Dance 2012

The Canadian bass Don Garrard sang in the UK for over 20 years, with the Royal Opera, Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera, and above all with Sadler's Wells, now English National Opera. He had a natural authority, both of voice and bearing, that served him well in roles such as Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Prince Gremin in Tchaikowsky's Eugene Onegin and the Grand Inquisitor in Verdi's Don Carlos. The warmth of his voice and personality also allowed him to play loving fathers with equal facility; among these Daland in Wagner's The Flying Dutchman and Arkel in Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande are good examples. His singing was also much appreciated in Canada and the US.

Some of dance's biggest names are brought together in 6000 Miles Away: superballerina Sylvie Guillem and choreographers William Forsythe, Jirí Kyliá* and Mats Ek. Guillem has an impressive commitment to new choreography, her taste often running to quiet, even grungy, contemporary work. Here, there's an intriguing contradiction between low-key dance and the splash of a major star.

How do you establish yourself as an enfant terrible?

Rambert, which celebrates its 85th anniversary this year, is in very good shape for its birthday. Work is about to start on a new purpose-built home on London's South Bank, while this triple bill brings a handsome staging of a classic and a strong new work. The dancing is splendid.

María Pagés and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui stand side by side, arms rippling.

If this didn't give them a taste for the game, nothing will. Quite apart from free entry to the Queen's own racecourse, the benedictions shared by 26,595 people here yesterday extended to an immaculate spring afternoon and, for those disposed to take an interest, some pretty serious stuff on the track itself.