James Imam

The Pope was nodding, though for the life of him Gareth Gore could not have said what the nodding meant. Was Leo agreeing that it was time for the Vatican to finally shed light on the practices of the Catholic Church’s most secretive and divisive sect? thetimes.com/world/europe/a…

How a tiramisu sceptic discovered what the fuss was all about, in the restaurant where the dessert was invented fifty years ago thetimes.com/world/europe/a…

Via libera della Fenice a Beatrice Venezi direttrice musicale. Il Consiglio d'indirizzo: "Incarico al via da ottobre" #ANSA ow.ly/bYMV50YrWtR

Voglio Alex Soddy come prossimo direttore della Scala! x.com/i/status/20292…

Brit maestro Alex Soddy tells me taking the top job at @ROH_London would be a "dream". However, based on my conversations at @teatroallascala last night, some at the Milan house would be keen to snap him up as MD at the next opportunity. thetimes.com/culture/classi…

Two dozen kids standing around with placards saying they want affordable homes. Italy going a little oberboard with riot police these days?

@larkingrumple Welcome to Italy...

@jamalelemam Ah, I was invited out to write a piece about this, but the invitation came (way) too late to attend!

First opera by Giordano -- Puccini's arch rival -- was performed for first time last week at Milan's Teatro Dal Verme, same venue where Puccini’s Le villi and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci were also premiered 130 odd years ago thetimes.com/culture/classi…

Hot priest says it's time to talk about self pleasure thetimes.com/world/europe/a…

@larkingrumple How was it?

Safe to say the Viennese crowd did not appreciate the production #understatement

@bachtrack's Laura Servidei spot on - haters gonna hate bachtrack.com/review-gotterd…

Alexander Soddy and his mentor, Simone Young, have been taking turns to conduct La Scala's Ring cycle. On basis of this performance, the pupil has outgrown the master giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/ac…

INVESTIGATION: @krastakrau and I uncover the tragic story of Hamid Badoui, an Egyptian-born resident of Italy who commited suicide after being sent to Giorgia Meloni's migrant centres in Albania @BalkanInsight @reporteralbania @BIRN_Network @ejcnet #IJ4EU balkaninsight.com/2026/02/03/ham…

Everyone has to start somewhere, and if you’re a celebrity, you can take your first steps at the Palais Garnier. SA on Ralph Fiennes's operatic debut giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/ac…

This village has unabashedly declared war on hordes of Chinese tourists drawn there because they reckon its Dolomites backdrop inspired a mountain emoji 🏔️thetimes.com/uk/social-medi…

Controversy continues at @teatrolafenice over Giorgia Meloni ally's nomination as music director, with audience members showering flyers with a treble clef - their chosen symbol of resistance - from the gallery at the curtain call giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/ac…

'The public were having sex, the musicians were trying hard to keep their attention with great music, the set builders were trying to be as Hollywood as possible and the authorities were trying to shut it down. That’s why opera from the time is so good' thetimes.com/world/europe/a…

One inscription indicates that Tychè, a sex worker, was paid to have sex ad locum (“in this place”) with three men theartnewspaper.com/2026/01/22/sex…

“The first question that comes to mind is simply: what are we going to do with all this Michelangelo?” thetimes.com/world/europe/a…

Trasmissione di La boheme presso @OperaRoma. Infine, qualche contestazione. Il conduttore, Andrea Penna, commenta: "beh, chissà perché buhano - era una produzione abbastanza tradizionale". Non era forse quello il problema? #davidelivermore