Gish and Angela Pleasence. Previews from 15 September.

Christopher Edwards

EXHIBITIONS

Modern British Sculpture from the Collection, Tate, Liverpool, from 7 September. Unique and

comprehensive survey of British sculpture in this century. 150 works by 60 artists.

Beyond the Horizon: Paintings by Lintas Artists, 1930-1950, Agnews, London, from 14 September. Gifted artists who worked for the famous advertising agency include Keith Vaughan Felix Kelly

Camouflage, Third Eye Centre, Glasgow. Literal and symbolic interpretations of disguise in art.

English Etchers Look at Holland. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, from 17 September. Nineteenth- and 20th-century English artists influenced by Rembrandt and his beautiful homeland. Giles Auty

SALE-ROOMS

With the dealers back from the beaches, the season gets off with a bang — or should it be a roll? — on the 6th with Sotheby's four-day auction of Elton John's collection: stage costumes, jewellery, art nouveau and deco, silver, pictures, ceramics etc.

Later in the month (28th and 29th) at Christie's comes a distinguished collection of architectural designs and ornaments: Inigo Jones, Sir John Soane, Frank Lloyd Wright, the RAC building in Pall Mall and Sydney Opera House. Peter Watson

GARDENS

Foxhall, Denbigh, Clwyd, 11/2 acres of tr,aditional country garden surrounding a mediaeval house, is open for the first time this year on 11 September (2-6 p.m.) in aid of the National Gardens Scheme. _ For Londoners who like something rather out of the ordinary, there is the South London Botanical Institute, a small, formally laid out botanic garden at 323 Norwood Road, SE24. Open Sunday, 4 September, 2-5 p.m.

POP MUSIC

Amnesty International benefit, Buchan

Wembley Stadium, 2 September.. Another day, another benefit. This one features Bruce Springsteen, old chuckles himself Sting, Peter Gabriel no doubt singing 'Biko', and current darling TraceY Chapman. Deeply worthy; take your Jean-Michel Jarre, London Docklands, 24 September. One-off concert of enormous scale which promises to be perhaps the most spectacular ever seen on these shores. Lasers, massive video (icsemuargess)and I shall be on holiday

Marcus Berkman',