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David Nice

@davidnice.bsky.social

2.4K followers 990 following 14K posts

Writer, lecturer, broadcaster, happily bestriding London and Dublin. Classical music/Opera Editor of The Arts Desk, author of seven books including Prokofiev: From Russia to the West (Yale). Running two Zoom courses, one on opera, the other on concert rep.

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David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · Nov 23

Giving it a try on here after low-key interactions on Mastodon - excellent for finding out about the world, but I missed most of the musical folk I left behind on Xitter last year. Good to see some famiiar faces already.

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David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 7h

Ghastly.

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 7h

I'm sorry Diane Keaton is no more. I admired her, of course. But to say that her loss is 'devastating' when she died at 79 - not a bad innings - and that she starred in 'the very best films of the past century' is overkill. Bradshaw is only just less trustworthy than Jonathan Jones in my books.

An ethereally self-aware comedy genius: the loss of Diane Keaton is devastating | Peter Bradshaw

America’s sweetheart was so much more than that: an actor of astonishing singularity and freshness who starred in the very best films of the past century

www.theguardian.com

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 7h

...despite Durham having Reform on the council, taking down Ukrainian and LGBTQ flags. My Durham friends joined a very vocal protest.

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Reposted by David Nice

LongTime🤓FirstTime👨‍💻 @longtimehistory.bsky.social · 15h

ICE secretly kidnap autistic boy during bathroom break—never notify parents.

Mother reported him missing a week ago—turns out ICE had him detained the whole time.

He was helping sell fruit and asked to go to the restroom—by the time she was done helping a customer he was gone.

Houston, Texas

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David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 7h

Oh, the expressive joy of this boy! A vivacious reproach to the monsters who took the lives of so many like him.

Paul Eric Scannell @pauleric70.bsky.social · 7h

A young PaIestinian boy holds his cat close as he shares what he’s most looking forward to now that the GENOClDE ended. 🕊️🐾

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David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 7h

Oh, the gulf between leader and UK PM. When asked what help he was offering for the Brits in the Flotilla, Starmer's spokesman said 'ask the Israeli state'. Which is like Kristi Noem, when asked if she could give an unjustly deported man's mother any news, replied 'ask the President of El Salvador'.

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 8h

Heading to glorious Durham for Lumiere in mid November.

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David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 13h

And still...

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 14h

Directed by S Miller as Resurgam, with tons of blackface.

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David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 17h

It actually wasn't miserable. I met so many inspiring people. And I'm in the clear, so thanks.

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David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 17h

If people start listening to the likes of @aoc.bsky.social and @sanders.senate.gov and stop thinking of socialism as a dirty word, it could.

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 17h

I know. Not a safe place for anyone right now, though.

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 17h

It will have to transform. Never a good place for millions, even under Obama and Biden.

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David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 17h

Absolutely. We must always remember how, despite the obstacles, healthcare has improved immeasurably. Some of my female friends would not be alive had they been of their mothers' generation

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 17h

Always wanted to go to Santa Fe and travel around Willa Cather territory.

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 18h

And the BBCSO still adore him.

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 18h

Good grief. I might be arrested for attacking the screen. But then I ain't going back to the USA any time soon, or possibly ever.

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David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 18h

Nielsen is not poor man's anybody. For me the Fifth is the greatest symphony of the 20th century. And Oramo's live cycle with the BBC Symphony Orchestra was thrilling throughout.

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David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 18h

It's not exactly cheap, but very good value especially for the lamb: Pizarro in Bermondsey High Street (fascinating, though hipsterville now). Another branch in Piccadilly, I believe.

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 18h

And who gave NetanYahoo full licence (and weapons) for even more savage destruction

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 18h

I should add that there's also the amazing Maggie's Centre, which I didn't discover until after I'd finished my radiotherapy treatment. 'Died and gone to heaven' was what it felt like. The radiotherapy centre was rudimentary but rendered jolly by Sharon, who made tea and coffee for older patients.

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 18h

'And the ones who chop up opponents are very wealthy, so we'd better keep in with them'. Inconsistency always.

David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 18h

They were amazing, both on the ward (cheerful and clean) and earlier in the radiotherapy centre. I said how calm they seemed and they said, if only you knew...all worked overtime when one of the machines broke down. People always came first. I wish your partner many more years of good living!

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David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 18h

'our NHS IS', dammit. And a redundant closing parenthesis. Still, you get the message. For reference, the complete blog entry is here: davidnice.blogspot.com/2023/02/wing...

Wings and weather around visits to The Beast

On Tuesday I rang the bell to mark an end to five weeks of radio/chemotherapy which, it's hoped, will have frazzled my bowel tumour. Before ...

davidnice.blogspot.com

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David Nice @davidnice.bsky.social · 18h

That rather knocks on the head the notion I heard from a friend that nearly all American presidents had been granted it as a matter of course...