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Jan Dalley and Peter Aspden discuss A History of the World in 100 Objects

As the final object is revealed, FT arts editor Jan Dalley talks to Peter Aspden about the significance of the BBC Radio 4 series 'A History of the World in 100 Objects' presented by Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum.  


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New opera: does it exist?

Is the operatic tradition defunct? Where and how should new operas be put on? And which are the great modern operas? On the opening of Alexander Raskatov's A Dog's Heart at the Coliseum in London, Jan Dalley, FT arts editor, puts these questions to Andrew Clark, the paper's chief classical music critic, and Nicholas Payne, former director of The Royal Opera, the English National Opera and Opera North. Plus, Martin Bernheimer, the FT's classical music critic in New York, discusses what he sees as the conservatism of American opera-goers.  


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Anna Nicole: the opera

Does bad language have a place in the opera house? Is the life of a stripper turned reality TV star a suitable subject for operatic treatment? And, can opera find a viable way of reflecting culture today? The day after the premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage's "Anna Nicole" at Covent Garden, Andrew Clark, FT classical music critic, puts these questions to Gina Thomas, UK cultural correspondent of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and Laura Battle, FT staff writer and critic. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  


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Shakespeare: lost in translation?

Nelson Mandela once said, “Somehow, Shakespeare always seems to have something to say to us.” This year, the bard is saying it in 37 languages. Globe to Globe, a six-week festival starting on April 21 at Shakespeare’s Globe in London, presents all 37 of Shakespeare's plays, each by a different international theatre company. But what is lost in translation? Can other countries really do Shakespeare better than Britain? And how do the plays relate to the world today? Jan Dalley is joined by Dominic Dromgoole, artistic director of the Globe; Professor Robert Grant, formerly of Glasgow University; and Peter Aspden, the FT’s arts writer. Roger Granville, producer of the Dari Persian "The Comedy of Errors" from Kabul, joins down the line. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  


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Writing Britain: how landscape shapes art and literature

From Dickens’ London to Wordsworth’s Lakes via the painter George Shaw’s suburban “edgelands”, the British landscape has long permeated writing and visual art. On the opening of the British Library’s exhibition Writing Britain: Wastelands to Wonderlands, Jan Dalley talks to the poet Owen Sheers; the exhibition’s curator Jamie Andrews; and FT art critic Jackie Wullschlager. The travel writer Robert Macfarlane is on the line. Plus, Faber's 1998 recording of Harold Pinter reading his poem “Joseph Brearley 1909-1977” © Faber & Faber Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  


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Rappers and reality: has hip hop lost touch with its roots?

Hip hop may have started in the Bronx, but today’s rappers are millionaires with business empires that extend way beyond music. Ahead of Jay Z and Kanye West's European tour of their joint album Watch The Throne, Raphael Abraham talks to FT critics Ludovic Hunter-Tilney and Richard Clayton about the evolution and future of rap. With clips from The Sugarhill Gang, Jay Z and Kanye West, Evidence and DJ Shadow. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  


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Whatever happened to Britpop?

Forget “London 2012”, this summer it’s all about the 1990s – with the Stone Roses reunion gigs, Suede headlining the Hop Farm festival, and Blur playing the Olympics closing ceremony gig. As 40-something fans relive the glory days of “Cool Britannia”, FT pop critic Ludovic Hunter-Tilney looks back at the renaissance of British rock 20 years ago, and asks – was it all it was it cracked up to be? And what is its legacy? He is joined in the studio by Richard Clayton and David Cheal. Featuring music from the Stone Roses, Oasis, Blur and Pulp. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  


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Spoken word: the rise of performance poetry

Spoken word is a form of poetry usually written to be performed in front of an audience, and often associated with hip hop culture. In recent years its popularity has soared in the UK – and now, as part of the London Literature Festival, the Southbank Centre is hosting the final of “Shake the Dust”, a national poetry slam for teenagers. So, what’s the difference between “page” and “stage” poetry? Does spoken word have a political bent? And can poets hope to change anything? Jan Dalley puts these questions to the poet, rapper and playwright Kate Tempest; poet and artistic director of the “Shake The Dust” Jacob Sam-La Rose; and critic Suzi Feay. Produced by Griselda Murray Brown  


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Peter Aspden on David Bowie and the end of HMV

Thinking differently is what makes Bowie stand out in the noisy world that killed off HMV. And it will be the key skill in the disembodied cultural universe of the future, says FT arts writer Peter Aspden.  


