Interviews, Q&amp;As and feature articles<br />

Jaap van Zweden: ‘A great orchestra needs to be a chameleon’

JAAP VAN ZWEDEN: 'A GREAT ORCHESTRA NEEDS TO BE A CHAMELEON' The Dutch conductor on classical traditions and new directions

The Dutch conductor on new directions plus his work in Hong Kong and Dallas

Jaap van Zweden is going places. At 55, he is already 16 years into a second high-profile musical career. His first, as a violinist, saw him appointed leader of the Concertgebouw, the youngest ever to hold the position. From there, he moved to the conductor’s podium, and is now Music Director of the Dallas Symphony and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. According to some rumours, he is also under serious consideration for the New York Philharmonic.

Collected through Love: The Michael Woodford Bequest

COLLECTED THROUGH LOVE: THE MICHAEL WOODFORD BEQUEST Pallant House Gallery's artistic director introduces an unlikely collector of modern art

Pallant House Gallery's artistic director introduces an unlikely collector of modern art

Art collectors are rarely what one might expect. Everyone has their particular enthusiasms, quirks and foibles, which make their collections unique and reflective of their tastes. In my career as a curator I have learnt never to have preconceptions when visiting collectors. The best pictures can often be found in the most modest of homes. Nothing can beat the buzz of encountering an iconic artwork in the most unlikely of settings. It is a lesson in how important it is not to make judgements about individuals before meeting them properly.

Before the Bomb - the art that built Fallout 4

BEFORE THE BOMB - THE ART THAT BUILT 'FALLOUT 4' From World War Z to Cormac McCarthy, the films, books and other media that shaped the hit game

From World War Z to Cormac McCarthy, the films, books and other media that shaped the hit game

Fallout 4 has proven to be one of the year's biggest games launches. A sprawling role-playing game with a huge open world full of danger and decaying beauty, it casts you in the role of the Sole Survivor of an experimental cryogenic vault that has preserved you for two centuries while the outside world has slowly begun to recover from nuclear war. With just a loyal stray called Dogmeat for company, you must venture forth to find your missing child and face your destiny.

200 Miller Mikados at ENO

200 MILLER MIKADOS Remembering the good doctor and director with an article from 2015

Ko-Ko's still wielding a special little list as a white, tight craft sails on

Much of what follows was included in the 25th anniversary programme for Jonathan Miller’s legendary production of The Mikado at English National Opera. And the show goes on, still dazzling on each curtain-up thanks to the undated feat of the late Stefanos Laziridis’ sets and Sue Blane’s costumes, its routines absolutely classic on its 14th revival. On 6 December it marked its 200th performance, so there’s good reason to wheel out this celebration of sundry Mikados again.

Around the World in 80 Days: why now?

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS: WHY NOW? Phileas Fogg is off on his travels at St James Theatre. Its author explains what's new

Phileas Fogg is off on his travels at St James Theatre. Its author explains what's new

I adapted Around the World in Eighty Days very specifically for my own theatre company, Lookingglass Theatre of Chicago, where I am one of 24 multi-skilled ensemble members who are writers, directors, actors, and/or designers. Although Lookingglass’ work varies, we most often do adaptations of classic stories, frequently epic in scale, told in a highly theatrical, strongly visual and/or physical way.

Adele at the BBC, BBC One

ADELE AT THE BBC, BBC ONE Reclusive singer announces new album '25' with BBC special

Reclusive singer announces new album '25' with BBC special on Friday

As you all know by now, Friday is D-Day for Adele's new album 25, and part of the all-media Adelathon is Friday night's show on BBC One, Adele at the BBC. It's a mix of live performances and taped sequences linked together by chunks of interview with Graham Norton, and makes the perfect relaunch package for the reclusive superstar. It opens, aptly enough, with her performing "Rolling in the Deep".

Measure for Measure to music

MEASURE FOR MEASURE TO MUSIC The star of 'Desperate Measures', a new Shakespeare musical at Jermyn Street Theatre, explains all

The star of 'Desperate Measures', a new Shakespeare musical at Jermyn Street Theatre, explains all

West Side Story, Kiss Me Kate, even The Lion King – all have shown us how Shakespeare’s stories can translate into musical form. It’s not hard to see why: the plots provide strong frameworks for adaptation, with central problems to be resolved, protagonists for us to root for, villains to charm us, lovers to pity – they're all there. Although Measure for Measure is often referred to as Shakespeare’s problem play, its translation into a musical set in Soho in the 1960s feels – perhaps surprisingly – right.

Yolanda Sonnabend: designer of MacMillan's 'neurotic' ballets

YOLANDA SONNABEND: DESIGNER OF MACMILLAN'S 'NEUROTIC' BALLETS The late dance designer's views on bums, 'Swan Lake', and seeing into the choreographer's mind

The late dance designer's views on bums, 'Swan Lake', and seeing into the choreographer's mind

Ever since Diaghilev’s day the relationship of dance movement to its visual design has been a lively, sometimes combative affair. Sometimes people leave whistling the set, saying shame about the dance; other times they hate the set, love the dance. As with the relationship of dance to music, the fit of look to movement can be decisive in why a new ballet escapes the curse of ephemerality and becomes a firm memory that people wish to revisit. It directs the audience how to read it.

Farewell to Stravinsky's right-hand man

FAREWELL TO STRAVINSKY'S RIGHT-HAND MAN Robert Craft, great Igor's guide to old and new music, has died at the age of 92

Robert Craft, great Igor's guide to old and new music, has died at the age of 92

Missionary angel or twelve-tone devil? Musical figures like Poulenc, perhaps too much attached to the diabolical element in Thomas Mann’s Doktor Faustus, were inclined to see the incursion of Robert Craft into Stravinsky’s Hollywood life in 1948 in demonic terms.

theartsdesk in Reykjavík: Iceland Airwaves 2015

THE ARTS DESK IN REYKJAVIK: ICELAND AIRWAVES 2015 A full-bore Mercury Rev, an MP and determination at the festival with something for everyone

A full-bore Mercury Rev, an MP and determination at the festival with something for everyone

The attack is relentless. Its power pummels like a gale. The 2015 model Mercury Rev begin their set at Iceland Airwaves as they meant to finish. Never has this band been so forceful, so kinetic. Yet their trademark balance of filmic drama and delicate melody was not sacrificed during this convincing revitalisation. On stage at Reykjavík’s Harpa concert hall on the festival's second day, Mercury Rev set a bar so high it sowed seeds suggesting nothing could top this. If they are playing, see them.