On my radar: Lesley Sharp’s cultural highlights
The actor on her love of dance, the reality TV series Below Deck and what helps her to write
I was writing a book about Rachmaninov in exile when my own world changed for ever
In lockdown, the Observer’s classical music critic began work on a book about the Russian composer’s later years. Then war, and events in her own life, began to reshape the narrative
Quartet: How Four Women Changed the Musical World by Leah Broad review – off-key hymn to pioneers
This gushing celebration of composers who triumphed against the odds never quite communicates their place in history and leaves a hole at the centre where the music should be
Quartet by Leah Broad review – Britain’s great female composers
A welcome celebration of four brilliant and colourful contributors to the 20th-century classical scene
Richard Kell obituary
Other lives: Poet, teacher and composer who became part of the vibrant poetry scene in Newcastle and the north-east
Who was Beethoven’s mysterious Elise? Historian concludes she never existed
The identity of the muse for Für Elise has long puzzled experts. A new book suggests it was named by someone else, after the composer’s death
I learned the hard way that Fay Weldon was as sharp-witted as her characters
I jumped at the chance to interview her, but regretted it almost at once after being reminded of a bad review I wrote
The Woolf pack: Renée Fleming and Joyce DiDonato on turning The Hours into opera
The Pulitzer-prize-winning, Mrs Dalloway-influenced novel about three generations of women, has finally hit the stage. Its stars tell us how they pulled it off
The arts Christmas gift guide 2022: Dolly Parton dog wigs, Strictly tea towels, Bauhaus teapots and much more
From 007 socks to the Dark Side of the Spoon cookbook, from David Shrigley’s foot to AC/DC Monopoly, here are 40 perfect present ideas for culture-lovers everywhere
Atarah Ben-Tovim obituary
Orchestral flautist who inspired generations of children with her innovative approach to music education
Sound Within Sound by Kate Molleson review – a challenge to the gatekeepers of classical music
This clever and compelling collection of essays sings the praises of 10 thrilling artists whose work has been excluded from the classical canon
Enjoy your trip: books, music, films and more for an out-of-body experience
From Gaspar Noé’s death-dream to Elgar’s emotionally charged choral composition, our critics recommend culture to take you into another dimension
Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk review – a virtuosic memoir
The concert pianist’s account of striving for musical mastery sits alongside a stirring coming of age narrative
Scenes from the Wild review – bats and gannets in the captivating vision of Dara McAnulty
Tenor William Morgan was the soloist in Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s powerful song cycle based on the work of the teenage nature writer
Cultural prescription: film, books, plays and more to help you embrace autumn
From A Midsummer Night’s Dream to When Harry Met Sally, Guardian critics suggest comforting culture for the changing seasons