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Peter Aspden on Philip Glass's Walt Disney opera

Based on a novel by Peter Stephan Jungk, 'The Perfect American' is the story of one of the 20th century's biggest entertainment moguls. The FT's arts writer gives his verdict on the work's premiere at the Teatro Real, Madrid.  


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Peter Aspden on the heritage impulse

With "The Rite of Spring" in Paris and the Armory Show in New York, 1913 was a key moment for modernism. But it also marked a turning point in Britain's attitude to its past, says the FT's culture columnist  


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Peter Aspden on Mat Collishaw and recession art

The FT's arts writer reports on Mat Collishaw's transition from conceptual shock artist to ‘proper’ draughtsman - and why, unlike revolution or virgin birth, an economic recession makes a poor subject for art  


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Quiet, please: Peter Aspden on Kraftwerk and crucifixions

The German band’s shows at Tate Modern were wildly oversubscribed. But hot tickets and artistic pleasure don’t necessarily go hand in hand, says the FT’s arts writer  


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Pop artist: Peter Aspden on Dinos Chapman’s first album

With his brother Jake, the British artist has tackled some of modernity’s grisliest themes. The FT’s arts writer finds out why he’s now trying his hand at music  


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The buzz business: Peter Aspden on the branding of culture

Like it or not, the vibrancy of London’s art scene is due in part to the efforts of marketeers, public relations teams and great coffee shops, says the FT’s arts writer,  


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The birth of dramedy: Peter Aspden on Steptoe and Son

As a stage version of the classic BBC sitcom comes to London, the FT’s arts writer reflects on the series’ pioneering mix of comedy and drama  


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Emir-art: Peter Aspden reports from the Sharjah Biennial

The emirate’s contemporary arts event considers some thorny regional issues in a deceptively laid-back way, says the FT’s arts writer  


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Only in France? Peter Aspden on cultural stereotypes

We love French culture, yet according to a recent study there’s something in it that makes the French miserable. But every nation’s artistic mindset has its drawbacks, argues the FT’s arts writer  


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Shock of the nude: Peter Aspden on Qatar’s statue problem

Doha’s aspiration to become a global centre for culture is admirable – its squeamishness over ancient Greek sculptures less so, says the FT’s arts writer  


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Take it easy: Peter Aspden on The Eagles’ mellow magic

As a new documentary profiles the soft rock megastars, the FT’s arts writer reflects on their dramatic fall from grace – and their enduring appeal  


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The US connection: Peter Aspden on cinema’s exception culturelle

Europe’s film-makers want protection from the might of Hollywood. That’s understandable, argues the FT’s arts writer, but also wrong-headed: the two traditions are deeply intertwined  


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Focus, schmocus: Peter Aspden on distraction

As Margate’s Turner Contemporary gallery celebrates curiosity, the FT’s arts writer does his best to concentrate on the mind’s ability to wander  


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A different league: Peter Aspden on our soccer psychosis

The praise lavished on football’s retiring greats has been wildly overblown, says the FT’s arts writer. Other cultural pursuits are far worthier of grown-ups’ attention  


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History's second draft: Peter Aspden on theatre and the news

Where there is a public clamour for explanation, writers and artists should be unafraid to step in, says the FT's arts writer  


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Going soft: Peter Aspden on the cultural wealth of nations

Countries are vying to project their worth through art, sport and broadcasting. But ‘soft power’ is not always easy to control, says the FT’s arts writer  


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After the spring: Peter Aspden on the Shubbak Festival

Visa problems and nervousness on the part of potential sponsors have made life hard for London’s festival of contemporary Arab culture. But as the Arab Spring gives way to harsher realities, such forums are needed more than ever, says the FT’s arts writer  


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Howdy, Podner! Peter Aspden on Las Vegas’s heritage impulse

The Nevada resort, a byword for pleasure-seeking in the here and now, is starting to take its history seriously, says the FT’s arts writer  


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Sound of sci-fi: Peter Aspden on the Dr Who Prom

Braving Daleks and Cybermen at the Royal Albert Hall, the FT’s arts writer reflects on the unlikely synergy between classical music and a children’s sci-fi series  


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Spasticus artisticus: Peter Aspden on Ian Dury

The late pop singer, whose work has just gone on show at London’s Royal College of Art, was a far more nuanced figure than his punk image would suggest, argues the FT’s arts writer  


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Going it alone: Erica Wagner on creative independence

Omnicom/Publicis, Penguin/Random House – the cultural landscape is dominated by ever fewer, ever bigger businesses. Yet artists and audiences alike are finding benefits in shunning their embrace  


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Party on! Peter Aspden on beach bar music

It’s loud, insistent, adolescent and playing now at a Mediterranean resort near you. And as the FT’s arts writer finds, there’s no way you’ll ever get the volume turned down  


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Look at me: Suzi Feay on the perils of self-indulgent art

“Those who live to please, must please to live.” But these days it’s often our privilege to watch the performers having a good time  


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Look, don’t sketch: Peter Aspden on the V&A’s blockbuster dilemma

Citing pressure of visitor numbers, the museum banned sketching at its recent “David Bowie Is” exhibition – a move that shows how hard it is for curators to reconcile accessibility and academic values, the FT’s arts writer says  


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Puccini vs the Twitterverse: Peter Aspden finds shelter in the stalls

Culture is becoming a refuge for the digitally brutalised: an evening at the opera, or cinema, or theatre, is where we go to escape technological overload, the FT’s arts writer argues  


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Something old, something new: Peter Aspden on the classic with a twist

Spicing up traditional settings with a dash of contemporary style has become a cultural commonplace. But let’s not pretend it’s anything more than an aesthetic compromise, the FT’s arts writer says  


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A messy business: Peter Aspden on sex

A forthcoming season on Channel 4 aims to demystify our sexual behaviour – to be ‘open’ and ‘honest’ about a 'normal part of all our lives'. Good luck with that, says the FT’s arts writer  


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Tomorrow people: Peter Aspden on FutureFest

The Futurists’ fervent belief in progress heralded disaster; now we worry about what the future will bring. But the FT’s arts writer finds grounds for optimism – and an unexpectedly hippy vibe – at a London ideas festival  


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Auteur ego: Peter Aspden on Bertolucci

A new film portrait of the Italian director reveals a man unafraid to confront difficult questions. It’s a kind of artistic responsibility that now feels old-fashioned, the FT’s arts writer says  


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Bryte star: Peter Aspden on Nick Drake

Neglected in his lifetime, the singer-songwriter is now revered, as an event devoted to his album ‘Bryter Later’ demonstrates. But it’s doubtful his genius would have flourished any better in today’s impatient world, the FT’s arts writer says  


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Soul power: Peter Aspden on icons

The market for Orthodox icons has been revivified by Russian money in recent years – yet the genre’s spiritual charge and innate conservatism make it a challenging field for collectors  


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Nap music: Peter Aspden on the UK’s first ‘sleeping gig’

A concert sponsored by insurance company Direct Line aims to help time-challenged audiences snatch some shut-eye – but a wakeful FT arts writer finds that the relationship between art and sleep is not a straightforward one  


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Sitcom nation: Peter Aspden on daytime TV

They seem always to be on, but ‘Rules of Engagement’, ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and their ilk shouldn’t be taken for granted: these immaculately crafted, relentlessly inoffensive series open a window on American society  


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Space adventure: Peter Aspden on Philippe Parreno

The French conceptualist’s exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo is a sense-scrambling rethink of the relationship between art and the environment in which it appears  


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Restoration drama: Peter Aspden on Kenwood House

Efforts to restore historic buildings to their original splendour tell us as much about today’s tastes as they do about yesterday’s  


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Jay-Z and Pablo P: Peter Aspden on Art Basel Miami Beach

The FT’s arts writer finds that, for all the acquisitive buzz around art fairs, they still richly cater for people’s inquisitive side too  


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Sporting life: Peter Aspden on Russian Realism

An exhibition of Soviet-era sporting paintings shows how, even in a repressive political climate, artists still made work with real human insight  


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Critical voice: Peter Aspden on Ai Weiwei

As Miami’s sparkling new Perez Art Museum hosts a big retrospective of the Chinese artist’s work, the FT’s arts writer reflects on culture’s role in challenging oppression  


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Culture versus clutter: Peter Aspden on ‘Stuffocation’

In a persuasive new book, the trend forecaster James Wallman says that our appetite for material possessions is giving way to a hunger for experiences. How will that shift be reflected in the arts?  


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A Banksy in the boardroom: Peter Aspden on corporate collections

Businesses like buying contemporary art to show off their forward-thinking and investment savvy. Fair enough – but it still sits oddly with artists’ desire to provoke and subvert  


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Wig interpretation: Peter Aspden on ‘American Hustle’

Christian Bale’s hairpiece in the Oscar-nominated movie caper epitomises the preposterousness of the 1970s – but the decade’s unabashed lack of polish looks increasingly appealing in our technology-dependent age  


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